Women's Hoops Set to Face Miami on the Road Wednesday

GAME #20: Women's Basketball at Miami
Date	Wednesday, Feb. 5 \| 7 p.m.
Venue	Millett Hall (6,400)
Preview Info	EMU Notes (pdf)
Live Stats	Fan Stats
Watch	ESPN+
Listen	n/a
Twitter	@EMUWBB \| @EMUAthletics
Fan Information	Purchase Tickets for future home games

OXFORD, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team returns to the road Wednesday, Feb. 5, for the first of two away contests when the Eagles face the RedHawks of Miami University inside Millett Hall in Oxford. The Eagles (1-19, 0-10 Mid-American Conference) and RedHawks (12-8, 5-5 MAC) will tip off at 7 p.m. with the game being streamed live on ESPN+ with Steve Baker (play-by-play) and Carol Smith (analyst) on the call. 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
» Sisi Eleko secured her league-leading 11th double-double of the season as she scored 16 points and added 12 rebounds in the game with Toledo (Feb. 1). She is now 13th on the program's all-time double-double list (since 1999) and ranks 11th among all players in the NCAA this season.
» Sisi Eleko continues to be the only player in the MAC to average a double-double as she is scoring 19.1 points (second in the MAC) and pulling down 10.3 rebounds (first). Eleko's averages rank her 33rd and 19th, respectively, among NCAA Division I players this season.
» A player in the MAC has scored 25+ points in a game 25 times this season with Sisi Eleko leading the way with four of those games. Additionally, four games have featured a 30-point scorer with Eleko holding one of those four outings.
» In her past two games, Olivia Smith has scored a combined 30 points (16 at Kent State and 14 against Toledo) to mark the fifth time in her career she has accomplished the feat and the first time this year.
» Olivia Smith scored a season-high 16 points at Kent State (Jan. 29) before adding 14 against Toledo (Feb. 1), both of which surpassed her previous season-best total of 13 points.
» Two members of the EMU coaching staff have history at Miami, including Sahar Nusseibeh, who served as an assistant coach (2019-21), and graduate assistant Ti Fulton, who played for MU (2018-22).
» The Eagles connected on three three-pointers against Toledo (Feb. 1) to extend their current streak to 123 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: MIAMI
The RedHawks sit 12-8 (5-5 MAC) after defeating Ohio, 72-34, in a home rivalry game, Feb. 1. The win, which snapped MU's two-game losing skid, improved the RedHawks to 7-3 at home, including 3-2 in MAC play. Enjulina Gonzalez leads the way in scoring with 17.2 points per game, which ranks third in the MAC, while Amber Tretter (10.7 points), leads the team in rebounding with 7.9 per contest.

GLAD YOU COULD MAKE IT!
Prior to the Feb. 1 game with Toledo, the EMU program honored its alumni with Alumni Weekend festivities. After playing in the Alumni Game one night prior, nearly 30 returning players were honored on the court in the second half.

ALL-TIME VS. MIAMI
Eastern trails in the all-time series, 43-25, with Miami despite winning seven of the last 10 games, including a six-game winning streak that was snapped by last year's 48-37 loss at Miami (Feb. 24, 2024). Eastern is 12-20 when playing in Oxford with last season's loss halting a two-game winning streak inside Millett Hall.

FAMILIAR PLACE
Two members of the EMU coaching staff have ties to Miami, including Head Coach Sahar Nusseibeh and graduate assistant Ti Fulton. Nusseibeh served as an assistant coach with the RedHawks during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons before being named the head coach at Canisius. Fulton was a member of the team from 2018-19 through 2021-22 and appeared in 58 games for Miami.

SHOOTING STREAK
The Eagles have recorded at least one three-pointer in 123 consecutive games, the third-longest stretch since the start of the 1999-00 season, after scoring six at Kent State, Jan. 29. 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.

SISI WITH DUB-DUBS
Sisi Eleko picked up her MAC-leading 11th double-double of the season at home against Toledo (Feb. 1) as she scored 16 points and added 12 rebounds. Ranked 11th nationally in the category, Eleko moved into 13th on the program's all-time list (since 1999) after she broke her tie with Tayra Eke (2022-24) and Areanna Combs (2019-22) and is now one shy of tying Phillis Webb (2013-16) for 12th with 12.

TOPPING TWENTIES
Sisi Eleko scored 24 points at Kent State (Jan. 29), one game removed from scoring 25 at Ohio (Jan. 25). With those points, she scored 20+ in back-to-back games for the fourth time in her career and the third time this season with the Eagles. Her most recent addition to the list was when she closed 2024 with 23 points against St. Thomas (Dec. 28) and then scored 26 against Western Michigan (Jan. 1) to open 2025. Overall, Eleko has reached double-digit point totals in 18-of-19 games played this year while scoring 20+ in seven different contests.

MORE MAC SCORING
Through games played Feb. 1, the MAC has seen 25 instances of a player scoring at least 25 points in a game. Sisi Eleko leads the way as the only player that has recorded four games of 25+ points this season with Chellia Watson (Buffalo) holding three and four other players with two. Additionally, Eleko is one of just four players that have scored 30+ points in a game with her 31 at Detroit Mercy (Nov. 26) ranking third.

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 game at Kent State (Jan. 29), Eleko is averaging 19.3 points and 10.2 rebounds this season.

NEARING 400
Through 20 games, Sisi Eleko has scored 382 points, leaving her 18 shy of 400 on the year and would mark back-to-back years she has reached the marker after scoring 493 one year ago for Canisius. Should she reach 400 points, she would be the first Eagle to do so since the 2021-22 season when Areanna Combs finished with 437 points. Additionally, Eleko is 55 points from tying Nikki Knapp (2004-05) for ninth on the junior season scoring ledger after Knapp scored 433 points that year.

DOUBLED UP
Should Sisi Eleko reach 400 points, she would become the first player at EMU 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.

TRENDING UPWARD
With her strong start to the season, Sisi Eleko is already on pace to do something that hasn't happened in nearly 15 years: have an Eagle average 20.0 points for a season. EMU Hall of Famer and Ring of Honor inductee Tavelyn James was the last to do so when she averaged 20.7 points in 2009-10.

Additionally, Eleko's 10.3 rebounds are among the best in EMU history as well with only three players finishing the season averaging 10.0+ rebounds per game. Those players include Ce'Nara Skanes (2020-21) at 10.9, Felicia Hines (1984-85) at 11.7 (school record), and Suzanne Huff (1980-81) at 10.6.

NATIONALLY KNOWN
Three Eagles remain among the top 50 nationally in several statistical categories, led by Sisi Eleko, who holds rankings in four categories. Eleko is averaging 19.1 points (33rd) and 10.3 rebounds (19th) while recording 205 total rebounds (30th) and 11 double-doubles (11th).

Mackenzie Amalia is also among the national top 50 in a pair of categories. She is currently the NCAA and MAC leader with 38.4 minutes played per game while her 5.2 assists per contest rank third in the MAC and 31st nationally. Additionally, Olivia Westphal is averaging 2.6 three-pointers per game to rank 35th nationally.

STAYING ACTIVE
According to the NCAA, both Sisi Eleko and Mackenzie Amalia rank highly among active players in several categories. Eleko's 21 career double-doubles rank 42nd among all NCAA Division I players while Amalia sits 50th in three-point attempts (532) and 78th in games played (119)

FROM DOWNTOWN
Eastern is averaging 7.2 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. Overall, the Eagles have scored at least seven three-pointers in 12-of-20 games played this season (60.0 percent).

SHE'S HEATING UP...
After opening the season with 26 three-pointers in the first nine games of the year, Olivia Westphal was limited in her deep shots to open MAC play as she scored seven in the first five league games. She has since returned to her early season form as she had nailed 16 in the past five games, including four at Central Michigan (Jan. 18), a career-high-tying five at home against Northern Illinois (Jan. 22), three each at Ohio (Jan. 25) and at Kent State (Jan. 29), and one against Toledo (Feb. 1). In the games with CMU and NIU, she made four or more triples in back-to-back games for the first time in her career and hit at least four three-pointers in the same game five times this year after having not done so previously.

AHEAD OF THE CURVE BEHIND THE ARC
Olivia Westphal has made 49 three pointers in 19 games this year (2.6 per game), which is 26 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 16-of-19 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 (33.7), Olivia Westphal is 14th (31.5), Olivia Smith is 20th (30.2), and Brooklyn Thrash is 22nd (29.9).

ADDING UP
Olivia Smith continued her scoring ways as she tallied 14 points against Toledo (Feb. 1), including 13 in the first half of play, to mark back-to-back games in which she has reached double figures by halftime after scoring 11 at Kent State (Jan. 29). In the past two games, Smith has scored a combined 30 points (16 at Kent State and 14 against Toledo) to mark the fifth time in her career she has scored at least 30 points total in two consecutive games and the first time this year. The last time she scored a total of at least 30 points in two games came early last season when she reached 31 points with 10 at North Dakota State (Dec. 1, 2023) and 21 at North Dakota (Dec. 3, 2023). Her career best of 33 points over a two-game span came in her freshman season when she notched 15 against Hillsdale (Dec. 28, 2022) and 18 against Miami (Jan. 4, 2023) before repeating the tally with 15 at Bowling Green (Jan. 7, 2023) one game later.

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
The Eagles will venture to Atlanta, Ga., this weekend for the second half of the 2024-25 MAC/SBC Challenge where Eastern Michigan is set to take on Georgia State University, Saturday, Feb. 8. The game, scheduled for a 2 p.m. start, will be played inside the GSU Convocation Center and will 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 team on Instagram (@EMUWBB).

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Players Mentioned

Mackenzie Amalia

Chelsea Bishop

Elena Cabello

Olivia DiFranco

Tayra Eke

Sisi Eleko

Olivia Smith

Brooklyn Thrash

Olivia Westphal

Jada Williams

Eastern Michigan Athletics