Women's Hoops Travels to Kalamazoo for Meeting with Broncos

Women's Basketball at Western Michigan
Date	Wednesday, Feb. 21 \| 7 p.m.
Venue	University Arena
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF) \| Media Guide (PDF)
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN+
Listen	WEMU (89.1 FM) \| The Varsity Network App
Twitter	@EMUWBB \| @EMUAthletics
Fan Information	Purchase Tickets

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team will travel west to face Mid-American Conference foe and in-state rival, Western Michigan University Wednesday, Feb. 21, inside University Arena in Kalamazoo, Mich. The contest is slated for a 7 p.m. tip.

ON AIR
Wednesday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and can be heard on WEMU 89.1 FM and the Varsity Network App as Tom Helmer and Greg Steiner will have the radio call. 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.

INSIDE THE CONTEST
Wednesday's road contest will mark the 96th meeting between Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan in a series history that dates back to 1977. EMU leads the all-time series, 53-42, despite falling to the Broncos, 76-49, earlier in the season. The Eagles have been victorious over WMU in four of the last 10 meetings, three of which being in Kalamazoo. However, the Eagles trail 21-24 in overall games played inside the Broncos' home court.

CLOSE-CONNECTIONS
WMU Head Coach Shane Clipfell spent nine seasons as an assistant coach at EMU, and was the acting head coach for most of the 2006-07 season when then-Head Coach Suzy Merchant was on maternity leave. While serving as the acting head coach for the majority of the 2006 07 season, he guided the Eagles to a 16-13 overall record and a 10-6 finish in the MAC, good for second place in the West Division. Individually, Sarah VanMetre became the first women's basketball player in program history to be named Academic All-American, Patrice McKinney was named MAC Defensive Player of the Year and Alyssa Pittman was named the MAC Freshman of the Year.

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 307-411 record against conference opponents all-time.

NATIONALLY RANKED TAYRA
Tayra Eke's 2.00 blocks per game is good for first in the MAC and 26th nationally. Of 250 total players ranked in the category, only four other players are members of the MAC, with Eke holding the highest ranking.

National Blocks Per Game Leaders (MAC only):
26.   Tayra Eke            2.00        Eastern Michigan
63.   Rochelle Norris            1.59             Central Michigan
120. Hannah Noveroske    1.22             Toledo
135. Amber Tretter              1.17             Miami
242. Marie Kiefer                  0.92             Ball State

MYLES IN THE RANKINGS
Kennedi Myles ranks third in the MAC with her 9.0 rebounds per game and in total rebounds with 206. Additionally, her 1.74 steals per game is good for seventh in the league.

LEADING LACHELLE
Lachelle Austin's 19 points in the setback to NIU, Feb. 17, marked her fifth season game with double-digit points and the 30th of her career. Additionally, the junior has posted 19 or more points in three contests this season and 10 in her three-year career.

LACHELLE FOR THREE
Included in her 19 points, Lachelle Austin connected on three of her eight attempts from beyond the yard. It was just the second time this season the junior has posted three makes from the three-point line and the seventh of her career after doing so in five games as a sophomore.

DARA'S CATCHING FIRE
Dara Capaldi earned her fifth collegiate start in the game with NIU, Feb. 17, after doing so for the first time against WMU, Jan. 31. The Michigan native has earned a made three-pointer in four consecutive games as she went 1-of-4 in the setback.
    Additionally, Capaldi was a huge contributor to EMU's rebounds as the sophomore collected a career-high nine rebounds to top her previous personal-best of four, set on two separate occasions with the last coming at Buffalo, Feb. 3.

MYLES UNDER THE GLASS
Kennedi Myles' 13 boards against NIU, Feb. 17, marked the Ohio native's eighth contest with double-digit rebounds at Eastern and the 25th of her career. She has posted double-digit rebounds in four consecutive games. The four straight games with double-figure rebounds mark the first for the graduate student, having previously collected the feat in three straight games twice in her career.

(KEN) SHE HELP?
Kennedi Myles chipped in with three assists against the Huskies defense, Feb. 17, marking her seventh game at Eastern with three or more helpers in a single contest and the 22nd of her career. The grad student has helped on three or more shots in three consecutive games, marking the first time in her career with the feat.

SHARP-SHOOTING SMITH
Olivia Smith connected on a shot from beyond the arc, going 1-of-7 from the three-point line in the contest versus the Huskies, Feb. 17. It was the 19th 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).

EKE'S MULTI-BLOCK PERFORMANCE
Tayra Eke recorded multiple blocks in a single game for the 12th time this season after posting two against the Huskies, Feb. 17. The last time she produced more than a single block in a game was when she posted two against the University of Akron, Feb. 7. Last season, the junior recorded the feat in 17 contests.

TRACKING TAYRA
After her eight rebounds against NIU, Feb. 17, Tayra Eke sits just 44 boards away from her career milestone 500. Additionally, the junior is just 8 blocks away from her career milestone 150.

THE BLOCKING-BATTLE
EMU won the blocking battle against the Huskies, 4-1. It was the 12th time this season the Eagles have out-blocked their opponent and the first since they went 5-2 against the Zips, Feb. 7. Last season, the team recorded more blocks than its foe in 19 contests.

PERFECT FROM THE CHARITY STRIPE
The Eagles went a perfect 7-of-7 from the free throw line in the setback to NIU, Feb. 17. It was the first time the team had recorded a 1.000 free throw percentage since it did so in the 2022-23 season, also against the Huskies. In that game, the Eagles were 9-of-9 from the line on their way to a 66-61 victory over NIU, Jan. 21, 2023.

ON THE HORIZON
Eastern will continue conference play on the road as it travels to Oxford, Ohio Saturday, Feb. 24 to face MAC foe, Miami University. The contest is slated to begin at 1 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

Lachelle Austin

Dara Capaldi

Tayra Eke

Kennedi Myles

Olivia Smith

Eastern Michigan Athletics