Women's Basketball Faces St. Thomas Friday Night

Women's Basketball at St. Thomas
Dates/Times	Friday, Nov. 14, 8 p.m. ET
Venue	Lee & Penny Anderson Arena \| St. Paul, Minn.
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF) \| Record Book
Watch Live	Midco Sports Plus
Live Stats	Sidearm Live Stats
Twitter	@EMUWBB \| @EMUAthletics
Instagram	@emuwbb \| @emuathletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team travels to St. Paul, Minn., for a tilt against the Tommies of St. Thomas University Friday, Nov. 14, 8 p.m. ET, in the all-new Lee & Penny Anderson Arena.

Fans can stream the game live on Midco Sports Plus and keep up with live stats on emueagles.com/sidearmstats/wbball. A post-game recap will be posted to EMUEagles.com following each game and fans can stay posted to EMU women's basketball social media @EMUWBB on X, @emuwbb on Instagram, and EMU Women's Basketball on Facebook.

QUICK NOTES
» Eastern is entering the second year of the Head Coach Sahar Nusseibeh era. EMU posted a 2-27 (1-17 MAC) record in 2024-25.
» Senior Sisi Eleko was named Preseason All-MAC First Team after earning second-team honors following the 2024-25 regular season that saw her lead the MAC in double-doubles (14) and rebounds per game (10.1) while ranking second with 17.9 points per game.
» Eastern and St. Thomas are meeting for just the second time in the all-time series and the first time in St. Paul. The Eagles and Tommies battled in Ypsilanti last season, an 81-65 win for STU, Dec. 28.
» EMU earned its first win of the season at Canisius, Nov. 7, besting the Golden Griffins, 70-39 as it grabbed its inaugural win of the season nearly one month earlier than it did last season, defeating the Xavier Musketeers, 72-60, Dec. 1, 2024.
» Eastern most recently dropped a game at No. 23 Michigan State, 92-60. EMU's 60 points were its most against a ranked opponent since 2020, and most against a power-conference opponent since 2016.
» Eastern returns just Sisi Eleko and Brooklyn Thrash from the 2024-25 squad as it totals 13 newcomers, six of which came via the transfer portal.
» Eastern has nine international players on the roster, tying for the fourth-most in the nation and most in the MAC. Wagner has the most with 13.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE TOMMIES
The Eagles and Tommies are meeting for just the second time in the all-time series and the first time in St. Paul. St. Thomas claimed the first meeting in the series last year in Ypsilanti, besting EMU, 85-61. Sisi Eleko posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 50% from the field and 100% from the free-throw line. One-time Eagle Olivia Westphal dropped 15 points while shooting 50% from the field and 4-for-9 from three. Brooklyn Thrash scored seven points with four rebounds while shooting a perfect 3-for-3 from the free-throw line.

Within 12 points at the half, Eastern went on a 13-3 run to open the third quarter before both teams traded blows in the fourth quarter as St. Thomas emerged victorious in an 85-61 decision.

ALL-TIME VS. THE SUMMIT LEAGUE
Eastern is 7-9 all-time against the current membership of the Summit League. The Eagles have played Denver (0-1), Kansas City (4-1), North Dakota (1-3), North Dakota State (1-1), Oral Roberts (1-1), St. Thomas (0-1), and South Dakota State (0-1) previously.

LAST TIME OUT
Eastern dropped a 90-62 decision at No. 23 Michigan State, Nov. 9.

» EMU's 60 points are the most it has scored against a top-25 team since it recorded 68 against No. 25 Gonzaga in a 77-68 loss in the Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic, Dec. 20, 2020. The 60 points are the most against a power-conference foe since the Eagles notched 61 in an 89-61 loss to Wake Forest, Nov. 20, 2016, and the most against a Big Ten Conference member since Eastern topped Michigan, 64-63, Dec. 23, 2015.
» Eastern's 60 points is its highest total against Michigan State since it notched 61 against the Spartans in the 2014-15 season, Nov. 16.
» Eastern dished a season-high 17 assists, a figure that ranks fourth in the MAC by value in a single game and the most a MAC school has had against a power-conference opponent this season. Its 37.5% three-point field-goal percentage slots fourth in the conference by value in a single game.
» Sisi Eleko led the Eagles in scoring with 18 points while shooting 8-for-15 from the field, including 2-for-4 from three-point range. She collected her third consecutive double-digit scoring outing of the season, elevating her career total to 70. Eleko also pulled down a game-high eight rebounds.
» Fernanda Ovalle scored a season-high 15, marking the most she has scored as an Eagle and her first 10+ point game in the Block E, marking the ninth of her career. Ovalle shot 5-for-9 from the field, 1-for-2 from three, and 4-for-5 from the free throw line.
» Ainhoa Cea had a season high seven points and seven assists. The game marked her first time eclipsing three assists as an Eagle, marking the 74th occurrence of her career. Cea has had at least five assists in all three games this season.
» Ainhoa Cea's seven assists rank second in the MAC by volume in a single game in 2025-26.
» Peyton Hill turned in her third consecutive double-digit scoring game of the season as she scored 10 points while shooting 4-for-7 from the field and 2-for-4 from three.

DOMINATING PERFORMANCE: WIN AT CANISIUS
Eastern dominated Canisius, 70-39, for its first win of the 2025-26 season, Nov. 7. Eastern didn't allow a field goal in the first quarter as it led 22-2 after one, and held Canisius without a field goal for the first 15:30 of game time as the Golden Griffins cashed in from the field for the first time with 4:30 to go in the first half.

» Eastern held Canisius without a field goal in the first quarter, marking the first time EMU has done so since Nov. 21, 2015, holding UTRGV to 0-for-14 shooting in the third quarter in a 78-56 win. The game also marked the first time EMU held its foe without a field goal for 10+ minutes since Dec. 30, 2018, in a 53-39 victory over Northwood.
» Eastern dominated the stats battle, out-shooting the Golden Griffins, 43.1%-16.7%, while securing 45 rebounds to their 28, 42 paint points to CU's six, and 11 steals to the Golden Griffins' one while succeeding in a multitude of other categories.
» EMU led the entire game as its largest lead came with 3:55 to go in the game, a 37-point advantage (62-25).
» Eastern held Canisius to 16.7% shooting, its lowest opponent field goal percentage since at least the 2002 season. It marks the first time Eastern has held an opponent under 19% shooting since it held NAIA Rochester to an 18.2% clip in a 108-24 win, Dec. 9, 2009.
» Eastern's 31-point margin of victory is its largest in the Head Coach Sahar Nusseibeh era and biggest since it set the program record with 133 points against Grace Christian, winning by a robust 88 points, Nov. 18, 2021.

NOTABLES FROM WIN AT CANISIUS
» Sisi Eleko notched her first double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds. She now has 15 double-doubles as an Eagle and 35 in her career. Eleko's 15 double-doubles tie for sixth in program history with Natachia Watkins (2010-14), Patrice McKinney (2004-06), and Cassie Schrock (2007-11).
» Peyton Hill scored 12 points for her second consecutive game with double-digit points. She was also perfect from the free-throw line (4-for-4) for the second straight game after shooting 8-for-8 against Louisiana Monroe, Nov. 3.
» Brooklyn Thrash notched her second-consecutive double-digit scoring output with 12 points off 50% shooting (4-for-8). She aided defensively with two steals while securing four rebounds.
» Peyton Hill's two blocks tie for the second-most in the MAC this season. She also shot 100% from the free throw line for the second consecutive game. She is one of three MAC players to post two games with a perfect free-throw percentage this season.

SISI STILL GOT IT
Sisi Eleko has picked up where she left off from 2024-25 season. Named Preseason First Team All-MAC, Eleko has scored at least 10 in all three games this season as she is one of two MAC players to rank inside the top five in points per game, rebounds per game OR assists per game, and minutes per game. Eleko currently averages 17.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 34.7 minutes per game.

ELEKO PROGRAM DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Sisi Eleko's 15 double-doubles are tied for sixth on the program's all-time list (since 1997) with Natachia Watkins (2010-14), Patrice McKinney (2004-06), and Cassie Schrock (2007-11). Should Eleko add another double-double against STU, she would total 16 and sit in a tie for fourth with Ryan Coleman (2002-06) and Nikki Knapp (2002-06). Eleko most recently had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds at Canisius, Nov. 7.

HISTORIC OPPONENT SHOOTING PERCENTAGE
Eastern held Canisius to 16.7% shooting in a 70-39 win, Nov. 7, its lowest opponent field goal percentage since at least the 2002 season. It marks the first time Eastern has held an opponent under 19% shooting since it held NAIA Rochester to an 18.2% clip in a 108-24 win, Dec. 9, 2009.

STRONG START: PEYTON HILL
Peyton Hill is the first EMU freshman to record double-digit points in her first three NCAA games since at least 2011. She's the first freshman to do so in any three consecutive games since Olivia Smith did so in the 2022-23 season, scoring double-digits against Hillsdale, Dec. 28, 2022, Miami, Jan. 4, 2023, and at Bowling Green, Jan. 7, 2023.

Moreover, Hill has yet to miss from the free-throw line as she is one of six MAC players to post a perfect free-throw percentage and one of 58 players nationally yet to miss a free throw.

BIG FRESHMAN DEBUT: PEYTON HILL
Freshman Peyton Hill had a strong performance in her first collegiate game, scoring 15 points while shooting a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line with four assists and three rebounds against Louisiana Monroe, Nov. 3. Hill's 15 points were the most from an EMU freshman in their NCAA debut since Courtnie Lewis scored 18 in her NCAA debut against Florida A&M, Nov. 10, 2017.

BELIEVE'S BIG DEBUT
Freshman Believe Tshibangu erupted for 14 points and nine rebounds off 7-for-7 shooting in just 14 minutes in the 70-39 win over Canisius, Nov. 7. Her nine rebounds in an NCAA debut are the most from an Eagle in their first NCAA game since Tori Easley grabbed 10 in her collegiate debut against Kent State – Tuscarawas, Nov. 14, 2014. Tshibangu is the first Eagle to post a 14-point/nine-rebound stat line in an NCAA debut since at least the 2011-12 season. Additionally, Tshibangu's nine rebounds are the third-most in a single game from a MAC freshman this season.

BK OVER 500
Brooklyn Thrash eclipsed the 500-point milestone with her 12 points at Canisius, Nov. 7. Thrash now totals 516 points in her NCAA career. Thrash has scored 10+ points in two of the first three games of the season with her best performance coming against the Golden Griffins, Nov. 7. She scored 12 points off 50% shooting, including 40% from three-point range (2-for-5), and 100% from the free-throw line (2-for-2). Thrash added four rebounds and two steals.

MONEY FROM THE LINE
Eastern shot 83.3% (20-for-24) from the free-throw line against Louisiana Monroe, Nov. 3, a figure that ranks inside the program top 20 for a single game. The clips stands first in the MAC as EMU's 20 made free throws slot third. Eastern has shot over 80% in 2-of-3 games this season as it ranks third in the MAC and 20th in the nation, shooting 81.8% from the free-throw line this season.

AINHOA'S ASSISTS
Senior Ainhoa Cea has distributed the ball effectively in her first three games as an Eagle. Cea has dished at least five dimes in all three games with her highest total being seven at No. 23 Michigan State, Nov. 9. Cea's seven assists against the Spartans are the second-most in a single game in the MAC. Cea's 17 total assists this season lead the conference and rank 35th in the nation while her 5.7 per-game average and slots second in the MAC and 44th nationally.

AINHOA'S MINUTES
Ainhoa Cea has handled significant minutes on the court as she slots third in the MAC and 32nd in America averaging 36.1 minutes per game. Cea's 36.1 minutes per game are a career high and stand roughly 7.3 minutes more than her previous career high of 28.8 MPG.

ON THE HORIZON
Eastern travels to Fort Wayne, Ind., to face the Mastodons of Purdue University Fort Wayne Wednesday, Nov. 19, 7 p.m. The game can be streamed live on ESPN+.

FOLLOW US
Stay connected with the Eagles all season long by following @EMUWBB and @EMUAthletics on X for all the latest EMU women's basketball updates. Be sure to also follow the Eagles on Instagram @emuwbb and @emuathletics

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Players Mentioned

Ainhoa Cea

Sisi Eleko

Peyton Hill

Fernanda Ovalle

Olivia Smith

Brooklyn Thrash

Believe Tshibangu

Olivia Westphal

Eastern Michigan Athletics