Broncos Come to Town for National Girls & Women in Sports Day

Women's Basketball vs. Western Michigan
Date	Saturday, Jan. 14 \| 2 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Convocation Center (8,784)
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN3
Listen	N/A
Twitter	@EMUWBB \| @EMUAthletics
Tickets	Order Tickets Online or call 734.487.2282 \| Clear Bag Policy

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Still in search of its first Mid-American Conference win of the season, the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team returns home Saturday, Jan. 14, to host in-state rival Western Michigan University. Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Convocation Center.
    Eastern Michigan enters the game with a 5-11 (0-4 MAC) record after falling on the road to Miami University, 72-61, Jan. 11. The Broncos are 12-3 (3-1 MAC) and have won 11 of their last 12 contests, including a 75-58 home triumph over Bowling Green State University, Jan. 7.
   The game will be shown on ESPN3 as part of the campus connection initiative, where Ryan Wooley and Sean Hostetter will have the play-by-play.

SCORING TICKING NORTH IN MAC PLAY: Four Eagles are averaging double figures in points four games into MAC play. Phillis Webb leads the way for Eastern Michigan at 17.5 ppg, followed by Sasha Dailey (14.5), Sheyna Deans (14.0), and Micah Robinson (11.3).
   EMU is one of two teams in the MAC to feature at least four players averaging double-digits in league-only games. Northern Illinois is the other with six players posting 10-or-more points.

SLOW START TO CONFERENCE PLAY: Eastern Michigan's defense has been giving up an average of 77.2 points per game, while the offense is managing just 62.5 points a contest. One of the team's biggest challenges has been at the free throw line, as the Eagles are shooting just 59.2 percent (46-of-77) in MAC play.

ALL-TIME VERSUS WESTERN MICHIGAN: Saturday's contest against Western Michigan marks the 81st meeting between the Broncos and Eagles, who first met during the 1976-77 season. Eastern leads the all-time series by a count of 47-33, including winning 19 of the last 24 meetings.
   EMU swept last year's series, as the Eagles outlasted the Broncos 70-66 in double overtime in Ypsilanti, Feb. 6, before downing WMU, 63-52, in Kalamazoo, March 2.
   The two schools will square off again Saturday, Feb. 18, in Kalamazoo. The game is scheduled for 1 p.m.

OLD FACES IN NEW PLACES: Western Michigan Head Coach Shane Clipfell spent nine seasons as an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan, and was the acting head coach for most of the 2006-07 season when then-Head Coach Suzy Merchant was on maternity leave. While serving as the acting head coach at EMU for a majority of the 2006-07 season, he guided the Eagles to a 16-13 overall record and a 10-6 finish in the MAC, good for second place in the West Division. Individually, Sarah VanMetre became the first women's basketball player in program history to be named Academic All-American, Patrice McKinney was named MAC Defensive Player of the Year and Alyssa Pittman was named the MAC Freshman of the Year.

CLIMBING THE RANKS: Senior Phillis Webb came into her final season ranked 21st in Eastern Michigan history with 509 rebounds. This season, Webb has grabbed 136 boards, moving her into 14th-place with 645 caroms. Nikki Knapp holds the program record with 802 career rebounds, while Webb is three boards behind Natachia Watkins for 13th-place on the all-time list.

AGAINST IN-STATE SCHOOLS: Eastern Michigan has had great success against other collegiate programs in the state of Michigan over the past 13 seasons. Since the beginning of the 2002-03 season, the Eagles are 64-31 (64.6 winning percentage) against in-state rivals.

DEANS BREAKS THROUGH: Up until Wednesday night's showdown with Miami, Jan. 11, senior Sheyna Deans had hit her career-high of 16 points four times, including twice this season. The Detroit native finally broke through, posting the first 20+ point game of her career, as she led the Eagles with a game-high 21 points against the RedHawks. Deans was efficient in her return to the starting lineup, converting 8-of-14 shots from the field, grabbing seven rebounds, and adding two assists, and a steal in 37 minutes of work.

NO NEED FOR WINDEX, THE EAGLES CLEANED UP THE GLASS: The Eagles grabbed 51 rebounds against Miami, Jan. 11, marking the fourth 51-or-more rebounding effort for the Green and White this season. EMU grabbed a season-high 57 against Morehead State, Nov. 13, and fell one short of that mark, Nov. 16, versus Ferris State. In addition to posting consecutive 55+ rebound efforts in more than 20 years, the Eagles have recorded the most 51+ rebounding showings since 2014-15, when EMU accomplished the task six times.

NATIONAL GIRLS & WOMEN'S IN SPORTS DAY ON TAP FOR SATURDAY: The EMU women's basketball team, along with the Eastern Michigan University of Department of Athletics, has announced a series of events to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day in conjunction with the Eagles' home game against Western Michigan University Saturday, Jan. 14. Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m., but the fan fair in the atrium of the Convocation Center begins as 1 p.m.
   Children can participate in activities led by the EMU women's sports teams. There, they will be able to learn the importance of being active in sports, as well as receive autographs from the student-athletes in attendance. In addition, the EMU Cheer team will host a free clinic from 12 to 1 p.m.. Participants will learn a routine and have the ability to perform at halftime of the game.
   Also, at halftime will be a baby crawl race with the winner receiving a $100 Gift Card to Meijer. Babies must not be able to walk to participate.

SECOND QUARTER SPIRAL: Since turning its focus to Mid-American Conference play, the second quarter has been a thorn in the side of Eastern Michigan. Through its first three league games, EMU is connecting on just 20.0 percent (12-of-60) of its field goal attempts in the period, including just 2-of-21 from three-point range. The Eagles' offensive struggles have been compounded by their opponents' 47.8 field goal percentage in the frame, as the opposition has connected on 32-of-67 attempts. EMU's shooting woes, combined with opponent's strong offensive performances in the quarter, have resulted in the Green and White being outscored 81-38.

STACKED IN THE WEST: The West Division of the Mid-American Conference has proven to be a gauntlet through the first four games of league play this season. The West has a combined record of 17-7, while the East Division is just 7-17 in conference games.

ON THE HORIZON: After squaring off against Western Michigan, EMU opens a brief two-game road trip in Muncie, Ind., Jan. 18. There, the Eagles will battle the Cardinals of Ball State University in a MAC West Division showdown.

Broncos Come to Town for National Girls & Women in Sports Day

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Players Mentioned

Sasha Dailey

Sheyna Deans

Micah Robinson

Phillis Webb

Eastern Michigan Athletics