GAME FACTS – The Emory men's basketball team plays the second of a four-game home swing this Saturday (Dec. 16) when it hosts Guilford College. The Woodruff PE Center will serve as the venue for the eighth meeting between the Eagles and Quakers and tip is slated for 2:00 pm.
The will be a webcast of the contest and it can be accessed by going to the following:
http://emoryathletics.com/information/webcasts. Handling the play-by-play duties will be Justin Hanover.
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 176-94. In games played at the Woodruff PE Center, Zimmerman posts a 101-26 ledger and a 75-68 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 159-61 (.724) since the 2009-10 season.
Tom Palombo (Virginia Wesleyan, '89) is in his 15th season at the helm of the Guilford College program. During his run with the Quakers, he has compiled a school record of 276-121. He ranks second on the school's all-time list for wins at Guilford.
2017-18 RECORDS – Emory heads into Saturday's action against the Quakers with a 5-2 record. In their most recent action, the Eagles topped Covent College last Wednesday (Dec. 6) by an 80-73 margin.
Senior Adam Gigax led five Emory double-figure with a season-high tying 17 points, 13 coming in the first half, ending the game six-of-13 from the floor, including three triples, and two-of-three from the charity stripe. Freshman Romin Williams added 15 points while senior Christopher Avant and junior Gebereal Baitey each chipped in 12 points. Baitey also dished out five assists while Avant pulled down a personal-best 17 rebounds en route to his second double-double of the season and sixth of his career.
Emory is 3-0 at home and 2-2 in road/neutral contests.
Guilford comes to town with a 4-3 ledger. The Quakers have won their last two outings including last Wednesday's 79-62 decision at home vs. Methodist. Guilford is 2-0 in away contests and 2-3 at home.
SERIES RECORDS – In a series that began in January of 2008, Emory has won the last five games to claim a 5-2 all-time record vs. Guilford. The teams met last season on the Quakers home floor, where the Eagles prevailed in overtime by a 69-66 score.
Emory has won two of the three games against Guilford that have been played at the Woodruff PE Center.
GIGAX CLIMBING EMORY CAREER LISTS – Adam Gigax continues his climb up a number of Emory career categories. Heading into the Guilford contest, Gigax has logged a total of 955 points as an Eagle, good for 17th place on the school's all-time chart. In the three-point field goal department, the Mason, Ohio native holds down the No. 8 slot on the career ladder with 156 triples, just one shy of tying former standout Spiros Ferderigos (2004-08) and six from sharing sixth place with Alex Greven (2009-13). Gigax's career effort of 38.4 percent (156-406) from beyond the arc ties him Michael Friedberg (2009-13) for 10th place on the Emory chart.
WILLIAMS MAKES IMPACT – Freshman Romin Williams has made a big impact early in his career, ranking first on the team and sixth among UAA players with a 16.7 points-per-game scoring average. Williams, the team's leading scorer on three occasions, is riding a four-game streak of double-figure scoring while claiming six contests of 10 or more points. In addition to his scoring average, Williams is doling out a team-leading 4.6 assists per game, fifth on the UAA chart, and hitting 78.9 percent (30-38) of his free throw opportunities with that mark fifth among league performers.
BAITEY PRODUCING AT BOTH ENDS OF FLOOR – Junior Gebereal Baitey has been effective at both ends of the floor, scoring in double figures on five occasions and averaging 11.6 points per game, good for the No. 4 spot on the club and 17th among UAA players. Baitey has connected on 50 percent or better of his field goal attempts in five contests and his 51.5 percent (34-66) effort from the floor ranks ninth on the league ladder.
Defensively, Baitey is averaging a conference-high 2.6 steals per game with six performances of two or more thefts to his credit.
DID YOU KNOW? – That Emory has seen five or more players score in double figures in four games this year, already matching last season's entire total … That Christopher Avant's career-high 17 rebounds against Covenant tied the ninth-highest individual game total in school history and tied him with Will Trawick (vs. LaGrange, Dec. 1, 2013) for the most rebounds by a Zimmerman-coached player … That since the 2010-11 season, Emory has the No. 1 record among UAA teams in overall (144-51) play and the second-best mark in league action (68-30) .… Washington University has the conference's second-best overall ledger (141-51) and the top slate in conference play (70-28) … That entering the Guilford contest, Emory has at least one three-point field goal in its last 524 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 (1-0 in '17-18, 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 …
NOTES – Senior Christopher Avant's career-high 17 rebounds in the Covenant College contest represented the fifth time this year that he ranked as the team leader in that department … Avant is pulling down a squad-best 8.1 boards per game, with that effort ranking fifth among UAA players … Offensively, Avant has shot 50 percent or better from the field in all seven games and his 63.6 percent (35-55) showing is good for the No. 2 spot on the UAA ladder … The Eagles have come up with 10 or more steals in four contests and its average of 9.3 thefts per game paces the UAA … In its four wins, Emory is shooting 38.5 percent (52-135) from three-point range compared to 26.5 percent (13-49) in its two losses … Emory has shot 70 percent or better from the charity stripe in its last four and in a total of six games, and its 75.0 percent (99-132) effort is No. 2 among UAA teams … The Eagles are averaging 42.4 points during the first half of play and 47.3 points over the final 20 minutes … Opponents are scoring at a 38.0 points-per-game clip in the first half and 46.6 points in the second half … The Eagles are 41-6 in the last 47 games when making 10 or more three-point field goals in a game (3-0 in '17-18) … The Emory reserves have outscored the opposing subs by a 185-136 margin through seven contests … Whit Rapp has 15 career games with 10 or more assists to his credit … Gebereal Baitey claims six games of two or more steals this year and 18 in his career … Adam Gigax is second on the team and stands seventh in the league in scoring average (15.2 ppg)… Gigax has converted three or more triples in all seven contests to date and has been successful on 42.2 percent (19-45) of his three-point attempts, good for the No. 5 position on the UAA ladder … Junior Beau Bommarito has four double-figure scoring performances this season … Since the 2012-13 season, the Eagles are 86-6 when outshooting the opposition from the floor (3-1 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 141-18 when leading at halftime (4-0, in '17-18, 13-0 in '16-17; 18-3 in 2015-16) … Emory is 83-10 (.892) over its last 93 home contests … The Eagles have recorded 100 or more points 48 times in program history and own a 43-5 won-lost record in those affairs … During Jason Zimmerman's tenure as head coach, Emory has 17 contests of 100 or more points and stands 16-1 in such games.