Kansas City Heads East To take On Eagles
12/6/2013 9:12:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Date/Time: December 7, 2013 – 11 a.m. – Eastern Michigan
Site: Livonia, Mich./Madonna Activities Center
Television: none
Live Online Video: EMUEagles.com (Subscription)
Radio: 102.9 FM – TJ Jackson (p-b-p)
Live Online Audio: KCXL.com (Free) – TJ Jackson (p-b-p)
Live Stats: EMUEagles.com (Free)
Twitter: @TheUMKCKangaroos
The Game
The Kansas City women's basketball team (2-6) will hit the road to take on MAC foe Eastern Michigan (5-0) for the fourth straight year. The 'Roos and the Eagles are set to square-off at 11 a.m. CT at the Madonna Activities Center in Livonia, Mich.
The Opponent
Eastern Michigan enters the contest with a 5-0 record on the season, including wins over Butler, Cleveland State and Loyola. The Eagles are averaging 93.6 ppg, led by Cha Sweeny's 15.4 average, while allowing only 59.4 ppg. Olivia Fouty (14.6), Desyree Thomas (13.2) and Janay Morton (13.2), meanwhile, are each scoring in double figures. On the glass, EMU is out-rebounding opponents 56.2 to 43.8, with Fouty grabbing a team-high 9.0 rpg.
The Series
This will be the fourth straight year that the 'Roos and the Eagles are squaring-off and the fifth overall meeting, with EMU leading 3-1. Kansas City's lone win came in an overtime thriller, 70-68 on Dec. 9, 2011.
Eastern Michigan
Series: EMU leads 3-1
Home: 0-2
Away: 1-1
Neutral: 0-0
Last Meeting: Eastern Michigan won 74-69 on Dec. 15, 2012 in Ypsilanti, Mich.
Eastern Michigan (1-3)
N28, 2004 (A) L, 44-69 Overton
D1, 2010 (H) L, 58-64 Whitaker
D9, 2011 (A) W, 70-68 (OT) Whitaker
D15, 2012 (H) L, 69-74 Frese
The Coaches
Renowned for her top-notch recruiting classes, Marsha Frese enters her second season as head women's basketball coach at UMKC. Named as the Kangaroo head coach on April 25, 2012, Frese brings 16 seasons of experience as a Division-I player and coach to the UMKC campus.
When the Eastern Michigan University athletics department was searching for a head women's basketball coach to lead the team into the future, there was one name that continued to move to the top of the list — Tory Verdi. The 2013-14 season is Verdi's second as head coach after being named to the position April 26, 2012. In Verdi's first year in Ypsilanti, he took on the task of rebuilding the Eagles program that returned eight letterwinners that combined for just 32.4 points per contest.
The Venue
Built in 1971, the Activities Center was constructed to seat 1,000 fans for gymnastic activities, stage productions and lectures. It wasn't until 1987 that the Activities Center was converted for the use of varsity athletics with the addition of volleyball.
Last Time Out
The Kansas City women's basketball team shot 50.0 percent from three-point range, knocking down 9-of-18 shots en route to an 83-79 victory over Maryville on Wednesday night at the Swinney Recreation Center.
The 'Roos, who move to 2-6 overall with their second straight win, were led by senior Eilise O'Connor's 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists, while sophomore Taylor Leathers added 14 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
Lexis Hardiek, meanwhile, knocked down 5-of-8 shots from beyond the arc for 15 points, with Calli White and Kelsey Barnwell adding 12 and 11 points, respectively. As a team, the 'Roos shot 50.8 percent (31-61) from the field with 18 assists, while out-rebounding Maryville (4-3) 37 to 32.
