GAME FACTS – With a pair of wins under its belt to open the 2017-18 season, the Emory men's basketball team returns to action this Saturday and Sunday (Nov 25-26) when it competes at LaGrange College's Lee Richter Classic.
The Eagles will tangle with host LaGrange on Saturday in a scheduled 4:00 pm start before squaring off against Maryville on Sunday at 2:00 pm. All games will be played at the Mariotti Gymnasium on the LaGrange campus.
THE COACHES – Jason Zimmerman (Davidson, 1994) is in his 11th year of patrolling the Emory sideline. Named head coach in April of 2007, Zimmerman came to Emory after serving as an assistant coach at the University of Evansville (2003-04 through 2006-07). Prior to his stint with the Aces, Zimmerman was an assistant at Davidson College for seven years (1996-97 through 2002-03).
During his tenure with the Eagles, he ranks as the program's winningest coach, compiling a school and career record of 173-92. In games played at the Woodruff PE Center, Zimmerman posts a 99-26 ledger and a 74-66 mark in road/neutral settings.
He has guided Emory to eight straight winning seasons and five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017). The Eagles are the lone D-III school to have won at least one NCAA contest in each of the past five years.
After going 17-33 his first two years at Emory, Zimmerman has compiled a won-lost slate of 156-59 (.725) since the 2009-10 season.
Kendal Wallace is in his seventh season in calling the shots for the LaGrange program. During his stint with the Panthers, he compiled a school and career won-lost ledger of 98-71, which includes four straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
2017-18 marks the 38th year that Randy Lambert has served as head coach at Maryville College. Heading into this weekend's action, Lambert posts a school and career record of 680-312, and has had teams make 18 appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
2017-18 RECORDS – Emory, ranked 17th in the D3hoops.com Top 25 Preseason Poll, stands 2-0 after coming away with an 83-64 win at home over Piedmont College on Nov. 15, followed by a wild 109-103 triumph at Berry College on Tuesday.
Senior Adam Gigax topped five double-figure scorers for Emory in the Piedmont win, with 15 points while freshman Romin Williams and junior Beau Bommarito added 14 and 13 points, respectively. The Eagles saw six players finish with double-digit point production against Berry, led by freshman Matt Davet's 17 points on six-of-seven field goal shooting, including four-of-four from three-point range. Bommarito chalked up 15 points while freshmen Romin Williams and Clay Washburn each chipped in 14 points.
Emory's 109 points tied the second-highest total during Jason Zimmerman tenure as head coach while tying the sixth-highest overall total in program annals. The last time Emory had six players register double-figure scoring came on Jan. 9, 2016, when the Eagles battled to a 78-75 win over Rochester.
LaGrange will match up against Emory with a 1-1 slate after its weekend at Penn State-Altoona's Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament. The Panthers opened with a 104-94 overtime verdict over Penn State-Altoona before losing by a 76-65 count to Juniata.
Maryville will head into a Saturday clash against Oglethorpe with a 1-2 mark after bettering Sewanee at home on Tuesday, 81-73.
SERIES RECORDS – The series between Emory and LaGrange has its origins in January of 2001, with the Eagles holding a 19-6 edge. The Panthers have won the last two battles including last season's 95-84 decision at Oglethorpe. Emory has won five of the eight meetings against LaGrange that have been played on neutral floors.
In a series that began in November of 1990, Maryville stands 16-12 against Emory. The Eagles have won six of the last seven encounters against the Scots including a 71-62 outcome last year, which was played at Oglethorpe. The teams have split eight meetings that have been contested on neutral courts.
DID YOU KNOW? – That since the 2010-11 season, Emory has the No. 1 record among UAA teams in overall (141-49) play and the second-best mark in league action (68-30) .… Washington University has the conference's second-best overall ledger (137-50) and the top slate in conference play (70-28) … That entering the LaGrange contest, Emory has at least one three-point field goal in its last 519 games -- The last time the Eagles failed to convert from beyond the arc came on Feb. 14, 1997, vs. Washington University (0-of-6) … Emory was won 37 of its last 38 games when allowing 69 or fewer points (7-1 in '16-17, 13-0 in '15-16, 16-0 in '14-15) … That Whit Rapp holds down the No. 3 spot on Emory's all-time chart with 471 assists and is No. 2 in assists average (5.6 apg) … Standing in the No. 2 spot on the Eagles' career ladder in assists in Michael Florin (2011-15) with 509 … That Adam Gigax is tied with Alex Foster (2011-15) for eighth place all-time at Emory with 140 three-point field goals … Gigax has 879 career points, 27 shy of cracking the program's top 20
NOTES – Prior to the Berry contest, the last time both Emory and its opponent each scored 100 points came on Jan. 27, 2012, when the University of Chicago came away with a 103-102 victory … Emory's win over Piedmont raised the program's record to 22-10 in season-opening games and 27-5 in home openers … The Eagles are 39-6 in the last 45 games when making 10 or more three-point field goals in a game … The freshman group of Matt Davet, Clay Washburn and Romin combined for 11 of Emory's 13 triples against Berry … The Emory reserves have outscored the opposing subs by an 81-37 margin after two games … Whit Rapp's nine assists in the Piedmont contest upped his career to 471, good for third place on the school's all-time ladder … Christopher Avant's 10-point, 11-rebound effort vs. Piedmont represented his fifth career double-double … Gebereal Baitey's two steals in the Berry marked his 14th career outing of two or more thefts … Since the 2012-13 season, the Eagles are 85-5 when outshooting the opposition from the floor (2-0 in '17-18, 17-1 in '16-17, 12-3 in '15-16, 18-0 in '14-15) … During Jason Zimmerman's tenure as head coach, Emory stands 139-18 when leading at halftime (2-0, in '17-18, 13-0 in '16-17; 18-3 in 2015-16) … Emory is 81-10 (.889) over its last 91 home contests … The Eagles have recorded 100 or more points 47 times in program history and own a 42-5 won-lost record in those affairs … During Jason Zimmerman's tenure as head coach, Emory has 16 contests of 100 or more points and stands 15-1 in such games.
ON THE HORIZON – Following the two games at LaGrange this weekend, Emory will begin a stretch that will see it play five of its next six games at the Woodruff PE Center, beginning with a Nov. 29 game against Birmingham Southern starting at 7:00 p.m.