Eastern Renews the Rivalry with Toledo Wednesday

Women's Basketball vs. Toledo
Date	Wednesday, Jan. 4 \| 7 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Convocation Center (8,784)
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN3
Listen	WEMU 89.1 FM
Twitter	@EMUWBB \| @EMUAthletics
Tickets	Order Tickets Online or call 734.487.2282 \| Clear Bag Policy

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team returns home Wednesday, Jan. 4, to host the University of Toledo. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. Eastern Michigan enters the game with a 5-8 (0-1 MAC) record after falling to Northern Illinois University, 85-73, in DeKalb, Ill., Dec. 31. Meanwhile, the Rockets are 9-3 (0-1 MAC) following a 51-45 home setback to Ball State University, Dec. 31.
       Veteran broadcasters Chad Bush and Greg Steiner will have the call on WEMU (89.1 FM). The game will also be shown on ESPN3 as part of the campus connection initiative.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE ROCKETS: Wednesday's contest marks the 78th meeting between Toledo and Eastern Michigan, who first met during the 1977-78 season. The Rockets lead the overall series, 45-31, but the Eagles have taken four of the last five meetings.
   In 2016, EMU held Toledo below 50 points twice as it swept the season series. Eastern cruised past UT, 59-41, at the Convocation Center, Jan. 23, as the Midnight Blue and Gold were held to its second-lowest point total of the year. The Green and White followed it up with a 58-46 win in the Glass City, Feb. 24.
   Defense was the key for EMU in both matchups, holding Toledo to 17 percent (6-of-34) shooting from long range and to just a 34 percent clip overall (36-for-105). Eastern also controlled the glass, posting a +10.5 rebounding edge (EMU 42.0, UT 31.5) in the two contests. However, the faces will be much different for EMU in 2017, with just 32 points and 28 rebounds returning from games against Toledo last season.

WEBB TURNS IN A CAREER DAY ON NEW YEAR'S EVE: If 2017 is anything like the way Phillis Webb closed out 2016, then Eastern Michigan is in for a treat. The Brooklyn Park, Minn. product turned in a career-day for the Eagles in the league opener at Northern Illinois, Dec. 31, picking up her ninth career double-double in the contest. Webb finished the day with a career-high 30 points, becoming just the second Eagle to score 30-or-more points in a game this season. She was also EMU's top rebounder, grabbing 14 boards to secure the double-double.
   Webb was 11-of-19 from the field, including going 7-for-7 at the free throw line, in a personal-high 39 minutes of work. Her previous best in points was 24 set earlier this year versus Georgia State, Nov. 12. She also added a block and two steals in the road contest.

BECOMING ROUTINE FOR ROBINSON: Rewriting her personal-bests is something that junior Micah Robinson continues to do on a nightly basis. Entering her third season playing in the MAC, the Ann Arbor, Mich. native had tallied eight points, six rebounds and 11 assists in 24 all-time contests. In the 2016-17 league opener, Robinson racked up 16 points, five rebounds and five assists at Northern Illinois, Dec. 31.
Furthermore, Robinson needs just 12 minutes the remainder of the MAC slate to pass her total of 48 from a year ago.

OFFENSE PICKS UP IN DEKALB: For just the third time this season, Eastern Michigan eclipsed the 70-point plateau in the tilt at Northern Illinois, Dec. 31. EMU is 2-1 in those contests.
   Against the nation's second-best offense in the Huskies (91.5 ppg), the EMU defense also held its own keeping the Huskies below their average in point per game. In fact, Eastern mounted a comeback in the fourth quarter to pull within single digits with less than a minute to go.

RUSS PICKS UP HER GAME: In the last two games, freshman Jayla Russ has made her presence felt with a total of nine points and three rebounds in 22 minutes of work. She is 4-for-5 from the floor during the two games. In the 11 games prior, Russ totaled just 27 minutes and had not scored.

MR. ROGERS NEIGHBORHOOD: Junior guard Sasha Dailey and junior forward Tori Easley are both expected to get the starting nods Wednesday, Jan. 4, against Toledo. It will mark the first time the duo have started a game against their hometown team, as the tandem both attended Rogers High School in Toledo, Ohio.
   All-time against the Rockets, Dailey has averaged 8.0 ppg (40 points) and 2.4 rpg (12 rebounds) in five previous meetings. In the Glass City in 2015, she poured in 14 points while adding three steals. Meanwhile, Easley is looked for her first extended minutes against UT, after she tallied just one minute in two previous games.

COMMON BONDS: Eastern Michigan and Toledo share two mutual opponents – St. Bonaventure and Detroit Mercy. The Eagles fell to the Titans, 77-64, while upending the Bonnies, 75-56, in a pair of home games. UT downed both at Savage Arena, rolling to a 74-50 victory over a SBU and a 72-66 decision against UDM.

SUCCESS STEMS FROM WINNING REBOUNDING BATTLE: Winning the rebounding battle has proven to be a true-tale sign of Eastern Michigan's ability to win this season. In their five wins, the Eagles have out-rebounded opponents by 5.8 boards per game. In fact, EMU averages 46.2 rebounds per game compared to opponents' 40.4 board per contest average in its five wins. Conversely, in its eight losses the Eagles average nearly five rebounds less per game (40.0), while the opposition's per game average jumps to 44.9, making the Eagles -4.9 on the glass in losses. EMU's ability to rebound and control the glass has had an impact on the squad's ability to score this season. Eastern Michigan averages 68.6 points per game when winning the rebound battle, compared to 62.0 points per contest when it is out-rebounded.

EMU WORKHORSE: Coming into the season junior Micah Robinson had played a total of 378 minutes over 50 games in the first two seasons of her collegiate career, averaging just 7.5 minutes per contest. This season, Robinson has been one of the most utilized players in the country. The Ann Arbor product has played 480 minutes through the Eagles' first 13 games, the most of any player in the conference and the 53rd-most in the country. Additionally, Robinson's 36.9 minutes per game average ranks 18th nationally.

STRETCHING THE FLOOR: While EMU's efficiency from deep has not had much of an impact on the Eagles success, their ability to knock down more three-pointers than opponents has. The Green and White is 4-1 when making more triples than opponents, while opponents convert an average of 6.8 three-pointers in EMU's losses this season. Eastern averages 4.3 three-point makes in losses, but knocks down 6.4 per game in wins.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: The Eagles have racked up a solid home-court advantage inside the friendly confines of the Convocation Center since the doors opened during the 1998-99 campaign. Eastern Michigan has won 75 of the last 101 home games dating back to the 2008-09 season. The Green and White have won 67.9 percent of the contests played in the building, piling up a 169-80 all-time mark.

JUNIOR IMPACT: EMU Head Coach Fred Castro's tweak to the starting lineup to include the junior trio of Micah Robinson, Sasha Dailey, and Tori Easley prior to the Northern Colorado contest, Nov. 27, has paid dividends for the Eagles. In fact, the threesome has posted some of the best games of their respective careers since taking the floor together in the squad's final game of the UTSA Thanksgiving Classic. Since Easley and Dailey have joined Robinson in the starting five, the trio has amassed 289 points, 125 rebounds, 58 assists, and 34 steals. Their 289 points makes up 55.8 percent of the Eagles' offensive production over the past eight games. Additionally, the trio has posted career-bests in multiple statistical categories over the span.

RUNNIN' THE FLOOR: Through 13 games, the Eagles have showcased their ability to get out in transition, as EMU has outscored opponents 95-55 in fastbreak points this season.

CASHING IN ON SECOND CHANCE OPPORTUNITIES: The Eagles have totaled 551 rebounds, including 174 boards that came on the offensive end of the floor. EMU has made the most of its second chance opportunities, cashing them in for 146 points.

MOVING UP THE LIST: Phillis Webb's 30 point – 14 rebound effort at NIU, Dec. 31, marked her fourth double-double of the season, and ninth of her career. Currently, Webb ranks 10th all-time in EMU laurels in the category, trailing Shani Charles and Paige Redditt for ninth-place by four. Sarah VanMetre and Olivia Fouty are tied atop the list, holding the program standard of 17 career double-doubles.

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 114 boards, moving her into 15th-place with 624 caroms. Nikki Knapp holds the program record with 802 career rebounds, while Webb is 18 boards behind Emily Steinmetz for 14th-place on the all-time list.

WEBB WORKING TOWARDS 1,000 POINT MARK: Senior Phillis Webb stands 166 points short of the 1,000-point mark in her final season donning the Green and White. Webb amassed 677 points for her career through her first three seasons, and has scored 163 points so far this year. If Webb eclipses four-digits, she will become the 21st player in program history to score at least 1,000 points during their career.

ROBINSON EMBRACING HER NEW ROLE: After spending her first two seasons serving as the Eagles' back-up point guard and amassing just 376 minutes of playing time, Micah Robison has embraced her new role in her junior season. Taking on the responsibilities of the Green and White's primary ball handler, Robinson has thrived for Eastern this season. Averaging a team-high 36.9 minutes per game, Robinson has scored 163 points, 117 more than her career point total coming into the season.

A LOOK AT THE CONFERENCE LEADERS: Eastern Michigan has positioned itself near the top of multiple statistical categories in the Mid-American Conference as of Jan. 1. Let's take a look...
   Player   Category   Rank   Number
   Micah Robinson   Minutes played per game   1st   36.92 (18th nationally)
   Micah Robinson   Minutes played   1st   480:00 (53rd nationally)
   Sasha Dailey   Steals   1st   32 (57th nationally)
   Sasha Dailey   Field goals made   1st   87 (63rd nationally)
   Sasha Dailey   Field goals attempted   2nd   214 (28th nationally)
   Micah Robinson   Free throws made   3rd   57 (50th nationally)
   Phillis Webb   Rebounds   3rd   114 (73rd nationally)
   Sasha Dailey   Points per game   4th   18.5 (45th nationally)
   EMU   Rebounds   2nd   551 (81st nationally)
   EMU    Turnovers per game   3rd   14.2 (53rd nationally)
   EMU   Rebounds per game   4th   42.38 (53rd nationally)
   EMU   Free throw attempts   5th   242 (129th nationally)

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan remains home Saturday, Jan. 7, for a cross divisional tilt against Kent State University. Tipoff between EMU and KSU is set for 12 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. The EMU men's basketball team will follow 30 minutes after the game ends, as they host defending MAC Tournament Champion Buffalo.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sasha Dailey

Tori Easley

Micah Robinson

Jayla Russ

Phillis Webb

Eastern Michigan Athletics