Eastern Travels to Northern Illinois to Open MAC Play

Women's Basketball at Northern Illinois
Date	Saturday, Dec. 31 \| 1 p.m. CT
Venue	DeKalb, Ill. \| Convocation Center (10,000)
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN3
Listen	WEMU (89.1 FM)
Twitter	@EMUWBB \| @EMUAthletics
Tickets	Order Tickets Online or call 734.487.2282 \| Clear Bag Policy

DEKALB, Ill. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team hits the road to close out the calendar year with a trip to DeKalb, Ill. to take on the Huskies of Northern Illinois University in its Mid-American Conference opener, Dec. 31. The "Battle Before the Ball Drops" is set for 1 p.m. inside NIU's Convocation Center.
   The Eagles (5-7, 0-0 MAC) make the trek west after cruising past Air Force, 65-44, at home, Dec. 21, in their final non-conference tilt. Meanwhile, the Huskies enter league play at 7-4 following a 1-1 showing at the UMKC Classic, Dec. 19-20. Most recently, NIU held off the Kangaroos, 86-75.
   Chad Bush will have the call on WEMU (89.1 FM) beginning at 12:50 p.m. CT (1:50 p.m. ET), while the contest will also be shown nationwide on ESPN3.

EARLY START FOR MAC PLAY: Traditionally, the start of Mid-American Conference play has taken place after the new year, but this year fans get a taste of #MACtion early. The New Year's Eve tilt between the Huskies and Eagles marks the earliest the Green and White have started league play since the 1998-97 campaign when EMU faced off against Kent State University in the second game of the season. The Eagles dropped the Nov. 17 contest, 86-73, in Kent, Ohio.

EMU ON NEW YEAR'S EVE: Saturday's trip to DeKalb, Ill. will be the fifth time the Eagles will play on New Year's Eve. EMU is 2-2 in those contests, including a 1-2 mark on the road. Eastern Michigan's last contest on the final day of a calendar year came back during the 2013-14 season when the Green and White walloped Lawrence Tech, 95-62.

EMU IN MAC OPENERS: Eastern Michigan opens its 36th Mid-American Conference slate Saturday, Dec. 31, versus the Huskies of Northern Illinois University. The game marks the seventh time that the two program's have squared off in a conference lid-lifter and the first since the 2014-15 campaign. EMU has won five of the six previous occurrences, but NIU edged EMU, 56-48, in overtime the last the pair opened conference play, Jan. 3, 2015.
   The Green and White are 17-18 all-time in league openers dating back to 1981-82. EMU has won 11 of the last 14 MAC-opening tilts going back to the 2002-03 season, including a 67-56 triumph over eventual MAC Tournament champion Buffalo, Jan. 2, 2016.

CLOSING OUT THE YEAR: Saturday's game marks the Eagles' final contest during the 2016 calendar year, as the team will usher in 2017 against the University at Toledo, Jan. 4. Eastern Michigan is 21-18 all-time in the team's final game during the month of December, including winning 11 of the last 14 contests dating back to 2002.

FIRST TASTE: Six Eagles or 55 percent of the team's active roster will get their first taste of #MACtion this weekend at NIU.

LEAVING HER MARK: As the lone four-year Eagle on the Green and White roster, Phillis Webb is making sure to leave a mark in her final season at EMU. In Eastern's pummeling of Air Force, Webb was dominating. The Brooklyn Park, Minn. product finished the afternoon with 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting, 17 rebounds, two steals, and one assist. Webb's 17 rebounds rank tied for the sixth-most in Convocation Center history, while also tying the second-most by an Eagle on their home court.

SUCCESS STEMS FROM WINNING REBOUNDING BATTLE: Winning the rebounding battle has proven to be a true-tale sign of Eastern Michigan's ability to win this season. In their five wins, the Eagles have out-rebounded opponents by 5.8 boards per game. In fact, EMU averages 46.2 rebounds per game compared to opponents' 40.4 board per contest average in its five wins. Conversely, in its seven losses the Eagles average five rebounds less per game (40.0), while the opposition's per game average jumps to 45.0, making the Eagles -5.0 on the glass in losses. EMU's ability to rebound and control the glass has had an impact on the squad's ability to score this season. Eastern Michigan averages 68.6 points per game when winning the rebound battle, compared to 57.2 points per contest when it is out-rebounded.

EMU WORKHORSE: Coming into the season junior Micah Robinson had played a total of 378 minutes over 50 games in the first two seasons of her collegiate career, averaging just 7.5 minutes per contest. This season, Robinson has been one of the most utilized players in the country. The Ann Arbor product has played 444 minutes through the Eagles' first 12 games, the most of any player in the conference and the 26th-most in the country. Additionally, Robinson's 37.0 minutes per game average ranks 15th nationally.

HITTING THE HARDWOOD WITH THE HUSKIES: The "Battle Before the Ball Drops" between Eastern Michigan and Northern Illinois will be the 47th meeting all-time. EMU holds the edge, leading the series 34-12, and has won the last three meetings. Last season, the Eagles swept the two game set, defeating the Huskies in overtime in DeKalb, Ill., before cruising to a 84-60 win at the Convocation Center, Feb. 20.

STRETCHING THE FLOOR: While EMU's efficiency from deep has not had much of an impact on the Eagles success, their ability to knock down more three-pointers than opponents has. The Green and White is 4-1 when making more triples than opponents, while opponents convert an average of 6.9 three-pointers in EMU's losses this season. Eastern averages 4.1 three-point makes in losses, but knocks down 6.4 per game in wins.

JUNIOR IMPACT: EMU Head Coach Fred Castro's tweak to the starting lineup to include the junior trio of Micah Robinson, Sasha Dailey, and Tori Easley prior to the Northern Colorado contest, Nov. 27, has paid dividends for the Eagles. In fact, the threesome has posted some of the best games of their respective careers since taking the floor together in the squad's final game of the UTSA Thanksgiving Classic. Since Easley and Dailey have joined Robinson in the starting five, the trio has amassed 256 points, 113 rebounds, 47 assists, and 30 steals. Their 229 points makes up 57.4 percent of the Eagles' offensive production over the past five games. Additionally, the trio has posted career-bests in multiple statistical categories over the span.

RUNNIN' THE FLOOR: Through 12 games, the Eagles have showcased their ability to get out in transition, as EMU has outscored opponents 93-40 in fastbreak points this season.

SWIPING RIGHT MORE THAN TINDER: In EMU's loss to Monmouth, Dec. 12, the Green and White registered a season-high 14 steals with junior Sasha Dailey leading the way with a season-high six thefts. For the season, Dailey has posted 30, a mark that ranks first in the conference and 44th nationally. Dailey is slotted second in the MAC and 63rd in the nation in steals per game, averaging 2.50 swipes per contest.

EARLY INDICATORS OF SUCCESS: Throughout non-conference play several things served as indicators of Eastern Michigan's success. The Eagles are 4-1 this season when holding a lead at halftime, compared to 1-6 when trailing or tied. EMU is also just 2-5 when shooting less than 70 percent from the free throw line. Conversely, the Green and White is 3-2 when shooting above 70 percent, and has converted 75.7 percent (81-of-107) of its shots from the charity stripe in those five games, compared to 60.3 percent (70-of-116) of its attempts in its other seven contests. Additionally, Eastern Michigan is winless, 0-6, when allowing 60-or-more points.

CASHING IN ON SECOND CHANCE OPPORTUNITIES: The Eagles have totaled 511 rebounds, including 161 boards that came on the offensive end of the floor. EMU has made the most of its second chance opportunities, cashing them in for 134 points.

MOVING UP THE LIST: Phillis Webb's 20 point – 17 rebound effort in EMU's win over Air Force, Dec. 21, marked her third double-double of the season, and eighth of her career. Currently, Webb ranks 10th all-time in EMU laurels in the category, trailing Shani Charles and Paige Redditt for ninth-place by five. Sarah VanMetre and Olivia Fouty are tied atop the list, holding the program standard of 17 career double-doubles.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: The Eagles have racked up a solid home-court advantage inside the friendly confines of the Convocation Center since the doors opened during the 1998-99 campaign. Eastern Michigan has won 75 of the last 101 home games dating back to the 2008-09 season. The Green and White have won 67.9 percent of the contests played in the building, piling up a 169-80 all-time mark.

A LOOK AT THE CONFERENCE LEADERS: Eastern Michigan has positioned itself near the top of multiple statistical categories in the Mid-American Conference as of Dec. 28. Let's take a look...
   Player   Category   Rank   Number
   Micah Robinson   Minutes played per game   1st   37.0 (15th nationally)
   Micah Robinson   Minutes played   1st   444:00 (25th nationally)
   Sasha Dailey   Field goals made   1st   83 (28th nationally)
   Sasha Dailey   Steals   1st   30 (44th nationally)
   Sasha Dailey   Field goals attempted   2nd   197 (20th nationally)
   Sasha Dailey   Points per game   3rd   19.1 (36th nationally)
   Micah Robinson   Free throws made   3rd   52 (42nd nationally)
   Phillis Webb   Rebounds   3rd   100 (69th nationally)
   Sasha Dailey   3-Point FG Percentage   5th   42.1 (58th nationally)
   Sasha Dailey   Free throws made   6th   39 (126th nationally)
   EMU   Rebounds   1st   511 (46th nationally)
   EMU    Turnovers per game   3rd   14.0 (47th nationally)
   EMU   Free throw attempts   3rd   223 (87th nationally)
   EMU   Rebounds per game   4th   42.6 (53rd nationally)

LAST TIME OUT: Led by Phillis Webb's third career double-double and a gritty defensive effort, the Eagles rolled past Air Force Academy, 65-44, Dec. 21, at the Convocation Center to close out non-conference play. Webb poured in 20 points and grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds, while the EMU defense held the Falcons to a 23.9 field goal percentage and forced 22 USAFA turnovers to fuel Eastern to the win.

ON THE HORIZON: After Eastern Michigan's New Year's Even clash with the Huskies to open the Mid-American Conference slate, the Eagles return home Wednesday, Jan. 4, where they will play host to Toledo. Tipoff between EMU and UT is set for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center.

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Players Mentioned

Sasha Dailey

Tori Easley

Micah Robinson

Phillis Webb

Eastern Michigan Athletics