Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, January 6
Ypsilanti, Mich.
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
Toledo
Women's Hoops Hosts Toledo Saturday
1/4/2024 4:56:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The women's game will be the first part of a doubleheader with the men
| Women's Basketball vs. Toledo | |
| Date | Saturday, Jan. 6 | 1 p.m. |
| Venue | George Gervin GameAbove Center (8,754) |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes (PDF) | Media Guide (PDF) | Digital Programs |
| Live Stats | Fan Stats | Media Stats |
| Watch | ESPN+ |
| Listen | WEMU (89.1 FM) | The Varsity Network App |
| @EMUWBB | @EMUAthletics | |
| Fan Information | Purchase Tickets |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team, which is on a three-game win streak, will play host to Mid-American Conference defending tournament champions, the University of Toledo, Saturday, Jan. 6 as the first part of an EMU basketball doubleheader with the men's team inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
ON AIR
Saturday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with a 1 p.m. tip. Ryan Wooley (play-by-play) and Claire Dau (analyst) will have the call. Fan can also listen to the game as Tom Helmer and Rob Rubick will have the call live on WEMU Radio (89.1 FM) and the Varsity Network App. Fans can also follow the action via live stats at EMUEagles.com/livestats. Additionally, the team's official Twitter account, @EMUWBB, will provide score updates throughout the contest.
BACK IN #MACTION
The Green and White's 2023-24 campaign marks the 43rd season Eastern Michigan will compete as a member of the Mid-American Conference. Playing a league schedule since the 1981-82 campaign, EMU has compiled a 306-401 record against conference opponents all-time.
COACHING CHANGE
EMU made a change in its women's basketball head coaching position and separated from Head Coach Fred Castro effective immediately, EMU Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee announced, Dec. 11. Castro was announced as the ninth head women's basketball coach in school history in May 2016. He compiled an overall record of 80-129 with a 40-84 record in MAC play. Assistant Coach Ke'Sha Blanton will lead the team on an interim basis for the remainder of the 2023-24 season.
THE KE'SHA EFFECT
With the 67-49 conference victory over NIU, Jan. 3, Interim Head Coach Ke'Sha Blanton recorded her third consecutive career win in her third game leading the team after debuting against IUPUI, Dec. 15. Additionally, the league win marked the first MAC win under Blanton's guidance.
Blanton joins former coach AnnMarie Gilbert as the only two EMU coaches to win their first three contests.
ROOKIE IN THE STARTING FIVE
Freshman Cali Denson was in the starting lineup for the 10th consecutive game after doing so for the first time in her career in the road game at Georgia Southern University, Nov. 11. Denson continues to be the only freshman this season to be in the starting five.
HALFTIME LEADERS
The Green and White led the Huskies 33-26 after the first half of play. It marked just the second time this season in which the Eagles led their opponent after halftime. Last season, EMU led its opponent after 30 minutes of play in 14 contests, going 11-3 in said games.
KEEP THEM UNDER 50
The Eagles allowed just 49 NIU points, the lowest of any MAC foe this season marking just the second time the Eagles have kept their opponent under 50. The Green and White are 2-0 in said games.
BOARD GAMES
Eastern out-rebounded NIU, 54-35. It marked the sixth contest the Eagles have collected more boards than its opponent, going 4-2 in such games. Additionally, the 54 boards mark the most rebounds collected by the Eagles this season, topping their previous season-high of 49 against IUPUI, Dec. 15.
GOING BACK-TO-BACK-TO BACK
The Eagles are currently on a three-game win streak with wins over IUPUI (84-74), Saginaw Valley (69-44), and NIU (67-49). The last time EMU saw three consecutive wins was last season when the team defeated Wright State (66-54), Hillsdale (76-61), and MAC foe Miami University (68-67) in a row.
TREASURE'S DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Treasure Thompson's 10 points and 10 rebounds against NIU, Jan. 3, was good for the junior's first career double-double.
TAYRA'S DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Tayra Eke's double-double against the Huskies marked the seventh of her career and moved the junior to 15th all-time in career double-doubles.
AUSTIN-TACIOUS
Lachelle Austin went 1-of-1 in field goals at NIU, marking the 43rd consecutive appearance in which the junior has registered a single make.
EKE FOR THREEEEE
Along with her team-leading double-double, Tayra Eke connected with a shot from beyond the three-point line to mark her first career triple. Additionally, the junior blocked four NIU shots for her 17th career contest with three or more blocks.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE FOR YOU & YOU
Eastern Michigan saw two players reach double-doubles in the same contest for the second time this season and the first since Tayra Eke and Kennedi Myles both recorded the feat in the victory over SIUE, Nov. 18.
The Green and White had two double-double performances in the same game four times last season, the most by any EMU team since the 2011-12 campaign, when the Eagles recorded the feat in five games.
SHARP-SHOOTING SMITH
Sophomore Olivia Smith connected on a shot from beyond the arc in the conference win. It was the eighth contest this season in which Smith has made a single three-pointer. Last season, the then-rookie led the team in triples recording a single make in 25 total games. Her longest streak of consecutive games with a made triple was 13 (Dec. 17, 2022-Feb. 1, 2023).
ALL-TIME VS. TOLEDO
Saturday's matchup will mark the 92nd meeting between Eastern Michigan and Toledo. Toledo leads the all-time series, 56-35, with the Rockets coming away with the most recent win, Feb. 18, 2023. EMU looks to break a five-game losing streak against UT.
LAST TIME AGAINST THE ROCKETS
In their last meeting, EMU showed its range, connecting on 11-of-22 shots from the three for a 50 percent shooting percentage from beyond the arc, but fell to Toledo, 84-64, on the road.
The Eagles saw four players score in double figures, led by Olivia Smith, who had 18 points. Lachelle Austin tacked on 11 points while both Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu and Ce'Nara Skanes helped out with 10 points each.
ON THE HORIZON
The Green and White will continue conference play as it travels to Bowling Green, Ohio to face the Falcons of BGSU, Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 7 p.m.
FOLLOW US
Stay connected with the Eagles all season long by following @EMUWBB and @EMUAthletics on Twitter for all of the latest EMU women's basketball updates. Be sure to also follow the Green and White on Instagram, @EMUWBB.
ON AIR
Saturday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with a 1 p.m. tip. Ryan Wooley (play-by-play) and Claire Dau (analyst) will have the call. Fan can also listen to the game as Tom Helmer and Rob Rubick will have the call live on WEMU Radio (89.1 FM) and the Varsity Network App. Fans can also follow the action via live stats at EMUEagles.com/livestats. Additionally, the team's official Twitter account, @EMUWBB, will provide score updates throughout the contest.
BACK IN #MACTION
The Green and White's 2023-24 campaign marks the 43rd season Eastern Michigan will compete as a member of the Mid-American Conference. Playing a league schedule since the 1981-82 campaign, EMU has compiled a 306-401 record against conference opponents all-time.
COACHING CHANGE
EMU made a change in its women's basketball head coaching position and separated from Head Coach Fred Castro effective immediately, EMU Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee announced, Dec. 11. Castro was announced as the ninth head women's basketball coach in school history in May 2016. He compiled an overall record of 80-129 with a 40-84 record in MAC play. Assistant Coach Ke'Sha Blanton will lead the team on an interim basis for the remainder of the 2023-24 season.
THE KE'SHA EFFECT
With the 67-49 conference victory over NIU, Jan. 3, Interim Head Coach Ke'Sha Blanton recorded her third consecutive career win in her third game leading the team after debuting against IUPUI, Dec. 15. Additionally, the league win marked the first MAC win under Blanton's guidance.
Blanton joins former coach AnnMarie Gilbert as the only two EMU coaches to win their first three contests.
ROOKIE IN THE STARTING FIVE
Freshman Cali Denson was in the starting lineup for the 10th consecutive game after doing so for the first time in her career in the road game at Georgia Southern University, Nov. 11. Denson continues to be the only freshman this season to be in the starting five.
HALFTIME LEADERS
The Green and White led the Huskies 33-26 after the first half of play. It marked just the second time this season in which the Eagles led their opponent after halftime. Last season, EMU led its opponent after 30 minutes of play in 14 contests, going 11-3 in said games.
KEEP THEM UNDER 50
The Eagles allowed just 49 NIU points, the lowest of any MAC foe this season marking just the second time the Eagles have kept their opponent under 50. The Green and White are 2-0 in said games.
BOARD GAMES
Eastern out-rebounded NIU, 54-35. It marked the sixth contest the Eagles have collected more boards than its opponent, going 4-2 in such games. Additionally, the 54 boards mark the most rebounds collected by the Eagles this season, topping their previous season-high of 49 against IUPUI, Dec. 15.
GOING BACK-TO-BACK-TO BACK
The Eagles are currently on a three-game win streak with wins over IUPUI (84-74), Saginaw Valley (69-44), and NIU (67-49). The last time EMU saw three consecutive wins was last season when the team defeated Wright State (66-54), Hillsdale (76-61), and MAC foe Miami University (68-67) in a row.
TREASURE'S DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Treasure Thompson's 10 points and 10 rebounds against NIU, Jan. 3, was good for the junior's first career double-double.
TAYRA'S DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Tayra Eke's double-double against the Huskies marked the seventh of her career and moved the junior to 15th all-time in career double-doubles.
AUSTIN-TACIOUS
Lachelle Austin went 1-of-1 in field goals at NIU, marking the 43rd consecutive appearance in which the junior has registered a single make.
EKE FOR THREEEEE
Along with her team-leading double-double, Tayra Eke connected with a shot from beyond the three-point line to mark her first career triple. Additionally, the junior blocked four NIU shots for her 17th career contest with three or more blocks.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE FOR YOU & YOU
Eastern Michigan saw two players reach double-doubles in the same contest for the second time this season and the first since Tayra Eke and Kennedi Myles both recorded the feat in the victory over SIUE, Nov. 18.
The Green and White had two double-double performances in the same game four times last season, the most by any EMU team since the 2011-12 campaign, when the Eagles recorded the feat in five games.
SHARP-SHOOTING SMITH
Sophomore Olivia Smith connected on a shot from beyond the arc in the conference win. It was the eighth contest this season in which Smith has made a single three-pointer. Last season, the then-rookie led the team in triples recording a single make in 25 total games. Her longest streak of consecutive games with a made triple was 13 (Dec. 17, 2022-Feb. 1, 2023).
ALL-TIME VS. TOLEDO
Saturday's matchup will mark the 92nd meeting between Eastern Michigan and Toledo. Toledo leads the all-time series, 56-35, with the Rockets coming away with the most recent win, Feb. 18, 2023. EMU looks to break a five-game losing streak against UT.
LAST TIME AGAINST THE ROCKETS
In their last meeting, EMU showed its range, connecting on 11-of-22 shots from the three for a 50 percent shooting percentage from beyond the arc, but fell to Toledo, 84-64, on the road.
The Eagles saw four players score in double figures, led by Olivia Smith, who had 18 points. Lachelle Austin tacked on 11 points while both Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu and Ce'Nara Skanes helped out with 10 points each.
ON THE HORIZON
The Green and White will continue conference play as it travels to Bowling Green, Ohio to face the Falcons of BGSU, Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 7 p.m.
FOLLOW US
Stay connected with the Eagles all season long by following @EMUWBB and @EMUAthletics on Twitter for all of the latest EMU women's basketball updates. Be sure to also follow the Green and White on Instagram, @EMUWBB.
Players Mentioned
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