WBB Hosts Texas State in Season Opener Monday Night

Women's Basketball vs. Texas State
Date	Monday, Nov. 4 \| 6:30 p.m.
Venue	George Gervin GameAbove Center (8,754)
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF)
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN+
Listen	n/a
Twitter	@EMUWBB \| @EMUAthletics
Fan Information	Purchase Tickets

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team will lift the lid on its 2024-25 season Monday, Nov. 4, when the Eagles, under the guidance of first-year Head Coach Sahar Nusseibeh, welcome Texas State University to the George Gervin GameAbove Center for a 6:30 p.m. tip-off. The first game of the Nusseibeh era will see her Eagles play the Bobcats in the opening round of the 2024-25 Mid-American Conference/Sun Belt Conference Challenge, an event that is entering its second year and features two games between the conferences each season with the second game set for Feb. 8 against a to-be-determined opponent.

ON AIR
The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ where Ryan Wooley (play-by-play) and Reggie Butler (analyst) will carry the action live from court side. Fans can 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.

THE MAC/SBC CHALLENGE
The second edition of the MAC/SBC Challenge will kick off Monday with 12 MAC women's basketball programs hosting 12 SBC teams, while the 12 SBC men's programs will play host to the MAC teams. It will be an EMU/TXST opener for both genders as the EMU men will travel to San Marcos, Texas, to play at TSU Monday night.
Last year, the women split their two games against the SBC as Eastern fell on the road at Georgia Southern, Nov. 11, 82-58, before scoring an 81-69 home victory over South Alabama, Feb. 10. As a conference, the MAC was 7-5 in the opening round, but 3-9 on the second date, meaning the SBC took the first Challenge, 14-10.
The second MAC/SBC Challenge contest for each team will take place on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, with the match ups based on real-time NET rankings and announced in January and the MAC playing their games on the road. Scheduling assistance is provided by Ordinal Sports Group. In addition to relevant NET data, geography and frequency of past contests are considered in determining the match ups.

NEW YEAR, NEW UNIS
Not only will the game with Texas State, Nov. 3, mark the first time fans can see this year's team compete, it will also mark the first time fans can see the Eagles in their new Ypsi Connect uniforms. The all-green uniforms feature Ypsilanti in a script font on the front and were designed to introduce a new alternate branding identity that celebrates Eastern Michigan's rich history and deep roots in Ypsilanti.

NEW YEAR, NU ERA
When the ball tips between Eastern and Texas State Monday night, it will mark the start of the Sahar Nusseibeh era at EMU. The ninth head coach in program history and the first sitting head coach hired away to lead EMU since Suzy Merchant in 1998, Nusseibeh comes to Ypsilanti following three years as the head coach at Canisius. A rising coaching star while in the MAAC, Nusseibeh is no stranger the MAC as she previously served as an assistant coach at Miami (2019-21) and Bowling Green (2013-16). A 2009 graduate of American, Nusseibeh got her coaching start as a graduate assistant at Cincinnati (2009-11) before coaching stints at Holy Cross (2011-13), and Manhattan (2016-19), where she was tabbed as the associate head coach.
With a record of 42-60 with the Golden Griffins, Nusseibeh built a team that went from six wins her first year to 17 in her third and did so by bringing in strong talent. Both Athina Lexa (2021-22) and Sisi Eleko (2022-23) were unanimous selections to the All-MAAC Rookie Teams before Lexa was named the 2023-24 MAAC Sixth Player of the Year and Eleko was the lone unanimous All-MAAC First Team selection.

IN DEBUT GAMES
Eastern is 5-3 in the first game of a head coach's tenure in Ypsilanti with the Eagles winning the last three instances. The last time a head coach debuted with the program was Fred Castro, who guided the Eagles to a 69-59 win against Georgia Southern in Morehead, Ky., at Morehead State's Donna Murphy Classic, Nov. 12, 2016. Prior to that, victories were secured under Tony Verdi (50-47, home vs. Northeastern, Nov. 11, 2012) and Annmarie Gilbert (108-22, home vs. Temple Baptist, Nov. 11, 2007). The last time an EMU coach lost his/her debut game was Nov. 15, 1998, when the Eagles dropped a 75-64 home decision to St. Peter's in Suzy Merchant's first game at the helm at Eastern.

SEASON OPENERS
Entering its 49th season as a varsity program, the Eagles hold a 32-16 all-time record in their first game of the season and have spilt the last six, 3-3. Last year, Eastern dropped a 68-38 decision to visiting Detroit Mercy, Nov. 6, 2023, one year removed from defeating Lindenwood, 71-56, Nov. 7, 2022. Despite the back-and-forth results, the Eagles are 17-6 since 1999-00 season, including winning streaks of 10 and seven games during that time.

LIFTING THE LID AT HOME
Eastern holds a 21-5 record when its first game of the season is played at home. Eastern has split the last three such games with the 70-67 loss to Youngstown State, Nov. 9, 2021, snapping a 14-game winning streak when the season opener is played at home.

HOME OPENERS
The Eagles are 36-12 all-time in their first home game of the season and will look to bounce back after dropping last year's home lid lifter, 68-38, to Detroit Mercy. Eastern is 1-3 in its last four home openers after a streak of 20 consecutive home-opening wins.

ALL-TIME VS. TEXAS STATE
The game between Eastern and Texas State is the first in the all-time series.

ALL-TIME VS. THE SBC
The Eagles are 10-7 all-time against current members of the Sun Belt Conference, including an 8-2 mark against Marshall, who previously was a member of the Mid-American Conference. The remaining SBC teams the Eagles have faced include Georgia Southern (0-2), Georgia State (1-0), James Madison (0-2), South Alabama (1-0), and Southern Miss (0-1).

MAC PRESEASON POLL
The Mid-American Conference announced its 2024-25 MAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll, Oct. 22, with Eastern predicted to finish 11th. Based upon points tied to votes from the league's coaches, Ball State was predicted to win the MAC with 120 points (10 first-place votes) while Kent State (104, 2 FPV), Buffalo (98), Bowling Green (96), and Toledo (82) rounded out the top five. To make the 2025 MAC Basketball Tournament, a team will need to finish in the top eight of the final league standings to punch its ticket to Cleveland.

WELCOME BACK!
Seven Eagles returned to the 2024-25 roster after being members of the program last year. Olivia Smith (junior) and ZaNiya Nelson (graduate) are the top two returning scorers following the departure of the team's top three from last year. Smith and Olivia Westphal (redshirt junior) were 1-3 last year on the team in three-point shooting while Nelson is the top returning rebounder at 4.1 per contest. Joining the trio are graduate Ashley Hassett, senior Kyndal Lewis, and redshirt sophomores Dara Capaldi and Elena Cabello.

WHAT'S COMING BACK?
Looking at the seven players returning for the 2024-25 season, the group represents 35.8 percent of the returning scoring (594 points) and 63.1 percent of made three-point baskets (82). Additionally, 33.5 percent of the team's assists are back this year (96) along with 24.6 percent of all rebounds (259).

HELLO! MY NAME IS...
Of the eight new faces on the roster, six are transfers into the program, including five who followed Sahar Nusseibeh from Canisius. Those five include Mackenzie Amalia (grad), Brooklyn Thrash (junior), Athina Lexa (senior), Sisi Eleko (junior), and Adrien LaMora (junior). The sixth transfer is Jada Williams, who played at MAAC foe St. Peter's last year.
Two of the players were highly decorated during their time at Canisius, including Eleko and Lexa. Eleko was named to the All-MAAC Rookie Team as a freshman before becoming a unanimous selection the All-MAAC First Team last year. Lexa also earned a spot on the rookie squad her freshman year (2021-22) before being named the MAAC Sixth Player of the Year last season.

WHAT'S COMING IN?
The transfers bring a big scoring threat with them as the six combined for 71.3 percent of their respective teams points and 46.9 percent of rebounds. A big threat is Sisi Eleko, who averaged a double-double for Canisius last year with 15.9 points and 10.6 rebounds per game.

ROOKIES ON BOARD
The final two members of the team are freshmen Olivia DiFranco and Chelsea Bishop. Both standing at 5-foot-10, DiFranco hails from Elyria, Ohio, and Midview High School, while Chelsea Bishop played her prep basketball at Grand Blanc High School in Grand Blanc, Mich.
DiFranco was a two-time captain that earned all-county, all-district, and all-state honors for the Middies while setting four school records, including career points (1,127). A three-sport standout, she also played golf and softball, a sport she earned all-county honors in twice.
Bishop averaged 17 points per game as a senior and helped her team to the state title game. A member of the first team in GBHS history to win a regional title and a state semifinal game, she was named first-team all-state. A two-year member of the track & field squad, she competed in the hurdles and long jump and advanced to the state meet in both as a freshman.

LOOKING BACK: 2023-24
Last year, the Eagles posted a 7-22 record overall and finished 12th in the MAC standings with a 3-15 mark. The season was filled with change as Fred Castro was relieved of his head coaching duties following the team's 1-7 start before assistant coach Ke'Sha Blanton took the reins to finish the campaign.
Individually, Tayra Eke led the team as the 2023-24 MAC All-Defensive Team honoree lead the MAC in blocks with 57 total and 2.0 per game while also ranking seventh in rebounds (7.3) and 23rd in points per game (9.5). Lachelle Austin was 20th in points per game (9.8) and 18th in assists (2.2) while returning junior Olivia Smith was 16th in three-point field goal percentage (.325) and 25th in assists (1.8).

ON THE LIST
According to several ranking services and their respective preseason prognostications, the Eagles are currently scheduled to face one team in the national top 10, one that is just outside the top 25, and five on the mid-major ledgers. Nationally, Eastern is slated for a Dec. 15 game at No. 6/No. 5 Notre Dame (Associated Press / USA Today/WBCA) after traveling to face Michigan State, Nov. 11, who receiving votes in the preseason AP poll.
In the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 preseason poll, five EMU opponents appear on the list, including No. 3 Ball State and No. 16 Kent State. Three teams are receiving votes, including Buffalo, Bowling Green, and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

CHASING MILESTONES
Entering the season, the Eagles have won 339 games at home and 242 on the road, leaving them 11 and eight victories from milestones, respectively. The last time Eastern recorded a milestone home win was No. 300, a 50-41 defeat of Illinois State, Nov. 17, 2018. The last milestone win on the road was March 13, 2015, as a 69-59 win at Tulsa in the second round of the WNIT secured the 200th road win for EMU.

IN THE HALL
On Sept. 20, 2024, the E-Club Athletic Club Hall of Fame welcomed its four newest members, including Tavelyn James from the EMU women's basketball team. Perhaps the greatest player in program history, James graduated from EMU in 2012 and, to this day, ranks among the top three in 10 career statistical categories, including holding the program record in five. The only EMU player to reach 2,000 points in a career, James is the record holder with 2,470 points, 863 made field goals, 2,187 field goal attempts, 291 made three-point baskets, and 946 three-point attempts. She also ranks second with 19.1 points per game and 453 free throws made.
The 2012 recipient of the France Pomeroy Naismith Award (the nation's outstanding female collegian 5'8" and under) and a two-time Honorable Mention All-American, James was selected to the Team USA roster for the 2011 Pan American Games, making her the first EMU and MAC student-athlete to represent the U.S. in the games. A five-year player in the WNBA and several international leagues, James was a member of the inaugural class of the Ring of Honor at EMU.

THE RING OF HONOR
The George Gervin GameAbove Center, the home of Eastern Michigan University men's and women's basketball, is now adorned with the names of 15 distinguished alumni as the inaugural introduction into the Ring of Honor took place Saturday, Oct. 7, 2024. The group, comprised of four women and 11 men, made up the newly established Ring of Honor and pays tribute to the very best of EMU basketball, recognizing individuals who made exceptional contributions to the sport.
The list of inaugural inductees included women's greats Laurie Byrd (1978-82), Ryan Coleman (2002-06), Tavelyn James (2008-12), and Stephanie Smiley (1998-02) and men's greats Earl Boykins (1995-98), Fred Cofield (1983-85), Derrick Dial (1995-98), George Gervin (1970-72), Earle Higgins (1967-70), Grant Long (1984-88), Harvey Marlatt (1966-70), Kennedy McIntosh (1967-71), Lindell Reason (1969-72), Carl Thomas (1987-91), and Charles Thomas (1987-91). Combined, the 15 players accounted for 16 All-America honors and played professionally for nearly 77 years.

ON THE HORIZON
Eastern is back in action Saturday, Nov. 9, in the first half of a doubleheader inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. The Eagles will play host to Alabama A&M University in a 1 p.m. contest live on ESPN+ before the EMU volleyball team plays host to the University of Akron at 6 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.

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Players Mentioned

Mackenzie Amalia

Lachelle Austin

Chelsea Bishop

Elena Cabello

Dara Capaldi

Olivia DiFranco

Tayra Eke

Sisi Eleko

Ashley Hassett

Adrien LaMora

Kyndal Lewis

Athina Lexa

ZaNiya Nelson

Olivia Smith

Brooklyn Thrash

Olivia Westphal

Jada Williams

Eastern Michigan Athletics