Women's Basketball Hosts Senior Day Wednesday Versus Ball State

Women's Basketball vs. Ball State
Date	Wednesday, March 1 \| 7 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Convocation Center (8,782)
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN3
Listen	WEMU 89.1 FM \| Mobile Apps: iPhone or Android
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 closes out the home portion of the 2016-17 schedule, Wednesday night, March 1, against Mid-American Conference West Division co-leader Ball State University. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center.
   The Eagles enter the game with a mark of 6-22 (1-15 MAC) after coming up short in an 81-71 setback to Northern Illinois University, Feb. 25. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are 20-8 (13-3 MAC) following an 81-73 home triumph over Central Michigan University, Feb. 25, to pull back into a tie atop the division.
   Veteran broadcasters Chad Bush and Greg Steiner will have the call on WEMU (89.1 FM) beginning at 6:50 p.m. The game will also be shown on ESPN3 as part of the campus connection initiative.

FINAL HOME GAME FOR FOUR SENIORS: Wednesday will mark the final time that four seniors for Eastern Michigan will suit up for a game inside the Convocation Center. Sheyna Deans, Ashley Nickens, Melva Smith, and Phillis Webb will be honored in a pregame ceremony against Ball State.
   It marks the second straight year that EMU has closed out its home campaign against BSU, last year dropping a 67-63 decision, Feb. 27.

MAC TOURNAMENT SEEDING: If the season ended today, EMU would be the 12th seed traveling to Ohio University in the first round. Central Michigan, Ball State, Northern Illinois and Kent State would have byes directly to Cleveland. For the complete bracket, turn to page nine of these notes.

SENIOR SNAP SHOTS: Senior Sheyna Deans, Ashley Nickens, Melva Smith and Phillis Webb have each contributed in their own special ways to the Eastern Michigan women's basketball program. Here is a look back at each of their accomplishments...
   #22 Sheyna Deans – A transfer from St. Clair County Community College, Deans has played 57 games as an Eagle, posting 6.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 21.4 minutes per game. After a junior campaign that saw her grab 99 boards and score 120 points, Deans took her game to another level in 2016-17. Splitting time between the guard and forward positions in 2016-17, the Detroit, Mich. native set career-highs in nearly every statistical category. At Miami (Jan. 11), Deans poured in 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting against the RedHawks. In total, she has posted 14 double-digit scoring games this season on top of leading EMU in rebounding eight times.
   #44 Ashley Nickens – A transfer from the University of Cincinnati, Nickens has played in 23 games for the Green and White after having to sit out last year due to NCAA transfer rules. Her best game came early in the year with a 12 point, four rebound output in EMU's victory over Ferris State. In the game, Nickens was 6-for-9 from the floor in 22 minutes of work. All told, the Sterling Heights, Mich. product has accumulated 51 points and 47 rebounds in 55 career games between UC and EMU.
   #15 Melva Smith – A transfer from the South Suburban College, Smith joined the basketball program in late November after playing for EMU's volleyball team the past two seasons. Having played in seven games for the Eagles off the bench, Smith scored her first collegiate points against Miami (2-11-17) with a field goal and a free throw made late in the game against the RedHawks.
   #21 Phillis Webb – One of the most durable players in EMU history, Webb will go down as one of the hardest working players to ever don the uniform for the Eagles. The all-time leader in career games played at 131, Webb became just the seventh player in school-history to record both 1,000 points and 700 rebounds in their career. She has strung together monumental junior and senior campaigns posting career-highs in each. Webb has scored 812 points over her last 62 games after posting just 282 during her first 69 contests. An Academic All-MAC selection in 2015-16, Webb set personal bests with 31 points against Northern Illinois (2-25-17) and 17 rebounds versus Air Force (12-21-16).

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE CARDS: The Eagles will meet Mid-American Conference West Division rival Ball State on the hardwood for the 76th time in program history Wednesday, March 1. Holding a 40-35 lead in the all-time series, Eastern Michigan will look for its fifth win in the last nine tries against the Cardinals.
   Earlier this year, the Eagles could not overcome a slow start at Worthen Arena, falling to Ball State, 78-49, Jan. 18. As a team Eastern Michigan shot 29.3 percent from the field, converting just 17-of-58 field goal attempts. The Green and White finished 3-of-20 from distance and 12-of-18 from the charity stripe. Ball State on the other hand, converted shots at a 43.1 percent clip, including 61.5 percent (8-of-13) from beyond the arc. Compounding its shooting troubles, the Eagles coughed the ball up a season-high 20 times.
   BSU held a 2-1 advantage over Eastern Michigan last season, including posting a 76-54 win at Worthen Arena, Jan. 20, 2016, and on Senior Day at the Convocation Center, 67-63, Feb. 27. However, the Eagles got revenge in the postseason, bouncing the No. 3 seeded Cardinals in the MAC quarterfinals, 67-53, at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, March 9.

GETTING CLOSER: Head Coach Fred Castro's crew has been able to make some adjustments the second time around the MAC, cutting the point differential to -8.0 points per game in its last four outings. Despite still going 0-4 during the stretch, the Eagles have played significantly better with shooting percentages above 40 percent and the defense allowing just 68.0 points per game.

REBOUND IT!: For the first time in its last seven contests, Eastern Michigan won the rebounding battle against Northern Illinois, Feb. 25. The Eagles were +5 on the glass versus the Huskies, marking the first time since Jan. 28 at Akron that EMU notched more boards than the opponent. Overall, it was just the fourth time in conference play that the team had done.

QUICK, SOMEONE GET THAT GIRL A PUPPY: Phillis Webb's senior day send off gift might as well be a dog considering the affection she has shown to the Huskies of Northern Illinois this season. The Brooklyn Park, Minn. native had a career-best 31 points on 13-of-26 shooting versus NIU, Feb. 25. She also pulled down six rebounds while picking up three steals and a pair of assists. Webb's previous career-high also came against the Huskies earlier this year with a 30-point contest in the MAC-opener in DeKalb, Dec. 21.
   In nine career games against NIU, Webb averaged 10.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and a 48.5 field goal percentage (33-for-68).

STRONG SENIOR SEASON: Senior Phillis Webb now has 423 points this season which ranks eighth-best among EMU seniors all-time. Webb passed Ryan Coleman (2005-06 – 422) and now has her sights set on Kelly Hebler (1989-90 – 446) in seventh place. Last year, Webb finished with 389 points so she has already bettered that mark by 34 points.

THE 400 CLUB: Junior Sasha Dailey passed the 400-point plateau this season, and is knocking on the door of being of one of the most prolific junior seasons in program history. With 435 points, she needs 24 points to catch Janay Morton (2015-16 - 459 points) for the fifth-most points scored by an EMU junior. Tavelyn James holds the all-time third-year mark with 642 points during the 2010-11 campaign.
   At her current pace of 16.1 points per game, Dailey is on pace for 499 points which would rank fifth all-time. For the complete list, turn to page 10 of these notes.

OH WHAT A WEBB WE WEAVE: Senior Phillis Webb has been putting on a show as of late, averaging 18.9 points and 8.9 caroms a contest in her last 10 appearances. During that time frame, the Brooklyn Park, Minn. native is shooting 41.0 percent (73-of-178) from the floor, including 18 trilighters. Webb has carried 30.2 percent of the Eagles' offensive output, and has taken 52 more shots than anyone else on the squad.

MAC-BEST 18 FOR ROBINSON: Junior Micah Robinson posted 18 points and eight rebounds against Northern Illinois, Feb. 25. The 18 points were a career-high in conference play, bettering a pair of 16 point outing versus NIU (12-31-16) and Ohio (1-21-17). Meanwhile, the eight caroms tied her MAC standard set at Akron (1-28-17).

WEBB SETS RECORD FOR GAMES PLAYED: At Toledo, Feb. 22, senior Phillis Webb suited up for the 130th time in an EMU uniform. A durable cog in the EMU lineup the past four years, Webb passed EMU greats Tavelyn James and Paige Redditt for the all-time mark for games played in a career. Webb also ranks 12th with 3,264 career minutes played.
   Each 1,000-point scorers in their careers, James and Redditt played in 129 games from 2008-12 with their final game coming in the 2012 NCAA Tournament against the University of South Carolina. The duo posted 77 wins and three postseason appearances during their tenure.

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 1,032 minutes, the most of any player in the conference and the 41st-most in the country. Additionally, Robinson's 36.8 minutes per game average ranks 27th nationally.

MAKING IT LOOK EASLEY: Junior Tori Easley has picked up her game in the last 10 outings, averaging 6.5 points and 5.5 rebounds a contests dating back to Jan. 21. During that span, the Toledo, Ohio, product has a pair of double figure rebounding games against Bowling Green (12) and Central Michigan (10). She also tied her career-high in points and field goals with 10 and five, respectively, against the Chippewas, Feb. 4.

SWIPING RIGHT MORE THAN TINDER: Junior Sasha Dailey is the team leader with 62 steals this season, the fourth-most in the league, and good for 75th nationally. Meanwhile, her 2.30 steals per game are fourth-most in the conference and ranks 69th in the nation.

Women's Basketball Hosts Senior Day Wednesday Versus Ball State

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Players Mentioned

Sasha Dailey

Sheyna Deans

Tori Easley

Janay Morton

Ashley Nickens

Micah Robinson

Melva Smith

Phillis Webb

Eastern Michigan Athletics