Eagles Look To Even Up Season Series With Golden Flashes

Women's Basketball at Kent State
Date	Wednesday, Feb. 8 \| 2 p.m.
Venue	Kent, Ohio \| Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center (6,327)
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	All-Access
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

KENT, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team treks to Kent, Ohio, Wednesday, Feb. 8, to square off against a resurgent Kent State University club that has already doubled its win total from a season prior. Game time from the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center (M.A.C. Center) is scheduled for 7 p.m.
   The Eagles are 6-16 (1-9 MAC) following a 104-63 setback to in-state rival Central Michigan University, Feb. 4. The Golden Flashes are 12-11 (6-5 MAC) after having a two-game winning streak snapped with a 77-62 loss at the University at Buffalo, Feb. 7.
   Chad Bush will have the radio call beginning at 6:50 p.m. on WEMU (89.1 FM). Live video and statistics can be found at KentStateSports.com.

ONE AWAY FROM 700: Senior Phillis Webb came into her final season ranked 21st in Eastern Michigan history with 509 rebounds. This season, Webb has grabbed a team-best 190 boards, moving her into eighth-place with 699 caroms. Nikki Knapp holds the program record with 802 career rebounds.

APPROACHING RARE AIR: Senior Phillis Webb is nearing 1,000 points and 700 rebounds in her career, which would make her just the seventh player in program history to register the feat. Webb, who still needs 19 points and one rebound, would join Nikki Knapp (1,511 pts./802 reb.), Stephanie Smiley (1,401 pts./785 reb.), Paige Redditt (1,001 pts./781 reb.), Sarah VanMetre (1,3611 pts./770 reb.), Cassie Schrock (1,506 pts./761 reb.), and Ryan Coleman (1,793 pts./747 reb.) in the group.

PAST THE MID-POINT: With teams past the mid-point of the conference slate some parts of the MAC Tournament picture are becoming clearer. If the season ended today, EMU would be the 12th seed traveling to the University at Buffalo in the first round. Northern Illinois, Ball State, Central Michigan, and Ohio would have byes directly to Cleveland. For the complete bracket, turn to page nine of these notes.

WEBB WORKING TOWARDS 1,000 POINT MARK: Senior Phillis Webb stands 19 points short of the 1,000-point mark in her final season donning the Green and White. If Webb eclipses four-digits, she will become the 21st player in program history to score at least 1,000 points during their career.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE GOLDEN FLASHES: Wednesday's showdown between the Eagles and Golden Flashes marks the 63rd time the two teams will battle on the hardwood since the series began during the 1980-81 campaign. Kent State holds the edge in the all-time series, 35-27, but Eastern Michigan has had KSU's number as of late. Winners of 11 of the last 12 meetings, EMU has not lost at the M.A.C. Center since the 2008-09 campaign. The Golden Flashes' last win over the Eagles on their home court occurred Jan. 31, 2009, when KSU used a 58.8 to 33.3 edge in field goal percentage to down EMU, 84-52.
   Earlier this season, Kent State topped Eastern, 86-67, at the Convo, Jan. 7, to end EMU's 11-game winning streak in the series. Leading EMU were senior Phillis Webb and junior Sasha Dailey, who each had 18 points. Webb was one rebound short of the double-double, corralling nine rebounds. Also in double digits were senior Sheyna Deans who finished with 13, and junior Micah Robinson who had 11. As a team, the Eagles shot 26-of-64 from the floor (40.6 percent) as well as 7-of-18 from three (38.9).

SO WE MEET AGAIN: Eastern Michigan and Kent State will tangle on the hardwood for the second time in a 32-day span when they play Wednesday, Feb. 8, in Kent, Ohio.
   The contest marks the first home-and-home meeting for the programs since the 2014-15 campaign when EMU swept the season series. In the 16 seasons in which the teams have played twice in the regular season, the Flashes have posted sweeps on five occasions compared to just four for EMU. Eastern is 7-20 all-time inside the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center.

A TRIO OF DOUBLE-DOUBLES: For just the third time in the modern statistical era (since 1998-99), EMU recorded a trio of double-double performances against Central Michigan, Feb. 4. On the glass, Phillis Webb finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Tori Easley picked up her first career game with 10 points and rebounds. Micah Robinson was efficient distributing the rock, as she dished out a career-best 10 assists to go along with 11 points.
   Earlier this year, EMU accomplished the feat versus Morehead State, Nov. 13, 2016. Coincidently, the only other occurrence came exactly five years ago to the day versus Miami, Feb. 4, 2012.

FACING ADVERSITY: Head Coach Fred Castro and crew have had to face their share of adversity during the 2016-17 campaign and against Central Michigan, Feb. 4, was no different. Despite suiting up just eight players for the contest, the Eagles were able to put four different players into double-digits in points and notched its best assist-to-turnover ratio since Jan. 7 against Kent State.

MAKING IT LOOK EASLEY: Junior Tori Easley has picked up her game in the last four outings, averaging 7.8 points and 6.8 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.

DISHING BETTER THAN THE SWEDISH CHEF: Junior Micah Robinson racked up a personal-best 10 assists against Central Michigan, Feb. 6, bettering her previous high of six versus Northern Colorado, Nov. 27. The 10 dimes are the most by an EMU player since Janay Morton's 10 in a MAC Tournament Quarterfinal with Akron, March 12, 2015.

PINK IS THE NEW GREEN!: Fans that wear pink will be granted admission for just $5 to Saturday's game against Miami, Feb. 11. Game time is set for 2:30 p.m. There will be a silent auction to benefit the Kay Yow Cancer Fund in which fans can bid on adidas gear, EMU memorabilia, season tickets, and much more. In her 34-year tenure at North Carolina State, the late Kay Yow became the first coach to win two Olympic gold medals, guided her teams to 20 NCAA Tournaments and was inducted into 11 Halls of Fame. However, Coach Yow's legacy in the community extends far beyond the basketball court. Yow founded the Kay Yow Cancer Fund in 2007 before passing away in 2009 after her 22-year battle with breast cancer.

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Players Mentioned

Sasha Dailey

Sheyna Deans

Tori Easley

Janay Morton

Micah Robinson

Phillis Webb

Eastern Michigan Athletics