Women's Basketball Hosts Longwood in Non-Conference Finale

Women's Basketball vs. Longwood
Date	Wednesday, Dec. 20 \| 4 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. - Convocation Center (8,783)
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	E SPN3
Listen	N/A
Twitter	@EMUW BB \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - Hot off a thrilling come-from-behind win, the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team returns home for the first time in more than a month Wednesday, Dec. 20, to close out its non-conference schedule against Longwood University. Tipoff between the Eagles and Lancers is scheduled for 4 p.m. inside the Convocation Center.
Both teams enter the pre-holiday tilt after snapping a pair of losing skids. EMU (3-7) looks to remain perfect at home after wrapping up the nation's longest road trip with a, 78-76, win over Detroit Mercy, Dec. 17. Meanwhile, LU (2-6) returns to the hardwood for the first time since knocking off Milligan, 66-56, Dec. 13.
The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 with Matt Schumaker calling the action on the court and Kyler Ludlow adding analysis. Fans can also follow the game via Twitter through the team's account, @EMUWBB.

WE'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!: Eastern Michigan will play inside the friendly confines of the Convocation Center for the first time in 37 days Wednesday, Dec. 20, after an eight-game road trip.

FANCY MEETING YOU HERE: Wednesday's pre-holiday clash with the Lancers will mark the first meeting between Eastern Michigan and Longwood all-time. In addition to being the fourth time this season the Eagles will square off with an opponent for the first time in their 41-year history, it is also the first time EMU will battle a Big South Conference opponent.

VIRGINIA VENTURES: While Wednesday's game between EMU and Longwood will be the first meeting between the two squads, it will be the third time Eastern has squared off against a Virginia-based institution. The Green and White are 1-1 against the Old Dominion State all-time, having beaten Norfolk State (87-57) in 1998, before falling to James Madison (80-76) during the 2008 campaign.

ROAD KILL: The Green and White's 78-76 triumph over Detroit Mercy, Dec. 17, snapped a 17-game road losing skid dating back to Nov. 29, 2016.

WINNING AT THE WIRE: Eastern Michigan pieced together one of its most impressive defensive performances of the season to erase a 13-point deficit late in the fourth quarter against Detroit Mercy, Dec. 17. The Eagles held Detroit scoreless while rattling off 15 points of their own to come out on top, 78-76. EMU's stifling defense held UDM to just two field goal attempts and tallied five steals on seven Titan turnovers over the final 3:26 of regulation.

COUGHING IT UP WORSE THAN A WINTER COLD: Eastern Michigan's defense was firing on all cylinders, Dec. 17, as the Green and White turned Detroit Mercy over a season-high 32 times. The 32 miscues were the most by the Titans in over nine years, while it was also the most turnovers EMU has forced a NCAA Division I opponent into since Dec. 11, 2010, when Canisius coughed it up 37 times. EMU went on to top Canisius 76-40 in that contest, with 29 points coming off turnovers.

MOTOR CITY ROBBERY: Eastern Michigan tallied a season-high 19 steals in its win over Detroit Mercy, Dec. 17. The 19 thefts were the most by the Eagles since racking up the same amount against Western Michigan, March 2, 2016.

DYNAMIC DUO: EMU has had a player record five-or-more steals on five occasions this season, but in Eastern's win over Detroit Mercy, Dec. 17, the Eagles did something they had not done since the 2012-13 campaign. Sasha Dailey racked up six steals and Danielle Minott added five swipes as the duo became the first EMU pair to record five-or-more thefts in the same game since Natachia Watkins (6) and Desyree Thomas (5) accomplished the feat against Western Michigan March 9, in the first round of the 2013 Mid-American Conference Tournament.

PLENTY TO GO AROUND: Eastern Michigan is one of three MAC schools to boast four-or-more players that average 10.4-or-more points a contest, joining Central Michigan and Ball State.

SHOTS FOR DAYS: The Eagles registered a season-high 81 field goal attempts, Dec. 17. EMU's 81 shots were the most since going 31-of-81 from the field against Drake University in the first round of the 2016 WNIT, March 20, in Des Moines, Iowa.

STARTING LINEUP SHUFFLE: In 10 games, Head Coach Fred Castro has utilized six different starting lineups. Sasha Dailey is the only Eagle to earn the nod in all 10 games, while 11 different players have made starts so far this season.

FINDING HER STRIDE: Shaking off a slow start to the season, senior Sasha Dailey has looked more like herself in the past four games. The Toledo, Ohio native shot 24.0 percent from the field over the first five games, going 12-of-50 from the field, but has bounced back to shoot at a 40.8 percent clip (29-of-71) over the last five games. She has also been solid from beyond the arc over that span, knocking down seven three-pointers.

WORKING TOWARDS THE 1000-POINT CLUB: Senior Sasha Dailey stands 41 points short of the 1,000-point mark in her final season donning the Green and White. Dailey amassed 855 points for her career through her first three seasons, and has scored 104 points so far this year. If Dailey eclipses four-digits, she will become the 22nd player in program history to score at least 1,000 points during their career.

OFF TO THE RACES: Eastern Michigan has been dominant in transition through its first 10 games, outscoring the opposition 117-44 in fast break points. Offensively, the Green and White average 11.7 transition points per game, while giving up just an average of 4.4 points per contest. For the season, EMU is 3-2 when scoring 10+ fast break points.

CREATING SECOND CHANCES: The Green and White have dominated the offensive glass, racking up 168 offensive rebounds. EMU's 17.0 offensive rebounds per game ranks first in the MAC and 16th nationally, while leading to 124 points or 19.4 percent of Eastern's scoring this season.

SHARING IS CARING: EMU's ability to distribute the ball has been a true-tale sign of its success offensively this season. Eastern has racked up 10-or-more assists in six games this year and has averaged 68.5 points in those contests. On the flip side, the Eagles score nearly 12 points less (57.0 ppg) when finishing with a single digit assist total.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: Eastern Michigan has won 78 of the last 108 home games dating back to the 2008-09 season. The Eagles have racked up a solid home-court advantage inside the Convocation Center since the doors opened during the 1998-99 campaign. The Green and White has won 66.2 percent of the contests played in the building, piling up a 172-88 all-time mark.

I'LL TAKE STEALS FOR 200, ALEX: Senior Sasha Dailey has frustrated opponents with her knack for racking up steals over the course of her career. The Toledo, Ohio native has registered 32 swipes on the season, and recently eclipsed the 200-steal mark with six thefts against Detroit Mercy, Dec. 17. As of Dec. 18, her steals ranked as the most in the league and the 22nd-most in the country, while her 3.2 steals per game tie for second-best in the MAC and come in at 25th in the nation.

ON THE HORIZON: After closing out non-conference play against Longwood Wednesday, Dec. 20, Eastern Michigan turns its attention to the Mid-American Conference portion of the slate. EMU welcomes Kent State University to the Convocation Center Saturday, Dec. 30, for a 2 p.m. tip.

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Players Mentioned

Sasha Dailey

Danielle Minott

Eastern Michigan Athletics