Play4Kay Pink Game Pits EMU Against Unbeaten CMU

Women's Basketball vs. Central Michigan
Date	Saturday, Feb. 3 \| 2:30 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Convocation Center (8,754)
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	E SPN3
Listen	WEMU (89.1 FM)
Twitter	@EMUW BB \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - Looking to rebound from a heartbreaking overtime loss at the University at Buffalo, the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team returns to the hardwood to play host to Central Michigan University Saturday, Feb. 3. The Play4Kay clash is the second leg of a Pink Day doubleheader with the EMU men's basketball team and is scheduled to start at approximately 2:30 p.m.
   Eastern Michigan looks to snap a two-game skid, most recently falling short, 97-92, at Buffalo, Jan. 27. Central Michigan also enters the contest having most recently played UB, but came up on the right end of an 86-79 decision in Mount Pleasant, Jan. 31.
   The game will be broadcast on ESPN3, with Ryan Wooley calling the action on the court and Kyler Ludlow adding analysis. Veteran broadcasters Chad Bush and Greg Steiner will also have the game on WEMU 89.1 FM. Fans can also follow via Twitter through the team's account, @EMUWBB.

LET'S PLAY4KAY: Saturday's EMU-CMU contest will also serve as Eastern's Play4Kay game. There will be a silent auction to benefit the Kay Yow Cancer Fund in which fans can bid on adidas gear, EMU memorabilia, Michigan International Speedway four-packs, USA Hockey 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.

CRAFT BEER TASTING: For just $15 fans can enjoy both the EMU men's and women's basketball games and free popcorn, as well as take home an EMU pint glass and partake in a craft beer sampling. The tasting begins at 11 a.m., one hour prior to the Eastern Michigan-Ball State men's game.

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR CANDIDATE: Freshman Courtnie Lewis is just 20 games into her Eastern Michigan career, but has already put people on notice. The Belton, Mo. native is averaging 13.3 points per game, the second-best mark on the team, as well as the 12th-highest scoring average among "true" freshmen nationally. In the MAC, Lewis ranks 10th in three-point field goal percentage (37.3) and 14th in scoring, both of which are the best of any freshman in the league.

IN GOOD COMPANY: With her record-setting 44-point game against Buffalo, Danielle Minott put herself in good company, both in EMU laurels and nationally. The Miami, Fla. native broke an eight-year old record previously held by Tavelyn James. She also became the only Eagle not named Tavelyn James to score 40-or-more in a game. James accomplished it four times from 2010-12.

BULLSEYE!: En route to her 44 points at Buffalo, Danielle Minott etched her name into the record book for more than just her point total. Minott knocked down 14 shots, the eighth-most in EMU history, including eight triples. Her eight three-pointers rank as the second-most in Eastern Michigan laurels, and the most since Sydney Huntley-Rogers made eight against Central Michigan, Feb. 20, 2010.

DIAPER DANDY DOUBLE-DOUBLE: A well-rounded performance by Courtnie Lewis at Buffalo saw the freshman register the first double-double of her career. Lewis went off for 22 points, her second 20-point game this season, and added a career-best 11 rebounds.
   With her double-double, the Belton, Mo. native became the second Eagle to register one this season, joining teammate Emoni Jackson. Lewis is the 10th "true" freshman to do so since the 1998-99 campaign, and the first since Phillis Webb posted one against Evansville in the first round of the Women's Basketball Invitational, March 20, 2014.

OT HEARTBREAK: Eastern Michigan's, 97-92, overtime loss at Buffalo, Jan. 27, marked the second OT game this season for the Green and White. Falling to 1-1 on the season in extra time games, the Eagles are 22-19 all-time and 2-1 under Fred Castro. The setback marked the first overtime loss for EMU since a 68-65 defeat to Akron, Jan. 6, 2016, and snapped a streak of four OT wins for the Eagles.

MINOTT DOES IT AGAIN: After a record-setting performance, redshirt junior Danielle Minott was named Mid-American Conference West Division Co-Player of the Week for the period ending Jan. 28, the league office announced Tuesday, Jan. 30. It is the second straight week in which Minott has garnered the league award, marking the first time an Eagle has done so since Tavelyn James won the accolade, Feb. 13 and Feb. 20, 2012.
   For the week, the Miami, Fla. native averaged a whopping 27.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.0 steals for the Green and White, all while shooting 40 percent from the floor and 43.5 percent from three-point range.

LAST WIN OVER CMU: Eastern Michigan has not tasted victory against in-state foe Central Michigan since the 2014-15 campaign. That season, the Green and White closed out the regular season with a, 93-86, win over the Chippewas, EMU's third consecutive win against CMU.

CHIP DIP: Saturday's contest marks the 82nd meeting between the Chippewas and Eagles, who first met during the 1976-77 season. CMU leads the overall series, 46-35. EMU has won 22 of the last 36 meetings dating back to the 2000-01 campaign, but CMU enters Saturday as winners of five straight against Eastern.
Last season, the Chippewas swept the two-game series en route to a MAC Regular Season title. EMU could not keep pace with a potent CMU offense in Ypsilanti, falling 104-63, Feb. 4, and then dropped the regular season finale at CMU, 71-48, March 4.

EMU AND THE MITTEN: Eastern Michigan has compiled a 152-140 record against in-state competition. EMU has racked up 48 wins against Western Michigan, the most of any in-state opponent, and 35 versus the Central.

TRENDING UP: Since the Eagles have turned their attention to Mid-American Conference play they have been one of the top defenses in the league. In conference games, EMU is giving up just 65.9 points per contest, the second-fewest in the league. The Green and White also rank third in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to a 39.6 percent clip, and fourth with 9.1 steals per game.

FINDING HER STRIDE: Danielle Minott has been incredible in MAC play this season, leading the team in scoring (19.6 ppg) and steals (23), while ranking second on the team in rebounding at 4.4 boards per game.
   Over the last five games, Minott is averaging 24.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.8 steals, and 1.0 assist, while shooting 45.6 percent (41-of-90) from the floor and 50.0 percent (20-of-40) from three-point range.

SWEET CHARITY: A key to Eastern Michigan's ability to win close games this season has been how the Green and White perform at the free throw line. In its nine victories EMU is shooting 67.7 percent (111-of-164), while Eastern is converting just 62.6 percent (119-of-190) of its attempts from the stripe in losses.

CREATING SECOND CHANCES: The Green and White have owned the offensive glass, racking up 318 offensive rebounds. EMU's 15.9 offensive rebounds per game ranks top in the MAC and 21st nationally, while leading to 256 points or 18.9 percent of Eastern's scoring this season.

OFF TO THE RACES: Eastern Michigan has been dominant in transition through 20 games, outscoring the opposition, 229-97, in fast break points. Offensively, the Green and White average 11.5 transition points per game, while giving up just an average of 4.9 points per contest. For the season, EMU is 5-4 when scoring 10+ fast break points.

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 12 games this year and has averaged 72.3 points in those contests. On the flip side, the Eagles score more than 10 points less (60.5 ppg) when finishing with a single digit assist total.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan travels to Muncie, Ind. Wednesday, Feb. 7, for a midweek MAC West tilt against Ball State University. Tipoff between the Eagles and Cardinals is slated for 7 p.m. inside Worthen Arena.

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Players Mentioned

Emoni Jackson

Courtnie Lewis

Danielle Minott

Eastern Michigan Athletics