EMU Welcomes KSU to Convocation Center for MAC Opener

Women's Basketball vs. Kent State
Date	Saturday, Dec. 30 \| 2 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. - Convocation Center (8,783)
Preview Info	EMU Notes \| KSU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	E SPN3
Listen	WEMU (89.1 FM)
Twitter	@EMUW BB \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - With the non-conference portion of the schedule complete, the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team turns its attention to Mid-American Conference play as EMU hosts Kent State University in its MAC opener Saturday, Dec. 30. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. inside the Convocation Center.
   EMU (4-7) is looking for its third straight victory after overpowering Longwood, 73-44, Dec. 20. Meanwhile, KSU (7-5) enters conference play two games above .500, having most recently stymied Robert Morris, 46-31, Dec. 19.
   The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 with Greg Steiner calling the action on the court and Kyler Ludlow adding analysis. Additionally, veteran broadcaster Chad Bush will have the call on WEMU (89.1 FM) beginning at 1:50 p.m. Fans can also follow the game via Twitter through the team's account, @EMUWBB.

GOING UP AGAINST THE GOLDEN FLASHES: Saturday's showdown between the Eagles and Golden Flashes marks the 64th time the two teams will battle on the hardwood since the series began during the 1980-81 campaign. Kent State holds the edge in the all-time series, 36-27, but Eastern Michigan has had KSU's number as of late. Winners of 11 of the last 13 meetings, the Eagles have won nine of the last 10 games inside the Convocation Center.

FIRST TASTE: Nine Eagles, or 64 percent of the team's active roster, will get their first taste of #MACtion this weekend against Kent State.

CLOSING OUT THE YEAR: Saturday's game marks the Eagles' final contest during the 2017 calendar year, as the team will usher in 2018 on the road against Bowling Green State University, Jan. 3. Eastern Michigan is 21-19 all-time in the team's final game during the month of December, including winning 11 of the last 15 contests dating back to 2002.

EMU IN MAC OPENERS: Eastern Michigan opens its 37th Mid-American Conference slate Saturday, Dec. 30, versus the Golden Flashes of Kent State University. The game marks the sixth time that the two program's have squared off in a conference lid-lifter and the first since the 2013-14 campaign. KSU holds a slight 3-2 edge in the five previous meetings, but EMU came away victorious, 88-70, the last time the two squads opened conference play, Jan. 4, 2014.
The Green and White are 17-19 all-time in league openers dating back to 1981-82. EMU has won 11 of the last 15 MAC-opening tilts going back to the 2002-03 season, including a 67-56 triumph over eventual MAC Tournament champion Buffalo, Jan. 2, 2016.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU TOO, COURTNIE!: Freshman Courtnie Lewis gave fans an early Christmas present in EMU's win over Longwood, Dec. 20, going off for a career-high 29 points on 10-of-17 shooting in 28 minutes of action. Lewis added a career-high nine rebounds to her stat line, falling just short of a double-double. Her 29 points were the most by a freshman since 2014-15 when current teammate Sasha Dailey dropped 31 on Kent State Tuscarawas, as well as the most by an Eagle this season.

DOMINATING DEFENSIVE DUO: Both the men's and women's basketball teams at Eastern Michigan have become known for their stifling defense over the years. In fact, the stout defensive play of seniors Sasha Dailey and Tim Bond puts the pair in limited company across the country.
   EMU is one of two schools in the nation to have players ranked inside the country's top-16 in steals and steals per game for both men's and women's basketball. Dailey is ranked 10th in steals per game (3.55) and 16th in steals (39), while Bond is slotted seventh in steals per game (2.75 and eighth in total steals with 33. The duo joins Lamar's Chastadie Barrs and Zjori Bosha.

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. Saturday's tilt between the Golden Flashes and Eagles marks the earliest the Green and White have started league play since the 1998-97 campaign when EMU faced off against KSU in the second game of the season. The Eagles dropped the Nov. 17 contest, 86-73, in Kent, Ohio.

FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH: Eastern Michigan's 14-player roster has combined for 6,452 career minutes ahead of the 2017-18 season, the third-fewest in the Mid-American Conference. Additionally the Eagles are the least experienced team in the West Division. Ohio brings back just 3,877 minutes, the fewest in the league, while Akron returns 4,964. Meanwhile, Miami is the most experienced squad in the league with 13,782 career minutes on the roster.

37TH YEAR IN MAC: The 2017-18 season marks the 37th season Eastern Michigan will compete as a member of the Mid-American Conference. Having been a member of the Cleveland, Ohio based league since the 1981-82 campaign, the Green and White have compiled a 267-336 record against conference opponents all-time.

STARTING LINEUP SHUFFLE: In 11 non-conference games, Head Coach Fred Castro has utilized seven different starting lineups. Sasha Dailey is the only Eagle to earn the nod in all 11 games, while 11 different players have made starts so far this season.

COURTNIE'S CONVO: If Courtnie Lewis continues to put on the type of performances she has inside the Convocation Center in her first three home games, Eastern Michigan may have to consider renaming the arena. In a trio of games on her home court, Lewis is averaging 20.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, while shooting a blistering 59.5 percent from the field and 46.7 from three-point range.

WORKING TOWARDS THE 1000-POINT CLUB: Senior Sasha Dailey stands 35 points short of the 1,000-point mark in her final season donning the Green and White. Dailey amassed 855 points for her career through her first three seasons, and has scored 110 points so far this year. If Dailey eclipses four-digits, she will become the 22nd player in program history to score at least 1,000 points during their career.

UNDER 50: In Eastern Michigan's game against Longwood, Dec. 20, EMU held its opponent to 50-or-fewer points for the 109th time in program history. The Eagles are 108-1 all-time when holding the opposition below the 50-point mark, and 2-0 this season.

I'LL TAKE STEALS FOR 200, ALEX: Senior Sasha Dailey has frustrated opponents with her knack for racking up steals over the course of her career. The Toledo, Ohio native has registered 39 swipes on the season, and recently eclipsed the 200-steal mark with six thefts against Detroit Mercy, Dec. 17. As of Dec. 28 her steals ranked as the most in the league and the 16th-most in the country, while her 3.55 steals per game are the best in the MAC and come in at 10th in the nation.

OFF TO THE RACES: Eastern Michigan has been dominant in transition through its first 10 games, outscoring the opposition 135-46 in fast break points. Offensively, the Green and White average 12.3 transition points per game, while giving up just an average of 4.2 points per contest. For the season, EMU is 4-2 when scoring 10+ fast break points.

CREATING SECOND CHANCES: The Green and White have dominated the offensive glass, racking up 187 offensive rebounds. EMU's 17.0 offensive rebounds per game ranks first in the MAC and seventh nationally, while leading to 138 points or 19.4 percent of Eastern's scoring this season.

SHARING IS CARING: EMU's ability to distribute the ball has been a true-tale sign of its success offensively this season. Eastern has racked up 10-or-more assists in six games this year and has averaged 68.5 points in those contests. On the flip side, the Eagles score roughly eight points less (60.2ppg) when finishing with a single digit assist total.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: Eastern Michigan has won 79 of the last 109 home games dating back to the 2008-09 season. The Eagles have racked up a solid home-court advantage inside the Convocation Center since the doors opened during the 1998-99 campaign. The Green and White has won 66.2 percent of the contests played in the building, piling up a 173-88 all-time mark.

ON THE HORIZON: #MACtion rolls on for the Eagles as they travel to Bowling Green, Ohio for a midweek MAC cross-divisional contest against the Falcons of Bowling Green State University Wednesday, Jan. 3. Tipoff from the Stroh Center is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Sasha Dailey

Courtnie Lewis

Eastern Michigan Athletics