Road Trip to NIU Awaits EMU WBB Saturday

GAME #25: Women's Basketball at Northern Illinois
Date	Saturday, Feb. 22 \| 1 p.m. CT (2 p.m. ET)
Venue	Convocation Center (9,000)
Preview Info	EMU Notes (pdf)
Live Stats	Fan Stats
Watch	ESPN+
Listen	WEMU 89.1 FM
Twitter	@EMUWBB \| @EMUAthletics
Fan Information	Purchase Tickets for Feb. 26 game vs. Miami

DeKALB, Ill. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team returns to the road this weekend as the Eagles will venture to DeKalb, Ill., to face Northern Illinois University in a Mid-American Conference doubleheader inside the Convocation Center Saturday, Feb. 22. The day will feature two games between the two institutions with the EMU (1-23, 0-13 MAC) and NIU (12-13, 5-8 MAC) women leading off with a 1 p.m. CT (2 p.m. ET) contest that will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Peter Ferreri (play-by-play) and Rodney Davis (analyst) on the call. The men's teams will play following the women with game time scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT (4:30 p.m. ET). Along with the ESPN+ broadcast, Tom Helmer and Greg Steiner will bring fans the action for both games live on WEMU (89.1 FM) and the Varsity Network. Live stats will be available at EMUEagles.com/livestats while periodic updates will be posted on the team's official X account (@EMUWBB).

FREE THROWS
» Two Eagles had career nights against Central Michigan (Feb. 19) as Kyndal Lewis scored 15 points and Chelsea Bishop tallied 11, surpassing their previous bests by three and eight points, respectively.
» Olivia Smith scored 10 points against CMU to bring her career total to 659 points. She needs four points to join the program's all-time top 50 scoring ledger.
» Sisi Eleko is working on moving up a trio of program lists as her 418 points rank 10th on the junior season scoring list and leaves her 10 points shy from the single-season top 25. Additionally, her 232 rebounds has her closing in on the single-season top 20.
» Olivia Westphal connected on two three-pointers against CMU, marking the 17th time in 23 games this season she has made multiple triples. She currently has 54 three-pointers.
» The Eagles connected on four three-pointers against Central Michigan (Feb. 19) to extend their current streak to 127 consecutive games with at least one made triple. The last time EMU was held without a three-pointer was Nov. 29, 2020, against UIC (0-of-15).

KNOW THE FOE: NORTHERN ILLINOIS
The Huskies enter the game with a 12-13 overall record and are 5-8 in MAC play, placing them one game below the cut line for the top eight and a spot in the MAC Tournament. NIU fell on the road at Ohio, 74-70, Feb. 19, to see its three-game win streak snapped. Three NIU players are averaging double figures, including Chelby Koker (13.3), Alecia Doyle (11.6), and Brooke Stonebraker (11.1) with Stonebraker leading the team with 6.6 rebounds per game. Koker is the team leader in assists at 5.0.

ALL-TIME VS. NORTHERN ILLINOIS
The Eagles hold a 40-24 lead in the all-time series despite the Huskies winning the last two meetings, including a 78-70 decision in Ypsilanti, Jan. 22. When playing in DeKalb, EMU holds a 19-13 advantage after claiming a 67-49 victory last year (Jan. 3, 2024), a win that snapped a five-game skid in DeKalb.

IN THE LAST MEETING
The Eagles and Huskies met in Ypsilanti, Jan. 22, with the visitors taking a 78-70 decision despite both Olivia Westphal and Sisi Eleko scoring 17 points each for the Eagles. Westphal connected on a career-high five three-pointers while Eleko returned to double-digit scoring for the then-16th time in 17 games. EMU also turned the ball over just nine times, which stands as its lowest all season.

SHOOTING STREAK
The Eagles have recorded at least one three-pointer in 127 consecutive games, the third-longest stretch since the start of the 1999-00 season, after scoring four against Central Michigan, Feb. 19. The longest streak in that period is 281 games, which started with seven makes at Northern Illinois, Jan. 31, 2002, and ended with no makes in the MAC Tournament, March 11, 2011, against Toledo. The second longest streak lasted 157 games and started Dec. 9, 2014, until no makes halted the streak, Nov. 29, 2020, against visiting UIC.

FROM DOWNTOWN
Eastern is averaging 7.1 made three-pointers per game, which ranks fourth in the MAC. Eastern had connected on 7+ triples in seven consecutive games before finishing with six at Kent State, Jan. 29, and three against Toledo, Feb. 1, but got back on track with eight at Miami, Feb. 5, and at Georgia State, Feb. 8, before hitting seven against Ball State, Feb. 15. Overall, EMU has scored at least seven three-pointers in 15-of-24 games played this season (62.5 percent).

FOR THREE
The Eagles are on pace to drain 204 three-pointers this season, which would mark the 10th time the team would make 200+ in a single season and the first since the 2018-19 squad made 201. Additionally, the 170 made this year are the most since the 2019-20 squad made 173. All told, since the 1999-00 season, the 170 triples this year ranks 16th.

SISI WITH DUB-DUBS
Sisi Eleko picked up her MAC-leading 12th double-double of the season at home against Ball State (Feb. 15) as she scored 15 points and added 12 rebounds. Ranked 19th nationally in the category, Eleko is now tied with Phillis Webb (2013-16) on the all-time EMU ledger (since 1999) and is one away from reaching the top 10 as both Paige Redditt (2008-12) and Shani Charles (1997-01) are tied for 10th with 13. Additionally, her 32 career double-doubles rank 30th among all active NCAA Division I players.

DOUBLED UP
Sisi Eleko scored 14 points at Georgia State, Feb. 8, to bring her season total to 403 points. Along with her 220 rebounds, Eleko became the first EMU player since Natachia Watkins (2011-12) to score at least 400 points and record at least 200 rebounds in the same season. That year, Watkins finished with 405 points and 218 rebounds in 32 games played.

CLIMBING LADDERS
Sisi Eleko has accumulated 418 points and 232 rebounds this season. The 418 points rank 10th on the program's single-season scoring list for players in their junior season, leaving her 15 shy of tying Nikki Knapp (2004-05) for ninth. Additionally, she is 25th on the overall single-season list with Traci Parsons (1995-96) ahead of her with 428 points. Lastly, her 232 boards position her 19th on the single-season rebounding list, leaving her one away from tying Patrice McKinney (2006-07) for 18th.

ELITE COMPANY
Sisi Eleko also is on pace to do something done just two other EMU players have done in program history: average a double-double for the season. The first to do so was Felicia Hines, who tallied 12.0 points and 11.7 rebounds during the 1984-85 season. Ce'Nara Skanes was the most recent entrant to the list as she averaged 16.0 points and 10.9 rebounds per game during the 2020-21 season. Through the Central Michigan game (Feb. 19), Eleko is averaging 18.2 points and 10.1 rebounds.

NATIONALLY KNOWN
Sisi Eleko remains ranked among the top 50 in four statistical categories according to the latest rankings from the NCAA (Feb. 20). She currently ranks 19th in double-doubles (12), 21st in rebounds per game (10.1), 46th in total rebounds (232), and 48th in points per game (18.2). Mackenzie Amalia still leads the nation in minutes played (38.4) despite an injury keeping her sidelined.

SMITH CLOSING IN
Olivia Smith scored 10 points against Central Michigan (Feb. 19) to bring her career total to 659 points, leaving her four shy of earning a place on the program's all-time top 50 scoring chart. Currently, both Kris Kachaturoff (1999-02) and Patrice McKinney (2005-07) are tied for 49th with 663 points.

KYNDAL'S BIG DAY
Kyndal Lewis had a career day in the game with Central Michigan (Feb. 19) as the senior finished with 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting. Her point total surpassed her previous career-high of 12 points scored against Ohio, Feb. 1, 2023, and her season best of eight points against Buffalo, Jan. 15. Additionally, she had not made more than three shots in a single game before more than doubling that total with her seven makes. Lewis added a career-high-tying two assists as well.

BUCKETS FOR BISHOP
Chelsea Bishop also enjoyed a career day against CMU (Feb. 19) as she set career highs in points (11), field goals (five), field goal attempts (nine), three-point field goal attempts (two), assists (one), steals (two), and minutes played (19). Bishop, who entered with a previous best of four points (at Kent State, Jan. 29), reached five points by the midway point of the second quarter as she drove to the hoop for two.

AHEAD OF THE CURVE BEHIND THE ARC
Olivia Westphal has made 54 three pointers in 23 games this year (2.3 per game), which is 31 more than her total from the 2023-24 season when she scored 23 three-pointers in 28 games (0.8). Additionally, Westphal has scored 2+ triples in 17-of-23 games played this year after she made 1+ three-point shots in 12-of-28 games last year. If she can maintain her current pace, Westphal could make at least 70 three-pointers this season, something that hasn't happened since the 2015-16 season when both Janay Morton (76) and Cha Sweeney (70) accomplished the feat.

MAJOR MINUTES
Mackenzie Amalia averages 38.4 minutes per game after playing the full 40 minutes in every MAC game this year she has been available for, which leads the NCAA. Amalia is one of five Eagles that rank in the top 25 of minutes played in the MAC, including Sisi Eleko in fifth (33.9), Olivia Smith is 14th (31.8), Olivia Westphal is 15th (31.7), and Brooklyn Thrash is 21st (30.1).

FIRST TIMES
Six players have made their EMU debuts this year with Jada Williams the latest to join the list after playing six minutes against Xavier, Dec. 1. Previously, rookies Chelsea Bishop (Nov. 21) and Olivia DiFranco (Nov. 9) saw their first action while transfers Mackenzie Amalia, Brooklyn Thrash, and Sisi Eleko each started in the opener against Texas State (Nov. 4). Additionally, Elena Cabello entered the game against Texas State, which marked her first game action since March 8, 2023, against Bowling Green in the MAC Tournament, after sitting out all last season with an injury.

ON THE HORIZON
Eastern returns to action Wednesday, Feb. 26, when it welcomes Miami University to the George Gervin GameAbove Center for a 6:30 p.m. contest. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Ryan Wooley (pbp) and Claire Dau (analyst) on the call while Tom Helmer and John Motherwell will call the action live on WEMU (89.1 FM) and the Varsity Network app. The game will be the penultimate home game for the Eagles with their final contest coming March 8 against Bowling Green State University (2 p.m.).

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 team on Instagram (@EMUWBB).

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Players Mentioned

Mackenzie Amalia

Chelsea Bishop

Elena Cabello

Olivia DiFranco

Sisi Eleko

Kyndal Lewis

Olivia Smith

Brooklyn Thrash

Olivia Westphal

Jada Williams

Eastern Michigan Athletics