Season Notes » VERDI BEGINS A NEW ERA OF EMU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: First-year EMU Head Coach Tory Verdi and his staff of Rob Norris, Candice Finley, Kristin Haynie and Nikki Bober bring 41 years of combined coaching experience to the Eagles that include stops along the way in the Big XII, the Metro Atlantic Athletic, the Ohio Valley and the WNBA, to name a few. Verdi spent the last two years helping turn the University of Kansas into a national power under Head Coach Bonnie Henrickson. In 2011-12, Kansas posted a 21-13 overall record and an 8-10 league mark to finish tied for sixth place in the Big 12 Conference. The Jayhawks were awarded an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and then surprised the hoops world with wins in the first and second rounds to advance to the team’s first NCAA “Sweet 16” since 1998. » ALL-TIME IN SEASON LID LIFTERS: The Nov. 11 contest against Northeastern marks the start of Eastern Michigan University’s 37th year of women’s basketball which began in 1976-77. The Eagles’ first-ever collegiate contest since the school began offering scholarships was a 63-53 setback to the University of Michigan, Jan. 11, 1977. All-time the Eagles are 23-13 in season lid lifters, including winning 10 of their last 11 openers dating back to a 82-67 victory over Cornell University, Nov. 16, 2001 at the Convocation Center.
» EMU COACHES IN THEIR FIRST YEAR: First-year EMU Head Coach Tory Verdi is the eighth head coach in the program’s 37-year history. Verdi is out to become the fifth first-year head coach to post winning records in their inaugural campaign joining Kathy Hart, Suzy Merchant, Shane Clipfell and AnnMarie Gilbert. Hart recorded a 13-8 mark in 1976-77, Merchant turned in a 14-13 record in 1998-99, Clipfell added a 13-11 mark in 2006-07 and Gilbert won the MAC West title with an 16-12 record in 2006-08. » ALLOWING 50 OR LESS: Eastern Michigan is 94-0 all time when allowing 50 points or less. Since 2003-04, the Green and White has accomplished the feat 49 times with 25 of those coming against Mid-American Conference foes. » EMU RECORDS SIXTH 20-WIN SEASON: With the team’s 54-33 victory over Toledo, Feb. 21, 2012, the Eagles secured their sixth 20-win season in the past nine campaigns. Prior to the 2003-04 year, Eastern Michigan had never won more than 18 games in a single season. » CAPTURING THE WEST: The EMU men’s and women’s teams both claimed at least a share of the 2011-12 Mid-American Conference West Division titles. Since division play started in 1997-98 both men’s and women’s teams winning division titles has happened just four times. The 1998-99 Toledo teams, the 2001-02 and 2008-09 Ball State squads, and last year’s EMU teams are the only duos to turn in that feat.
» EMU VERSUS THE MAC: This is EMU’s 32nd season competing in the Mid-American Conference. The Eagles hold a 232-281 record against conference foes and have posted winning seasons in the MAC in 11 of the last 12 campaigns. EMU has had the most success against Northern Illinois, going 28-9, and the least versus Bowling Green, 14-46. Western Michigan has been the Green and White’s most frequent opponent with 71 meetings while » EMU GRABS FOURTH MAC WEST CROWN: With the 74-43 victory against Buffalo holds the distinction of the fewest conference games against the Ball State, Feb. 25, 2012, the Eagles captured a share of the team’s fourth MidEagles with 19. American Conference West Division championship. Since the league switched to the current division format for the 1997-98 campaign, EMU has claimed MAC » SIX POSTSEASONS IN THE PAST NINE SEASONS: Playing in late March West titles in 2004, 2006, 2008 and now 2012. EMU shared the honor with the has become a regular tradition for Eastern Michigan, as the Eagles partici- University of Toledo as both posted identical 13-3 MAC records. pated in the postseason for the sixth time in the past nine years. Prior to the 2003-04 campaign, EMU had never even advanced to the champion- » SECOND-BEST RECORD IN THE MAC TOURNAMENT: During the past ship game of the Mid-American Conference Tournament. However, all that eight MAC Tournaments dating back to the 2004 championship, Eastern changed when EMU won the 2004 MAC Tournament and earned the auto- Michigan has posted a 13-7 mark, the second-best record over that span. matic bid to the program’s first NCAA Tournament. The Green and White EMU was 3-0 in 2004; 2-1 in 2005; 1-1 in 2006, 2007 and 2010; 0-1 on 2008 have since followed it up with appearances in the 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2011 and 2009; 3-1 in 2011 and 2-0 in 2012. Bowling Green is 21-4 during that Women’s National Invitational Tournaments (WNIT). Last season, EMU again time while Toledo is 12-9, Ball State is 9-7 and Kent State is 6-8. returned to the NCAA Tournament after winning the MAC Tournament. » EAGLES FINISH WITH THE SECOND-MOST MAC WINS IN PROGRAM » AGAINST IN-STATE SCHOOLS: Eastern Michigan has had great success HISTORY: The 2011-12 Eagles won 13 Mid-American Conference contests, against other collegiate programs in the state of Michigan over the past 10 which ranked second-best in program history. The 2005-06 club holds the seasons. Since the beginning of the 2002-03 season, the Eagles are 43-15 EMU standard with a 15-1 record. (74.1%) against in-state rivals. » HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: Eastern Michigan was 11-1 at the Convoca» I WOULD WALK 10,000 MILES OR 9,670 TO BE EXACT: Pack your bags tion Center last season, marking the sixth time since moving to the Convo and grab some information about frequent flyer programs because the Ea- the Green and White has tallied double-digit home wins. Last year’s team also gles will earn plenty of mileage over the next month and a half. The team joined the 2004-05 squad as the only ones to tally just one home blemish. That will make stops in Indiana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Missouri, Louisiana and team also posted an 11-1 mark at home en route to a 23-8 overall record. Michigan. Altogether the EMU road trips will tally over 9,670 miles during The Eagles have won 36 of the last 45 home games dating back to the 2008the non-conference season. During the Mid-American Conference season 09 campaign. Eastern Michigan has racked up a solid home-court advantage the Eagles will rack up only 1,443 miles of travel during their eight league inside the friendly confines of the Convocation Center since the doors opened road contests. during the 1998-99 campaign. The Green and White has won 70.7 percent of the contests played in the building, piling up a 130-54 all-time mark. » INTERESTING STATS ABOUT EMU: In its 23 victories last season, EMU averaged 73.0 points while the opposition posted just 53.3 points. In those » DOUBLE DIGIT WINS IN MAC PLAY: The 2011-12 campaign marked the games, opponents shot 37.6 percent from the field compared to 43.1 per- eighth time in the last nine years that EMU has posted at least 10 victories in cent for the Eagles. In defeats, the Eagles only scored 59.0 points, while giv- Mid-American Conference play. Prior to the 2001-02 season, EMU had never ing up 68.0. Another factor in the Eagles’ success was the ability to control won more than nine games in league action. the glass. EMU grabbed 41.6 rebounds to just 32.7 for the opponents in the wins, while in setbacks EMU is out-rebounded its opponents by only two » EMU ON THE SMALL SCREEN: EMU will be part of two televised games caroms (39.9 to 37.4). during the 2012-13 season. The EMU-Miami game set for Sunday, Jan. 20, in Oxford, Ohio, will be a televised on Comcast Michigan. Eastern will return to » BEST TEAM IN WASHTENAW COUNTY?: The combined efforts between the small screen two weeks later when the Eagles host Ohio, Feb. 9, at noon Tory Verdi, AnnMarie Gilbert and Suzy Merchant have quietly built East- inside the Convocation Center. ern Michigan into one of the most dominant teams in the state of Michigan. Additionally, all EMU women’s basketball home games will be video Since the 2003-04 campaign, the Eagles have won 177 games, posted six streamed on Eagle All-Access. Subscription packages are just $6.95 for a 2420+ victory seasons and made six postseason tournament appearances. hour pass, $10.95 for an entire month or $79.95 for a full calendar year.
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Eastern Michigan University Women’s Basketball 2004 and 2012 Mid-American Conference Tournament Champion • 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2012 Mid-American Conference West Division Champions