Back In Action: Eastern Michigan Basketball Hosts NIU in Saturday Double-Header

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team continues Mid-American Conference play Saturday, Jan. 21, as it hosts Northern Illinois University in the first part of a doubleheader with the men's team. The women will take on the Huskies at 1 p.m. with the men following at 3:30 p.m. In addition to the on-court action, fans are encouraged to take part in numerous celebrations happening inside the arena.
EMU (9-7, 1-4 MAC) saw a season-high 33-point performance from its bench, but fell, 79-66, to the Kent State University Golden Flashes (11-5, 3-2 MAC) on the road Wednesday, Jan. 18. With the win, the Golden Flashes are in a four-way tie for second place in the MAC rankings. Meanwhile, NIU (10-6, 2-3 MAC) fell to Miami University, 74-69, Jan. 18, for its third league loss of the season.
Both of Saturday's games will broadcast on ESPN3. Ryan Wooley (play-by-play) and Reggie Butler (analyst) will have the call for the women's contest with sideline reports from Dannie Rogers. It will also be broadcast live on WEMU (89.1FM) and the Varsity Network app with Tom Helmer, the Voice of Eastern Michigan Athletics, and Alex Jewell on the call. Fans can follow the action via live stats at EMUEagles.com/livestats. Additionally, the team's official Twitter account, @EMUWBB, will provide score updates throughout the contest.

DISCOUNTED ALUMNI TICKETS: All Eastern Michigan alumni are encouraged to attend the contests using a special, discounted ticket promotion. Fans can enjoy the action for just $8 (offer extended to men's game, Feb. 11, as well). Tickets can be purchased online at EMUEagles.com/tickets, or by calling the EMU ticket office at 734.487.3669. and use the promo code

to receive the discount.

PRIDE AND LOCAL HEROES DAY: Eastern Michigan will celebrate Pride and our local heroes during Saturday's games. Fans can pick up a free Eastern-themed Pride T-Shirt (while supplies last), and visit with various student groups that focus on the LGBTQIA+ communities on the main concourse of the arena. Then, during the men's game, EMU will recognize the Mayor of Ypsilanti and members of her office, while highlighting their efforts within the local community.

LEGENDARY COACH BRAUN RETURNS: Former men's basketball coach Ben Braun is back on campus. During the women's game, alumni from both programs are invited to join Coach Braun for a special reception and to cheer the Eagles on to victory. This event is free to all basketball alumni. To reserve your spot, RSVP to Jessica Nietrzeba at [email protected].
Fans will then have the opportunity to welcome Coach Braun back onto the court during the men's game. In addition to serving as the game's TV analyst on ESPN+, he will also be recognized during the under-12-minute media timeout during the first half of action.
Braun served as head coach of the EMU men's basketball team from 1985-1996. In his 10+ seasons as EMU head coach, he led Eastern to arguably its most successful decade, finishing as the winningest head coach in EMU history with a 185-132 record. During his EMU tenure, he was named Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year three times (1987-88, 1990-91, 1995-96), directed the men's basketball team to multiple Mid-American Conference and MAC Tournament Championships (1987-88, 1990-91, 1995-96), and led EMU to three NCAA post-season tournament appearances (1987-88, 1990-91, 1995-96), including a "Sweet 16" appearance in 1990-91.

BOWL CHAMPIONSHIP CELEBRATION: The Eastern Michigan Football team capped off an incredible 9-4 season with a win in the 2022 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, and now, it's time to celebrate! Fans who attend the basketball doubleheader will have the opportunity to take photos with both the Michigan MAC and Potato Bowl trophies, and can even pose for a life-size cutout of Head Coach Chris Creighton on the field in Boise. In addition, fans can pick up a free, limited edition, Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Champions poster. During the men's game, fans can also enjoy a specialty baked potato bar where they can build their own homestyle baked potato with all the fixings.

A WIN WOULD: The Eagles are coming off a 79-66 road setback at Kent State, Jan. 18. A win on Saturday would end the Eagles' four-game losing streak. Additionally, EMU looks to break a three-game losing streak against NIU and Head Coach 's fourth victory over the Huskies.

ON THIS DAY: Saturday's contest will mark the 14th game in which the Green and White have played on Jan. 21. In those games, EMU holds a 9-4 record. Moreover, the Eagles have produced a clean 6-0 record in games played on Jan. 21 when played inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. The Eagles look to stretch it to seven in Saturday's game.

SHE'S BEEN HERE BEFORE: With her 22 points in the game against KSU, Jan. 18, became just the fourth Eagle to record 20 or more points in a single game this season. Sophomores and have each recorded one, while junior has had two 20+ point games this season. Additionally, it was Ozzy-Momodu's second time recording the feat.

OZZY'S DAY: recorded a game-high 22 points against the Golden Flashes (33.3% of EMU's points), Jan. 18. That total is the senior's EMU career-high and the second-best total of her career. She previously scored 23 points against Wagner College, Feb. 10, 2020, during her time with Robert Morris University. Additionally, her 11 field goals in the game counts as a career-high, topping her nine against Wagner.

BETTER THAN AVERAGE: Averaging 58.3 points per contest prior to the game, the Eagles' 66 points against the Golden Flashes, Jan. 18, topped the team's scoring average. Additionally, it is the team's 12th contest in which the offense has produced 60 or more points. EMU is 8-4 in in those games.

LOPSIDED: Eastern Michigan has been no stranger to lopsided games this year in terms of scoring margin. In Eastern's nine wins, the Eagles have upended their competition by an average of 11.7 points per contest. Meanwhile, the team's seven setbacks have come by an average of 16 points. Just one game this season has been decided by five or fewer points (vs. Miami, Jan. 4). Last season, four games were decided within that margin.

TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK: Eastern Michigan finished the contest with 10 total assists, Jan. 18. It marked the 11th time this season that the Green and White have notched 10+ helpers (69%). The number is a noticeable improvement over last season's clip. EMU recorded 10 or more assists in just 10 games last year (37% of its total contests).

EIGHT IS GREAT: A total of eight players scored all of Eastern's points in the loss to Kent State, Jan. 18. It was the seventh game this season in which the Eagles have had eight different players score, with the highest being nine against James Madison University, Dec. 20. Last season, the Green and White shared the scoring among eight or more Eagles in 11 of the 27 outings. The team is en route to topping last season's numbers.

THE BENCH: Eastern Michigan dropped 33 bench points in the contest, Jan. 18. That total is the highest for the team this season. Its previous best output was 28, which it recorded against James Madison University, Dec. 20. The 33 bench points are the most for the team since it recorded 34 in a game at Kent State, Jan. 8, 2020.

AUSTIN-TACIOUS: After a 10-point performance against KSU, Jan. 18, sophomore has now recorded double figures in consecutive games. It marks the third stretch of two or more games this season in which she had dropped 10+ points. She has twice hit the mark in four consecutive contests. Her three such stretches this season is a career-best single season mark for the second-year Eagle. Austin had two stretches of consecutive games with 10+ during her freshman campaign.

RECORD BOOK WATCH: Forward , now in her fourth season with the Eagles, is on pace to reach the 1,000-point plateau in 2023. Already a 1,000-point collegiate scorer (1,097, including 250 at Florida International in 2018-19), Skanes would become Eastern Michigan's 25th 1,000-point scorer if she can hit the mark (153 points away). (2019-22) was the last player to eclipse the milestone, finishing her career in the No. 15 spot for all-time scoring at EMU (1,257).

SKANES' RESUME:  Junior has had quite an impression on not only the Mid-American Conference but the entire NCAA Division-1. With her 28-career double-doubles, Skanes ranks 24th among all active D-1 women's basketball players. Additionally, she is second among the MAC with NIU's A'Jah Davis ranking 12th with 41 career double-doubles. Taking it one step further, the junior is just one of 12 players from a "Group of Five" institution among the top-25 in the nation.

SCOUTING NORTHERN ILLINOIS: NIU is 10-5 overall and 2-2 in the MAC this season. The Huskies are coming off a 74-69 home loss to Miami University, Jan. 18. Prior to the home setback, Northern Illinois enjoyed a 78-66 victory over Ohio University, Jan. 14. A good three-point shooting team, NIU ranks third in the league in three-pointers per game and ranks 19th in the nation averaging 8.6 triples per game. Leading the pact in three-pointers is graduate student Janae Poisson, who's 36.7 three-point percentage ranks fourth in the MAC. Despite Poisson's shooting range, senior Chelby Koker leads the team in scoring (15.9 ppg), steals (2.2 spg), and assists (4.1 apg).

LAST TIME AGAINST THE HUSKIES: EMU erased a 17-point, first-half deficit, but ultimately fell to NIU, 72-65, Feb. 23. stepped up in a big way for the Eagles with a personal-best 18 points on an efficient 6-of-12 (50.0%) shooting clip. tacked on 10 points, while added nine. Skanes pulled down a team-high 12 rebounds, three of which came on the offensive end, and recorded a rejection. Austin paced the team in steals, with three.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE HUSKIES: Saturday's matchup will mark the 60th meeting between Eastern Michigan and Northern Illinois. EMU leads the all-time series, 31-28, with the Huskies coming away with the most recent win, Feb. 23, 2022. In that game, the Eagles fell, 72-65. EMU looks to break a three-game losing streak against NIU and pick up Head Coach 's fourth victory over the Huskies.

DON'T LET THEM SHOOT: NIU ranks third in the MAC in three-pointers and ranks 19th in the nation averaging 8.6 triples per game. However, the Eagles have done a great job this season at limiting the number of open threes they have given to their opponents. EMU gave up 7.6 three-pointers per game a season ago, and is allowing only 6.1 three's per game this season.

BUILDING A BETTER WALL: EMU has registered a total of 84 blocks in the 16 games played (5.3 blocks per game). A season ago, the Green and White earned 88 blocks in 27 games (3.3 blocks per game). Not only are the Eagles four blocks away from topping the previous season's total in almost half the amount of games, but they are on pace to have the most successful blocking average in program history.

NUMBER 2 REJECTS:  Tallying 84 total blocks in the 16 games played so far, the Eagles are 14th in the nation for blocks per game (5.2) and second in the MAC. After Akron's seven blocks against BGSU, Jan. 14, the Zips accumulated 5.5 blocks per game, topping the Eagles by 0.3 of a block. However, Eastern Michigan's 5.2 blocks per game is on pace to be a program record. The Eagles' 2009-10 squad currently hold the top spot. That season, the Green and White averaged 4.2 swats per game.

BOARD GAMES: The addition of sophomore to 500-Rebounds Club member has made quite the impact on the defensive rebounds count for Eastern Michigan. This season, the team has recorded 430 defensive boards in 16 games (26.9 rpg) with help from Eke (72), and Skanes (82). Last season, the Green and White collected 685 defensive rebounds in 27 games (25.4 rpg). The Eagles are on pace to top the previous season's defensive rebounding average.
Moreover, EMU is out-rebounding its opponents 629-568 in the 2022-23 campaign. Last season, the Eagles lost the rebounding battle 1,008-1,029. Additionally, the team's 39.31 rebounds per game leads the MAC.

EAGLES IN THE MAC: Four Eagles rank in the top 10 in various statistical categories throughout the MAC. Holding the highest ranking for the Green and White is sophomore , who as of recent dropped to second in the league in blocks per game (1.81) and total blocks (29).  Her 6.8 rebounds per game remains good for ninth. Freshman ranks 10th in the MAC in three-pointers per game (1.81) while sophomore 's 1.9 steals per game is good for eighth in the conference. Junior ' 8.0 rebounds per game ranks her fourth in the league and her 1.07 blocks per game ranks her ninth.

LAST TIME OUT: The Eagles saw two players score in double figures in the loss to KSU, Jan. 18, led by senior , who had 22 points, six rebounds, and two steals. added 10 points and three steals and added seven points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Led by Skanes' four offensive rebounds, Eastern Michigan did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 10 boards that resulted in three second-chance points. Eastern Michigan forced 16 Kent State turnovers. The Eagles turned those takeaways into 16 points on the offensive end of the floor. Austin's three steals led the way for EMU.

BACK IN #MACTION: The Green and White's 2022-23 campaign marks the 42nd season Eastern Michigan will compete as a member of the Mid-American Conference. Playing a league schedule since the 1981-82 campaign, EMU has compiled a 300-395 record against conference opponents all-time.         

RING CHASING: Eastern entered league play in search of its first conference championship since 2012. That year, the Eagles captured both the MAC West and MAC Tournament titles.    
As a program, EMU has claimed four division crowns (2004, 2006, 2008, 2012) and two tournament championships (2004, 2012).

ON THE HORIZON: After Saturday's doubleheader, the women's team will take a quick trip west to face the Broncos of Western Michigan University, Wednesday, Jan. 25. The contest is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

Stay connected with the Eagles all season long by following @EMUWBB and @EMUAthletics on Twitter for all of the latest EMU women's basketball updates. Be sure to also follow the Green and White on Instagram, @EMUWBB.