Eagles Off to Georgia State for MAC/SBC Challenge

GAME #22: Women's Basketball at Georgia State (MAC/SBC Challenge)
Date	Saturday, Feb. 8 \| 2 p.m.
Venue	GSU Convocation Center (7,300)
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

ATLANTA, Ga. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team will step out of conference play this weekend as the Eagles will venture to Atlanta, Ga., to take on the Panthers of Georgia State University, Saturday, Feb. 8, as part of the Mid-American Conference/Sun Belt Conference Challenge. The Eagles (1-20) and Panthers (11-12) will meet at 2 p.m. inside the GSU Convocation Center with the game being streamed live on ESPN+ with Kelcey Roegiers (play-by-play) and Sam Crenshaw (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
» Eastern Michigan is 1-2 all-time MAC/SBC Challenge after falling at home, 75-71, to Texas State, Nov. 4. The Eagles lost, 62-58, at Georgia Southern (Nov. 11, 2023) last year before winning at home, 81-69, over South Alabama (Feb. 10, 2024).
» Brooklyn Thrash recorded her first double-double with the Eagles and third of her career as she tallied 11 points and 10 rebounds at Miami (Feb. 5). She also added a team-leading three steals.
» Sisi Eleko ranks second in the MAC in points (18.5) and leads in rebounds (10.1) as the lone player to average a double-double this year in the league. Ranked 15th nationally with 11 double-doubles, Eleko ranks 47th in points per game and 22nd in rebounds among NCAA Division I players.
» Sisi Eleko has scored 389 points, leaving her 11 shy of reaching 400 for the second year in a row and the first with EMU. She is 44 points from tying Nikki Knapp (433, 2004-05) for ninth on the program's junior season scoring ledger.
» Olivia Westphal connected on one three-pointer at Miami (Feb. 5) to give her at least one make in 19-of-20 games played this year. She has scored 50 triples this year and is the first Eagle to do so since teammate Olivia Smith made 51 in 2022-23.
» Through 21 games, the Eagles have scored 151 three-pointers for an of 7.2 per game. If the team continues that pace, it would wind up in the program's all-time top 10 as 208 would rank seventh.
» The Eagles connected on eight three-pointers at Miami (Feb. 5) to extend their current streak to 124 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).

MAC/SBC CHALLENGE
Heading into the second weekend, the MAC holds an 8-4 lead after games played Nov. 4 at MAC sites. The SBC won the Challenge in 2023-24, 15-8 and hold a 19-16 lead in the two seasons of play.

KNOW THE FOE: GEORGIA STATE
The Panthers enter the game with an 11-12 overall record and stand 5-7 in the SBC following their 86-50 loss at Arkansas State (Feb. 5), a loss that snapped a two-game winning streak. GSU, who lost at Akron, 81-73, in the first game of the MAC/SBC Challenge (Nov. 4), is 6-5 at home this season, but are 1-4 in their last five home contests, including a 64-57 setback to visiting Old Dominion (Jan. 25). Individually, Mikayla Toliver leads the way with 13.2 points and 4.9 rebounds while Kaleigh Addie averages 11.0 points and Crystal Henderson (9.3) leads the team with 4.3 assists.

ALL-TIME VS. GEORGIA STATE
The Eagles and Panthers have met once before with Eastern claiming a 69-59 victory, Nov. 12, 2016, at the Donna Murphy Classic in Morehead, Ky.

PEACH PLAYING
The game at Georgia State will mark just the second time the Eagles have played a game in the Peach State and the second year in a row. The first instance came in last year's MAC/SBC Challenge when the Eagles dropped a 62-58 decision at Georgia Southern, Nov. 11, 2023.

ALL-TIME VS. THE SUN BELT
Eastern holds a 10-8 record against the current membership of the Sun Belt following its 75-71 loss to Texas State, Nov. 4, in the first half of the MAC/SBC Challenge. The bulk of the wins come from the series with Marshall (8-2) when the Thundering Herd were then members of the MAC.

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.

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, but got back on track with eight at Miami, Feb. 5. Overall, the Eagles have scored at least seven three-pointers in 13-of-21 games played this season (61.9 percent).

FOR THREE
The Eagles are on pace to drain 208 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 151 made this year are the most in since the 2022-23 squad made 154 with the 173 made in 2019-20 next on the list.

BROOKLYN'S FINEST
Brooklyn Thrash stuffed the stat sheet at Miami (Feb. 5) as the junior led the team in points (11), rebounds (10), and steals (three) while securing her third career double-double and the first of her EMU career. The last time Thrash accomplished the feat was Feb. 22, 2024, at Manhattan as she scored 12 points and secured 10 rebounds for Canisius. Her first came her freshman season with CU when she had 16 points and 10 rebounds against Binghamton.

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 15th 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.

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 Miami (Feb. 5), Eleko is averaging 18.5 points and 10.1 rebounds this season.

NEARING 400
Through 21 games, Sisi Eleko has scored 389 points, leaving her 11 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 44 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
Sisi Eleko, who is averaging 18.5 points per game, is looking 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 10.1 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 18.5 points (47th) and 10.1 rebounds (22nd) while recording 213 total rebounds (31st) and 11 double-doubles (15th).

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 30th nationally. Additionally, Olivia Westphal is averaging 2.4 three-pointers per game to rank 44th 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)

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 17 in the past six 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 both Toledo (Feb. 1) and Miami (Feb. 5). 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 50 three pointers in 20 games this year (2.5 per game), which is 27 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-20 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 (33.8), Olivia Westphal is 14th (31.6), Olivia Smith is 18th (30.6), and Brooklyn Thrash is 22nd (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
After playing five of its last seven games on the road, the Eagles will return to the friendly confines of the George Gervin GameAbove Center when they welcome league-leading Ball State University to town for the opening game of an EMU doubleheader. The Eagles and Cardinals are scheduled to tip off at 1 p.m. with the EMU men's game with the University of Toledo slated to start at approximately 3:30 p.m. Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+ along with Tom Helmer calling the action on WEMU (89.1 FM) and the Varsity Network.

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).

Next Event

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