EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SQUAD EARNS SPOT ON WBCA ACADEMIC TOP 25 HONOR ROLL

(July 15) -  The 2007-08 Emory University women's basketball program was recognized for its collective performance in the classroom, earning a spot on the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll for Division III.  The awards recognize teams throughout the nation in NCAA Division I, Division II, Division III as well as NAIA and junior colleges that have compiled the highest grade-point averages for the past academic year based upon nominations submitted by WBCA-member coaches.

The Eagles of Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty held down the No. 4 position on the Top 25 list, fashioning a GPA of 3.50 for the '07-08 school year.  The Emory squad had a strong showing during the recently completed spring semester, posting a 3.53 effort on the academic front. The Eagles were the lone representative from the University Athletic Association (UAA) to make the Top 25.  Concordia University (WI) claimed the No. 1 ranking among Division III programs with a 3.637 GPA and was followed by Messiah College (3.627).

"Emory is a prestigious institution that challenges its students to be the best that they can be," Thomaskutty said.  "The team doing as well as it did is a testament to the drive and commitment that the players have for all aspects of their lives."

South Dakota State University and the University of South Dakota were the No. 1 finishers in NCAA Division I and NCAA Division II, respectively.  The GPAs were calculated by dividing the total number of quality points earned by each student-athlete on an institution's roster in the given academic terms by the total number of hours earned by the team. 

To see the WBCA Academic Top 25 Honor Roll, click here

2007-08 SEASON RECAP

The 2007-08 Emory women's basketball team recorded its second winning campaign in the last three years, winding up with an overall record of 14-11, a four-game improvement from the previous year.   In addition, the ever-improving Eagles of head coach Christy Thomaskutty roared back from a 0-4 start to post a 7-7 won-lost ledger in University Athletic Association action, the most victories in league play since the 1999-2000 season.

To say the least, Emory played a formidable schedule, taking the court 11 times against six teams (4 UAA opponents, 2 non-league foes) that earned berths to the NCAA Tournament.  In the Massey Ratings, the Eagles were ranked 49th nationally and endured the nations' 23rd-toughest schedule.  D3hoops.com had Emory's slate of games ranked as the fourth most difficult among Division III squads.

Emory claimed three wins over opponents who were ranked among the top 25 at the time of the meetings -- at No. 17 Rochester (59-56) and at home against No. 21 New York University (80-68) and No. 23 Washington University (68-66).

Also highlighting the season were the following team accomplishments:

** Leading the UAA in scoring in overall play (68.0 ppg) while ranking second in conference outings (65.4 ppg).  The Eagles' 68.0 per-game average was the highest mark during Coach Thomaskutty's five-year tenure.

** Shattering the school seasonal record with 151 three-point field goals.  The previous standard was 112 set during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 campaigns. 

** Establishing a school seasonal record with a UAA-leading 38.0 percent mark from three-point range, good for the No. 7 position nationally.  In conference affairs, Emory shot even better from distance, knocking down a loop best 39.1 percent.

** Leading all UAA clubs in steals in both overall (10.2 spg) and league (9.86 spg) action.

** Holding down the No. 2 spot on the UAA list in free throw shooting (72.0%) in overall play.

** Tying the school single-game standard with 12 three-point field goals against NYU (Feb. 1, 2008)

** Tying the school single-game record by draining 64.7 percent (11-of-17) from beyond the arc against Carnegie Mellon (Feb. 22, 2008).

Individually, junior Lora Turner led the team in both scoring and rebounding for the second consecutive season, tossing in career-high 14.3 points while snaring 6.5 boards per outing.  Turner landed First Team All-UAA honors, the first Emory cager to receive such recognition since 2001-02, and finished among the top 10 UAA performers in numerous statistical categories in overall play including scoring (4th), rebounding (7th), field goal percentage (1st, 52.5%), free throw percentage (4th, 72.7%) and offensive rebounds (2nd, 3.08).  The 5-foot-11 frontliner either led or tied for the team lead in scoring in 14 contests and recorded 21 games of double-figure scoring including five efforts of 20 or more points.  She notched a career-high 25 points in a 70-66 overtime win against eventual NCAA Tournament participant Piedmont College and in the process set an Emory single-game record when she sank all 15 of her free throw opportunities.  She finished as the team's top rebounder in 14 affairs including a career-high 16 carom showing against Montclair State in a 55-54 win.  Turner registered three double-doubles during the year, boosting her career total to seven.  At the conclusion of the '07-08 season, Lora held down the No. 15 spot on the school's all-time scoring list (775 pts.) and was 13th in rebounding (442 rebs.).

Junior Erica Kaplan, a starter in 24 of 25 games, ended up shooting her way to a second-team berth on the All-UAA Team.  The 5-foot-7 Kaplan, the team leader in minutes (27.8 mpg), was second on the team in scoring (10.5 ppg) while topping the squad and placing fifth among UAA players with a 36.7 percent mark from three-point range (40-of-109).  Kaplan's 40 three-pointers tied her for eighth on the school's seasonal ladder while her percentage was good for 10th place.  The Eagles' top point producer in seven contests, Kaplan registered 12 double-figure scoring performances including two showings of 20 or more points, one of which was a season-high 25 point afternoon in sparking the team to a 64-61 win at NYU.  Already established as one of the UAA's top free throw shooters, Kaplan hit a league-leading best 86.4 percent (57-of-66) from the charity stripe in overall play and was successful on a mind-boggling 91.1 percent (41-of-45) in conference action.  Kaplan was a factor on the glass as well and wound up leading the Eagles in rebounding in six outings while holding down the No. 2 spot on the team  (5.0 rpg). 

Sophomore LeShonda Lillard made a big impact in her first year with the program after transferring from Mercer University.  Directing the Eagles' offense from her point guard position, the 5-foot-6 Lillard started 23 of 24 games and averaged 9.8 points (third on the club) and a team-best 2.92 assists per game, good for sixth place among UAA players.  Lillard, an honorable-mention pick to the All-UAA Team, was the squad's leader in assists on 13 occasions and managed to score in double figures in 14 games including a pair of season-high 18-point games against Washington University (Jan. 18) and NYU (Jan. 27).  While Lillard made her presence known on the offensive end of the floor, she proved to be a formidable defender, racking up a team-leading 57 steals, fourth on Emory's seasonal chart.  Lillard finished with steals in 20 outings, including 18 of two or more thefts, and her 2.38 per-game average ranked her second on the UAA chart.

The lone senior on the team, Kristen Brown enjoyed a solid campaign, seeing action in all 25 games, 23 in a starting capacity, and finishing fourth on the squad in scoring (6.2 ppg) and third in rebounding (4.8 rpg).  The 5-foot-11 Brown's knack for hitting mid-range jumpers gave Emory a boost on numerous occasions while her play on the boards enabled her to claim team rebounding honors in six games.

All-University Athletic Association
Lora Turner                              First Team                    Florence, AL
Erica Kaplan                            Second Team               Commack, NY
LeShonda Lillard                      Honorable Mention       Bloomington, IN

CoSIDA Academic All-District
Lora Turner                              (Third Team)                Florence, AL

UAA Player of the Week

Erica Kaplan                            Dec. 17, 2007              Commack, NY
Lora Turner                              Feb. 19, 2008              Florence, AL

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NAMES MICKEY EBERT ASSISTANT COACH

(May 31) - Emory University head women's basketball coach Christy Thomaskutty  has announced the appointment of Mickey Ebert as assistant coach.

Ebert comes to the Eagles' program from St. Francis Catholic High School in Gainesville, Fla., where he started up the girl's basketball program.  Ebert enjoyed a successful four-year tenure at St. Francis, where he guided his team to a 2007-08 District 4-1A championship.  Saint Francis advanced to the round of 16 in the state playoffs and concluded the campaign ranked 10th in the state along with a record of 14-11.  In just its second year as a varsity program, Ebert directed his squad to a 15-10 record in 2006-07.

"It was his energy, his excitement and passion for both Emory and women's basketball that separated him from the rest of the candidates," Thomaskutty said.  "I am excited about the impact that I believe Mickey will make on our program.  He owns  a tireless work ethic and has an insatiable desire to become a great coach."

In addition to his women's basketball duties at St. Francis, Ebert was an assistant coach for the school's football team in 2007 and served as assistant track coach for two years.  A native of Gainesville, he obtained his bachelor's degree in education from Concordia University in Nebraska in 2004. He played football at Concordia and was a three-time letterwinner.

"I am looking forward to coaching at Emory University," Ebert said. "Emory's administration and staff have shown a commitment to both academic and athletic excellence. The facilities at Emory are second to none and the opportunity to play the best competition in the country from the UAA is very exciting."

The Emory women's basketball team finished the 2007-08 season with an overall record of 14-11 including a 7-7 mark in University Athletic Association contests, the most victories by the Eagles in conference play since 1999-2000.

Ebert replaces former assistant Tony Ciccone who recently assumed the head coaching duties at Agnes Scott College.

EMORY WOMEN'S ASSISTANT BASKETBALL COACH TONY  CICCONE RESIGNS TO TAKE HEAD COACHING POSITION AT AGNES SCOTT COLLEGE

(May 28) - Tony Ciccone, an assistant coach with the Emory women's basketball program the past four years, has resigned his position to assume the head coaching duties at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Ga.  

During his tenure with the Eagles, Ciccone helped guide Emory to winning campaigns on two occasions.  In 2007-08, Emory concluded the year with an overall slate of 14-11 which included a 7-7 mark in University Athletic Association contests, the most wins by the Eagles in league action since 1999-2000.  In addition, Ciccone helped Emory to victories over a total of eight top 25-ranked programs including three during 2007-08.

"My four years at Emory have been among the most enjoyable of my professional life," Ciccone said.  "The student-athletes with whom I have worked and had the privilege to be around have been extremely hard working.  Their talent and will to succeed has continuously placed Emory athletics among the best in the nation.

"I am so grateful for the opportunity that Coach Christy Thomaskutty has provided me over these four years.  I had no idea when I joined her how much I would learn about coaching the game, or how much my passion for coaching would grow.  Christy and the players we worked with inspired me, and for that I am so thankful."

Ciccone, a native of Miami Beach, Fla., coached a total of five players to All-University Athletic Association first- or second-team berths.

"We're sad to see Tony leave but at the same time excited for this chapter of his life to develop," Thomaskutty said.  "I know that he is going to be a great head coach and I'm thrilled for both he and Agnes Scott.  He has evolved in all aspects of coaching and has been a loyal and trusted colleague.  And while he has made great contributions to the basketball program here, he has been a valuable member of the athletic department as well."

Agnes Scott, a member of the Great South Athletic Conference, compiled an overall record of 17-9 including a conference mark of 9-3 in 2007-08.

"I am looking forward to the new challenges that await me at Agnes Scott College," Ciccone said.  "It is a school that prides itself on excellence both in the classroom and on the fields of play and I am excited to be a part of that ongoing success."

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PLACES THREE ON ALL-UAA TEAMS

(Mar. 6) - Three members of the 2007-08 Emory University women's basketball squad have been selected to the All-University Athletic Association Team.  The all-league honorees were chosen by the conference coaches.

Leading the way for Emory was junior Lora Turner (Florence, AL) who landed a spot on the first team. The 5-foot-11 Turner led Emory in scoring with a 14.1 points per game average, good for the No. 4 position among UAA performers.  In addition, she grabbed a team-high 6.5 rebounds per outing (6th in the UAA) and she paced the squad and the UAA with a 52.5 percent mark from the floor (138-of-263).  Turner, the only Emory player to have started all 25 games,  scored in double figures in 21 games and registered five efforts of 20 or more points.  She either led or shared for the team's scoring lead in 14 contests, including five of the last seven games of the year, and finished as the club's leading rebounder in 14 games as well.  In league affairs, Turner, a second-team pick last year, tossed in a team-best 12.4 points, good for the No. 8 slot among UAA players, and hauled down 5.4 boards per contest, tops on the team.  She also finished as the conference leader in field goal percentage (.519).   Turner becomes Emory's first player to earn UAA first-team honors since the 2001-02 campaign when Stephanie Seibert was chosen.

Junior Erica Kaplan (Commack, NY) followed her honorable mention nod last season by landing a second-team berth to this season's All-UAA Team.  The 5-foot-7 Kaplan started 24 games and ranked No. 2 on the team and 13th in the league in overall scoring with a 10.5 points per game average.  A double-figure scorer in 12 games, Kaplan also managed to pull down 5.0 rebounds per outing that ranked her second on the team and among the top 20 performers in the conference.  She knocked down a team-high 40 three-point field goals and her 36.7 percent showing from beyond the arc (40-of-109) placed her fifth on the UAA chart. In addition, Kaplan paced the league in free throw percentage in both overall (.864, 57-of-66) and league (.911. 41-of-45) play.

Sophomore LeShonda Lillard (Bloomington, IN) rounded out the trio with an honorable-mention selection.  The 5-foot-6 Lillard averaged 2.92 assists per game in overall play, good for sixth among UAA cagers, while her mark of 3.23 in conference games placed her fourth.  She scored in double figures in 14 affairs and her 11.3 points per game average in league contests was good for 11th place on the UAA ladder.  Lillard finished with a team-leading 57 steals, fourth on the school's seasonal list, and her average of 2.38 thefts per game tied for third among UAA players.

Emory concluded the season with an overall record of 14-11 including a 7-7 showing in UAA games.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS AT CASE WESTERN RESERVE

(Mar. 1) - The Emory University women's basketball team saw its three-game win streak snapped Saturday afternoon as Case Western Reserve posted a 71-66 victory in the season finale for both squads.  Emory closes out the season with an overall record of 14-11, 7-7 in the University Athletic Association.  The win boosts Case Western's record to 13-12, 6-8 in the UAA.

Leading Emory in scoring was junior Lora Turner with 18 points, as she converted seven-of-12 field goal attempts and four-of-six from the foul line.  Sophomore Mary Smith came off the bench and finished as the Eagles' other double-digit scorer with 14 points, her second-highest total of the season.  Turner's offensive total represented her 21st double-digit effort of the campaign and she ended the season with 357 points, 10th on the school's seasonal ladder.

The Case Western senior tandem of Ashley Horton and Mary Herendeen combined for 46 points and 14 rebounds in the win for the Spartans.  Horton totaled a game-high 24 points while Herendeen contributed 22 points.

Emory concluded the game shooting 40.4 percent from the field (23-of-57) compared to CWRU's effort of 40.0 percent (22-of-55).  The Spartans sank 20-of-26 from the foul line while Emory was successful on 13-of-16 from the charity stripe.  The Eagles posted a 36-34 advantage in rebounding and were paced in that department by junior Erica Kaplan who snagged a season-high tying 10 boards.

A steal by Kaplan and her ensuing basket gave Emory a 52-51 edge with 8:12 left in the game, but CWRU responded with a 7-0 run, capped by a bucket by Horton with 5:19 remaining, to go up by a 58-52 count.  The Eagles would get to within two points on six occasions from that point, the latest being with 20 seconds left following a basket by sophomore LeShonda Lillard, but could not wrestle the lead away from the Spartans.  The five-point decision was Emory's 11th contest this season that had been decided by five or fewer points and the eighth conference affair of that variety.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM WINDS UP REGULAR SEASON AT
CASE WESTERN
           
(Feb. 28) - GAME FACTS - The Emory University women's basketball team concludes the 2007-08 regular season on Saturday (Mar. 1) when it plays at Case Western Reserve University.   The Veale Convocation Center on the CWRU campus will be the site of the 29th meeting between the Eagles and Spartans and tip is slated for 2:00 p.m.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty (Tulane, '96) is in her fifth season at the helm of the program.  She assumed her current duties prior to the start of the 2003-04 season. 

Jennifer Reimer (Lycoming College) is in her first year as the head coach at Case and was appointed to her position in September of 2007.  Prior to her arrival, she served as head coach at Allegheny College for seven seasons where she posted a record of 120-68.  She also enjoyed a successful two-year stint as head coach at Mount Union, compiling a 32-18 mark.

2007-08 RECORDS - Emory has won seven of its last nine games and heads to Cleveland with an overall mark of 14-10, 7-6 in UAA action.  Last weekend, the Eagles chalked up a pair of road victories, 69-46 against Carnegie Mellon and 59-56 over No. 17-ranked Rochester.  Emory's seven wins in the conference represent the highest total since 1999-2000 when that club fashioned a 7-8 mark.

Case Western entertains Emory with an overall slate of 12-12, 5-8 in UAA affairs.   The Spartans are coming off a split of games last weekend, dropping a 92-71 decision to Rochester before bouncing back for a 63-49 triumph vs. Carnegie Mellon.

Emory's Top Defensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

SERIES RECORDS -  Case Western holds an all-time record of 16-12 against Emory in a series that started in 1988.  The Spartans won the first meeting this year, 76-72, in Atlanta.  Leading the Emory effort in that game was junior Erica Kaplan with 15 points while classmate Lora Turner grabbed eight rebounds.

EMORY EXPERIENCES REVERSAL OF FORTUNE -- At one point during the UAA season, Emory had lost four straight games that were decided by five or fewer points.  However, the Eagles have won their last three encounters in such contests - 64-61 vs. NYU; 68-66 vs. Washington University and 59-56 vs. Rochester.  So far this year, Emory posts a 5-5 record in contests decided by five or fewer points.

EMORY SCHEDULE RANKS AMONG THE TOUGHEST - In this week's D3hoops.com strength of schedule rankings, Emory has played the nation's second-most difficult schedule.  The formula is based on both opponent's winning percentage and the opponent's opponents winning percentage.

EMORY AMONG LEADERS IN UAA CATEGORIES - Through games played Feb. 24, Emory ranks among the top two teams in four offensive categories.  The Eagles hold down the No. 1 spot in scoring offense (68.0 ppg) and three-point field goal percentage (.383 - 8th nationally), while ranking second in both free throw percentage (.716) and field goal percentage (.409).

KAPLAN CRACKS CENTURY MARK IN THREE POINTERS  - In last Friday's game against Carnegie Mellon, junior Erica Kaplan (Commack, NY) joined a select club when she became just the fourth player in school history to reach the century mark in career three-point field goals.  She finished the weekend by knocking down two more from beyond the arc in the Rochester game, boosting her career total to 102, good for the No. 4 position on Emory's career ladder.

In addition to her trey total, Kaplan stands third on the school's career ladder in free throw percentage (.780, 156-of-200).

Through games played Feb. 24, Erica is 12th among UAA players in scoring average (10.8 ppg) and first in free throw percentage (.871, 54-of-62).  In her last six outings, Kaplan has knocked down 25-of-26 free throws (.961).   

TURNER TALES - Junior Lora Turner (Florence, AL) heads into the final weekend of action with 20 double-figure scoring performances this season and holds down the No. 1 spot on the team and No. 4 slot on the UAA chart with a 14.1 points per-game average. The 5-foot-11 Turner totaled 13 points against Carnegie Mellon and 12 points against Rochester,   connecting on 12-of-19 (.631) from the floor.  In her last four games, Turner is averaging 15.3 points and shooting 59.5 percent (25-of-42) from the field.

Lora ranks prominently among UAA cagers in a number of categories including first in field goal percentage (.522), sixth in rebounding (6.6 rpg), and fourth in free throw percentage (.731).

The 5-foot-11 Turner has either led or shared for team scoring honors in 13 games and in rebounding on 14 occasions.

Career-wise, Turner has 875 points and is tied for 9th place on the school's all-time scoring list (14 points from 8th).  In addition, she ranks third on Emory's career list in field goal shooting ( (50.4%, 335-of-664), 11th in rebounding (450) and fifth in free throws (204).

EMORY NOTES - Junior Jenny Kraus (Ann Arbor, MI) came off the bench in the Carnegie Mellon game and went four-of-four from the floor, including two-of-two from three-point range en route to a season-high 10 points ... Sophomore Mary Smith (Houston, TX) also totaled 10 points as a reserve in the CMU contest, her second double-digit effort of the campaign ... After shooting a school-record tying 64.7 percent (11-of-17) from three-point range against Carnegie Mellon, Emory turned in another keen shooting effort from beyond the arc, knocking down 53.8 percent (7-of-13) from distance vs. Rochester ... Emory's 144 three-pointers this season represents a school record ... The Eagles registered 11 and 12 steals vs. Carnegie and Rochester, respectively, and have 14 contests of double-digit thefts this year ... Emory has 247 steals, fifth on the school's seasonal list and just two from moving into fourth position ... Through games played Feb. 24, Emory is No. 2 among UAA teams in steals (10.29 spg) ... Erica Kaplan's 25 points in the Rochester contest tied her with Lora Turner for the high-water mark by an Emory player this season ... Junior Lauren Bugg (Pembroke, FL) doled out five assists and came up with two steals in 17 minutes of action vs. Carnegie Mellon ... Sophomore LeShonda Lillard's 10 points against Rochester marked her 14th outing of double-figure scoring this season ... Heading into the final game of the year, Lillard is 15th among UAA players in scoring (9.9 ppg) ... In the last five games, the Eagles are averaging 62.4 points and shooting 38.7 percent from the floor, including 44.7 percent from three-point range, vs. 59.4 points and 41.1 percent from the floor for the opposition ... Emory has outshot 13 foes from the field and shows a 9-4 record in those affairs ... During Thomaskutty's tenure at Emory, the Eagles show a  34-12 record when holding a foe to 60 or fewer points ... Emory has outrebounded 13 of 24 opponents this year and posts an 9-4 mark in those games ... In its 14 wins, Emory is averaging 72.5 points per game (58.3 for the opposition) and shooting 43.4 percent from the floor (37.5 percent for opponents) ... In their 10 setbacks, the Eagles have connected on 37.4 percent from the floor vs. 42.6 percent for the opposition and have been outscored by a 69.6-61.8 in those affairs.

Emory's Career Rebounding Leaders

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOPS No. 17 ROCHESTER IN NAILBITER

(Feb. 24) - Emory University junior Erica Kaplan scored 12 of her game-high 16 points in the second half to lead three double-figure scorers in an exciting 59-56 win over No. 17 Rochester Sunday afternoon. The win was Emory's third straight and seventh in the last nine games and boosted its record to 14-10 overall, 7-6 in University Athletic Association play.  The Yellowjackets dropped to 19-5 in overall action, 9-4 in the conference.

Emory shot 38 percent from the floor (21-of-56) compared to Rochester's 35 percent mark (21-of-60).  The Eagles were solid from three-point range, converting 53.8 percent (seven-of-13) of their attempts while the Yellowjackets hit on just four-of-15 (26.7%) from beyond the arc.  Junior Lora Turner and sophomore LeShonda Lillard rounded out Emory's double-figure scorers with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Emory trailed by a 29-22 margin at halftime but scored the first seven points of the second half to tie the game.  The Yellowjackets used a 6-2 run to go up by four points but Empory tied the game once again at 35-35 following a pair of free throws by junior Kate Corkle with 10:46 remaining.  A three-pointer by Kaplan with 6:18 left tied the game at 45-45, but Rochester would regain the lead and enjoy a slim 51-47 advantage with 3:58 remaining following a basket by Alex Porter.

Kaplan scored the Eagles' next five points on a pair of charity tosses and a three-pointer that pushed Emory into a 52-51 lead with 3:12 on the clock.  After a pair of free throws by Julie Marriott put the home squad up by one point, sophomore LeShonda Lillard hit a dramatic three-pointer with 2:29 remaining that would prove to give the Eagles the lead for good at 55-53.  On its ensuing possession, junior Kendall Boyd was in the right place at the right time as she grabbed a blocked shot and laid it in just beating the shot clock and giving Emory a 57-53 edge with 1:35 left.  Melissa Alwardt's basket and a make from the charity stripe by Mariott cut Emory's lead to one.  The Yellowjackets had a chance to take the lead after they grabbed a rebound off Marriott's second foul shot attempt.  However, after a timeout, Rochester was called on an inbounds violation and then had to foul Kaplan who calmly sank a pair of free throws with seven ticks on the clock.  Rochester's three-point attempt in the waning moments missed the mark and the Eagles picked up their eighth road win in 11 tries this year.

Emory closes out the season next Saturday (Mar. 1) at Case Western Reserve.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL RACES BY CARNEGIE MELLON

(Feb. 22) - Emory junior Lora Turner scored a team-high 13 points to lead three double-figure scorers, and the Eagles tied a school record for three-point shooting Friday night in a decisive 69-46 win at Carnegie Mellon.  The victory was the Eagles' sixth in the last eight contests and raised their overall record to 13-10, 6-6 in the University Athletic Association.  With the loss, CMU slipped to 7-16 overall, 0-12 in conference affairs.

Emory connected on 17 of its first 26 field goal attempts, including nine-of-11 from three-point range, en route to a 46-23 lead at halftime. Juniors Kate Corkle and Lora Turner each posted nine points in the first half to pace the Eagles' offensive attack.

After a field goal by Carnegie Mellon 26 seconds into the game provided the hosts its only lead of the game at 3-2, Emory went on 12-0 run to go up by a 14-3 margin with 14:43 left in the opening stanza. After a three-point field goal by the Tartans Leah Feola drew the Tartans to within 19-12 with 13:10 left, the Eagles went on an 11-0 sprint over the next three minutes and six seconds to assume a 30-12 edge.  A three-point field goal by sophomore Mary Smith gave Emory a 20-point cushion, 40-20, with 5:28 remaining while a three-pointer by junior Erica Kaplan with 4:18 eventually closed out the scoring for the period for both clubs. 

Four points apiece by LeShonda Lillard and Turner enabled Emory to score the opening eight points of the second that propelled the Eagles to a 31-point cushion, 54-23, with 15:35 left in the contest. From that point, the closest CMU would get would be 21 points. Jenny Kraus totaled a season-high 10 points in the triumph for while Smith tied her season best with the same total.

For the game, Emory shot 47.3 percent (26-of-55) from the floor including a school-record tying 64.7 percent (11-of-17) from three-point range. The previous time the Eagles shot that well from beyond the arc came against Carnegie Mellon on Jan. 28, 2005. CMU shot 32.6 percent (15-of-46) from the field and was successful on just four-of-16 from distance.  Emory held a slim 33-32 margin in rebounding and was led in that category by Turner and senior Kristen Brown with five boards apiece.

Emory's six wins in conference play represents the best showing for the program since the 1990-2000 campaign when the Eagles finished with a 7-8 mark.

The Eagles return to action on Sunday (Feb. 24) when they play at No. 17-ranked Rochester.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FACE ROAD TESTS AT CARNEGIE
MELLON AND ROCHESTER
           
GAME FACTS - The Emory University women's basketball team takes to the road this weekend for a pair of University Athletic Association contests.  On Friday (Feb. 22), the Eagles battle the Tartans of Carnegie Mellon in a 6:00 p.m. tip before tangling with the University of Rochester on Sunday (Feb. 24) starting at 2:00 p.m.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty (Tulane, '96) is in her fifth season at the helm of the program.  She assumed her current duties prior to the start of the 2003-04 season. 

Now in her 24th season as head coach at Carnegie Mellon University,  Gerri Seidl (Pittsburgh, ‘78) has posted a school and career record of 259-328. 

Jim Scheible (Clarkson, ‘88) is in his ninth year as the head coach at the University of Rochester.  During his tenure with the Yellowjackets, he has guided the program to Final Four berths in 2003 and 2004. Prior to his current position, he served as head coach at Elmira College.

Emory's Top Defensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

2007-08 RECORDS - Emory has won five of its last seven games and heads into the weekend with an overall mark of 12-10, 5-6 in UAA action.  Last weekend, the Eagles played their final two home games of the year, dropping a 68-52 decision to the University of Chicago before bouncing back to post an exciting 68-66 triumph over No. 23-ranked Washington University. 

Carnegie Mellon heads into its game against Emory with a won-lost showing of 7-15, 0-11.  Last weekend, CMU lost road contests at NYU, 59-49, and Brandeis, 69-60.  

Rochester, ranked No. 19 in the nation by D3hoops.com,  and No. 17 in the USA Today ESPN Top 25 Coaches' Poll, starts the weekend with an overall record of 18-4, including an 8-3 effort in UAA contests, good for a four-way tie for first place. The Yellowjackets split road games last weekend, losing at Brandeis by a 71-64 margin before topping NYU, 73-65.

SERIES RECORDS -  Emory holds an all-time record of 23-15 against Carnegie Mellon in a series that started in 1988.  The Eagles have won eight of the last nine meetings between the schools including a 75-54 decision earlier this year. CMU has captured 10 of 19 games in the series in games played on its home floor.  

Rochester posts a 21-17 all-time mark against Emory.  UR captured the initial meeting of this year, 57-54, at the Woodruff PE Center. Leading the Eagles' effort in that game was junior Lora Turner with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty 

EMORY RESERVES RISE TO THE OCCASION vs. WASH U. - With starting guard LeShonda Lillard sidelined with an injury, Emory received key contributions from a number of players in the 68-66 win over the No. 23-ranked Bears.  Junior Lauren Bugg (Pembroke, FL) played a season-long 25 minutes and dished out a season-high tying six assists; junior Kendall Boyd (Eden Prairie, MN) picked up seven points; and sophomore Mary Smith (Houston, TX) came up with four points and three steals. All totaled, Emory reserves registered 26 points, four rebounds and seven assists and six steals.

EMORY AMONG LEADERS IN UAA CATEGORIES - Through games played Feb. 17, Emory ranks among the top two teams in four offensive categories.  The Eagles hold down the No. 1 spot in scoring offense (68.4 ppg) and three-point field goal percentage (.364 - 18th nationally), while ranking second in both free throw percentage (.714) and field goal percentage (.407).

KAPLAN ONE TREY FROM CENTURY MARK  - Heading into the weekend, junior Erica Kaplan (Commack, NY) is one three-point field goal shy of reaching the century mark in career treys.  Kaplan is fourth on Emory's all-time list with 99 three-pointers.

In addition to her trey total, Kaplan stands third on the school's career ladder in free throw percentage (.773, 150-of-194).

Through games played Feb. 17, Erica is 11th among UAA players in scoring average (10.8 ppg) and first in free throw percentage (.857, 48-of-56).  In her last four outings, Kaplan has knocked down 19-of-20 free throws (.950).   

TURNER TALES - Junior Lora Turner (Florence, AL), named UAA Player of the Week for her efforts last weekend against Chicago and Washington University, heads into the weekend with 18 double-figure scoring performances and holds down the No. 1 spot on the team and No. 4 slot on the UAA chart with a 14.3 points per-game average. Turner's 23 point-afternoon against the Bears of Wash U., was her fifth effort of 20 or more points this year and eighth of her career.

In addition, she figures prominently among UAA cagers in a number of categories including first in field goal percentage (.513), fifth in rebounding (6.7 rpg), and fourth in free throw percentage (.735).

The 5-foot-11 Turner has either led or shared for team scoring and rebounding honors on 12 occasions this season.

Career-wise, Turner has 850 points and holds down the No. 11 position on the school's all-time list (7 points from moving into 10th,   26 points from 9th ).  In addition, she ranks third on Emory's career list in field goal shooting (50.0%, 323-of-645), 11th in rebounding (440), and fifth in free throws (203).  

EMORY NOTES - Junior Jenny Kraus (Ann Arbor, MI) came off the bench and totaled a season-high tying seven points in the Washington University game ... The Eagles converted 22 charity tosses in the Washington University game, high for a conference contest this season ... The Eagles registered a season-high tying 18 steals against Chicago and followed that with 11 thefts against Wash U., and now have 12 contests of double-digit steals ... Through games played Feb. 17, Emory is tied with Rochester for the No. 1 spot in the UAA in steals (10.18 spg) ... Sophomore guard LeShonda Lillard (Bloomington, IL) ranks 14th among UAA performers in overall scoring (10.0 ppg) and is sixth in assists (3.00 apg) ... Lillard has scored in double figures in 13 contests this season ... In the last five games, the Eagles are averaging 65.0 points and shooting 40.1 percent from the floor, including 40.5 percent from three-point range, vs. 65.6 points and 43.0 percent from the floor ... In her last four games, Lora Turner is shooting 51.4 percent from the floor (18-of-35) ... Emory has recorded 224 steals this year, tying it for seventh place on the school's all-time seasonal list ... Emory has outshot 11 foes from the field and shows a 7-4 record in those affairs ... Four of Emory's six losses in conference play have been by four or fewer points ...During Thomaskutty's tenure at Emory, the Eagles show a  32-12 record when holding a foe to 60 or fewer points ... Emory has outrebounded 12 of 22 opponents this year and posts an 8-4 mark in those games ... In its 12 wins, Emory is averaging 73.9 points per game (59.5 for the opposition) and shooting 43.5 percent from the floor (38.1 percent for opponents) ... In their 10 setbacks, the Eagles have connected on 37.4 percent from the floor vs. 42.6 percent for the opposition and have been outscored by a 69.6-61.8 in those affairs.

Emory's Career Rebounding Leaders

EMORY'S LORA TURNER NAMED UAA BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Emory University junior Lora Turner (Florence, AL) has been selected by the University Athletic Association as Women's Basketball Player of the Week following her performances in the Eagles' final two home games of the campaign.  Turner shares the award with Jaime Capra of Brandeis University.

The 5-foot-11 Turner led Emory in scoring in each contest in helping the squad to a 1-1 record.  She recorded 13 points and contributed two blocked shots in Friday's game vs. Chicago before totaling a game-high 23 points, along with a team-high tying seven rebounds, in a 68-66 triumph over No. 23-ranked Washington University.  Turner hit eight-of-14 from the floor and six-of-10 from the foul line en route to her 18th double-figure scoring effort of the year and fifth of 20 or more points.  In the two games, Turner shot 56.5 percent (13-of-23) from the floor while averaging 18.0 points and 4.5 rebounds. She has either led or shared for team scoring and rebounding honors in 12 games this year.  In addition, Turner's 23 points against Washington Univ., enabled to move into 11th place on the school's all-time scoring list with 850 points.

Through games played Feb. 17, Turner ranks first on the club and No. 4 among UAA players in scoring (14.3 ppg) in overall play.  She is pulling down 6.7 rebounds per outing, tied for fifth in the league, and she stands as the UAA leader with a 51.3 percent mark (119-of-232) from the field.

It represents the first time that she has been tabbed by the UAA for the honor.

Emory, 12-10 overall and 5-6 in UAA games, plays at Carnegie Mellon on Friday (Feb. 22) and at Rochester on Sunday (Feb. 24).

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOPS NO. 23 WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

(Feb. 17) - The Emory University junior Lora Turner scored a game-high 23 points in leading the Eagles to a 68-66 win over No. 23-ranked Washington University Sunday afternoon.  The win was the fifth in the last seven games for Emory and boosted its overall record to 12-10, 5-6 in University Athletic Association play, while the Bears slipped to 16-6 overall, 8-3 in the league.

Turner hit eight-of-11 from the floor and converted six from the charity stripe en route to her 18th double-figure scoring performance of the season and fifth of 20 or more points.  Junior Erica Kaplan was next high in scoring with nine points, and tied Turner for game-high honors with seven rebounds, while junior Lauren Bugg dished out a season-high tying six assists in the win.

Washington University shot 41.0 percent from the floor (25-of-61) while Emory connected on 40 percent (20-of-50).  The Bears enjoyed a healthy 43-22 edge in the rebounding department but was hampered by 22 turnovers that Emory turned into 14 points.  The Eagles also made the most of their free throw opportunities, sinking 22-of-27 (81.5%) while the visitors converted 10-of-14.

Emory got out of the blocks slowly and trailed by a 19-10 score with 11:52 left in the first half and still faced an eight-point deficit, 29-21, with 7:03 remaining.  However, five points by junior Jenny Kraus and three by Turner helped spark a 16-6 Eagles' run to close out the stanza, giving them a 37-35 edge at the intermission.  Turner totaled 14 first-half points while Kraus would go on to finish the contest with a season-high tying seven points.

Emory built a five-point lead, 48-43, with 11:16 left in the game but a layup by WU's Alex Hoover capped an 11-0 blitz that put the Bears ahead by a 54-48 count with 8:20 remaining.  WU still held a four-point edge with 6:29 on the clock before five straight points by junior Kendall Boyd sandwiched around WU basket cut the deficit to one point with 5:42 remaining.  Junior Kate Corkle hit a pair of foul shots to give Emory a 61-60 edge, a lead that it would not surrender the rest of the game.  A pair of free throws by Turner snapped a 61-61 tie and the Eagles went ahead by four points with 1:27 remaining following a bucket by Turner that came off a beautiful pass from Bugg.  From there, Emory kept WU at arms length, getting key rebounds from sophomore Mary Smith and Corkle down the stretch to help seal the victory.

Emory returns to action on Friday (Feb. 22) with a game at Carnegie Mellon.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS TO CHICAGO

(Feb. 15) - The Emory University women's basketball team saw a two-game win streak come to an Friday evening as the University of Chicago posted a 68-52 victory over the Eagles. The win raised Chicago's overall record to 16-5 in overall play, 7-3 in the University Athletic Association, while Emory dropped to 11-10 in overall action, 4-6 in conference outings.

The Maroons never trailed in the game and finished with a keen 52.7 percent mark from the floor, converting 29-of-55 attempts.  Emory struggled from the field, hitting just 31.7 percent (19-of-60).  Chicago also enjoyed a hefty 45-23 edge in rebounding.

Leading the Emory effort was junior Lora Turner with 13 points, her 17th double-figure scoring performance of the campaign, while classmate Erica Kaplan rounded out the team's double-figure scorers with 12 points.  Junior Kerry Madison chipped in six points and finished with a team-high seven rebounds, the second time this year she paced the club in that category. 

Chicago sophomore Molly Hackney notched a game-high 18 points, hitting nine-of-13 from the floor, while pulling down nine boards.  Senior guard Nofi Mojidi chipped in 15 points.

Hackney scored 14 first-half points as the Maroons took a 37-24 lead at halftime.  Emory cut the deficit to 10 points with 14:42 remaining in the game after Kaplan sank a pair of foul shots, but Chicago responded with a 10-2 spurt, with Mojidi registering seven points in that stretch, to take a commanding 51-33 advantage with 12:03 left on the clock.

Emory returns to action on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 17) when it hosts Washington University in a 2:00 p.m. start.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYS FINAL HOME GAMES OF THE
SEASON
           
GAME FACTS - The Emory University women's basketball team makes its final home appearances of the season this weekend when it tangles with a pair of UAA opponents.  On Friday (Feb. 15), the Eagles take on the University of Chicago in a 6:00 p.m. tip before entertaining Washington University on Sunday (Feb. 17) in a 2:00 p.m. start. 

Friday evening will be Senior Night with the Eagles recognizing Kristen Brown (River Vale, NJ) in a pre-game ceremony.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty (Tulane, '96) is in her fifth season at the helm of the program.  She assumed her current duties prior to the start of the 2003-04 season. 

Now in his fourth season as head coach at the University of Chicago, Aaron  Roussell (Iowa, ‘01) has posted a school and career record of 66-29.  Last season, he directed the Maroons to an 18-7 won-lost mark.

Nancy Fahey (Wisconsin, ‘81) is in her 22nd year as the head coach at Washington University and takes a school and career slate of 512-90 into a Friday night game vs. Case Western Reserve.  During her tenure with the Bears, she has captured four national championships and owns 18 campaigns of 20 or more victories.

Emory's Top Defensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

2007-08 RECORDS - Emory was won four of its last five games and heads into its final home weekend with an overall mark of 11-9, 4-5 in UAA action.  Last weekend, the Eagles recorded a 75-63 come-from-behind victory at Brandeis before taking home an exciting 64-61 triumph over New York University.

Chicago heads into its encounter against Emory with a won-lost showing of 15-5, 6-3 in the UAA.  Last weekend, the Maroons came away with a pair of home wins, 56-46 against the University of Rochester and 67-38 over Carnegie Mellon.  

Washington University, ranked No. 23 in the nation by D3hoops.com,  starts the weekend with an overall record of 15-5, including a 7-2 effort in UAA contests, good for a first-place tie with Rochester. The Bears topped Carnegie Mellon, 64-37, and Rochester, 63-61 in overtime last weekend.

SERIES RECORDS -  Washington University holds an all-time record of 34-4 against Emory in a series that started in 1989.  The Bears have won the last 19 meetings between the schools including a 76-63 win in Saint Louis earlier this year.

Chicago posts a 23-15 all-time mark against Emory.  UC captured the initial meeting of this year, 54-52, in Chicago. Leading the Emory effort in that game was junior Erica Kaplan with 13 points and senior Kristen Brown with eight rebounds. Chicago stands 11-8 vs. the Eagles in games played on Emory's home court.

KAPLAN HAS BREAKOUT GAME - MOVES UP SCHOOL LADDER IN CAREER CATEGORIES    - Erica Kaplan (Commack, NY) couldn't have picked a better time to come through with her best scoring performance of the year when she blistered NYU for 25 points, tying the high-water mark by an Emory player in 2007-08.  Kaplan sank seven-of-13 from the floor, including three-of-four from beyond the arc, and eight-of-nine from the charity stripe en route to her second contest of 20 or more points this season.  Included in her outing against the Violets was a dramatic three-pointer with 53 seconds left that snapped a 57-57 deadlock and gave the Eagles the lead for good.

In the NYU game, Kaplan moved past Beth Byron into the No. 4 position on the school's all-time three-point list and now has 99 treys to her credit. In addition to her trey total, Kaplan, stands third on the school's all-time list in free throw percentage (.764, 143-of-187).

Through games played Feb. 10, Erica is 11th among UAA players in scoring average (10.8 ppg) and second in free throw percentage (.837, 41-of-49).  

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty 

LILLARD AN OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE FORCE  - Sophomore LeShonda Lillard (Bloomington, IN) totaled 13 and 16 points against Brandeis and NYU, respectively, over the weekend, her fourth and fifth consecutive and 13th double-digit performance of the campaign.  She was the team's second-high scorer in each contest and she also finished the weekend with seven assists and seven steals.

In her last five outings, Lillard is averaging 14.2 points and shooting 53.1 percent from the floor (26-of-49).  Through games played Feb. 10, she is 13th among UAA players in scoring average (10.5 ppg), sixth in assists (3.10 apg) and fourth in steals (2.40 spg). Her 48 steals place her 11th on the school's season chart.

TURNER TALES - Junior Lora Turner's (Florence, AL) saw a five-game double-figure scoring streak come to an end when she was held to two points in the NYU game. Turner has registered 16 double-figure scoring performance this season and through games played Feb. 10 stands No. 1 on the team and No. 4 in the UAA with a 13.9 per-game scoring average. In addition, she figures prominently among UAA cagers in a number of categories including rebounding (5th, 7.0 rpg), second in field goal percentage (.507) and fourth in free throw percentage (.750).

The 5-foot-11 Turner tied Erica Kaplan for the team lead with six rebounds against NYU, the 11th time during the '07-08 campaign that she either led or shared for team honors in that category.

Career-wise, Turner has 814 points and holds down the No. 14 position on the school's all-time list (4 points from moving into 13th,   14 points from 12th ).  In addition, she ranks third on Emory's career list in field goal shooting (49.8%, 310-of-622) and is 12th in rebounding with 431 boards (4 rebounds from 11th).  

EMORY NOTES - Emory rallied from a 20-point first-half deficit in the 75-63 win over Brandeis, outscoring the Judges by a 47-21 margin during the final 20 minutes of action ... In addition, the Eagles connected on a season-high 55.6 percent (10-of-18) from three-point range, the best mark by an Emory team since Jan. 15, 2006, when it chalked up a 58.3 percent figure (7-of-12) against the University of Chicago ...  Junior Kate Corkle (River Forest, IL) tied her career high with 13 points against Brandeis before totaling 12 points against NYU, her third double-figure scoring performance of the campaign ... In her last four outings, Corkle is averaging 11.5 points and shooting 53.1 percent from the floor (17-of-32) ... In the last five games, the Eagles are averaging 72.0 points and shooting 44.3 percent from the floor vs. 61.6 points and 39.6 percent showing for the opposition ... Emory dished out a season-high 23 assists in the Brandeis game, tying the 10th highest single-game total in school history ...  Kristen Brown is No. 2 on the club and 17th among UAA players in rebounding (5.3 rpg) ... Emory has outshot 11 foes from the field and shows a 7-4 record in those affairs ... Four of Emory's five losses in conference play have been by four or fewer points ...Through games played Feb. 10, Emory is No. 1 among UAA teams in overall action in scoring (69.2 ppg), tied for No. 1 in field goal percentage (.412), No. 1 in three-point shooting (.366) and No. 2 in free throw percentage (.714) ... During Thomaskutty's tenure at Emory, the Eagles show a  32-12 record when holding a foe to 60 or fewer points ... Emory has recorded double digits in steals in 10 games and is third  among UAA clubs in that category (9.75 spg) ... Emory has outrebounded 12 of 20 opponents this year and posts an 8-4 mark in those games ... In its 11 wins, Emory is averaging 74.5 points per game (58.9 for the opposition) and shooting 43.8 percent from the floor (37.8 percent for opponents) ... In their nine setbacks, the Eagles have connected on 38.1 percent from the floor vs. 41.5 percent for the opposition and have been outscored by a 69.8-62.9 in those affairs ... Emory has outscored its foes in the first half in 12 contests and averages 33.6 first-half points vs. the opposition's 30.1.

Emory's Career Rebounding Leaders

Emory to "THINK PINK" During Women's Basketball Game vs. Washington University

(Feb. 13) - Emory University will "THINK PINK" this Sunday (Feb. 17) when the Eagles' women's basketball team hosts arch-rival Washington University starting at 2:00 p.m. 

As part of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's (WBCA) 2008 THINK PINK campaign, fans attending the game are asked to wear pink to show support in the fight against breast cancer.  The first 1,500 fans to the contest will receive a free Emory Eagles Think Pink shirt.  Other festivities will include free food, giveaways and entertainment. At half-time, families that have been affected by the disease as well as breast cancer survivors will be recognized.  The Emory athletic department will make a donation to both the Winship Cancer Institute and the Emory School of Medicine to assist in their cutting-edge technology in the battle against the dreaded disease.

In recognition of the "Think Pink" initiative, the Emory women's basketball team will be wearing pink uniforms that have been specially designed for the afternoon by Russell Athletic.  Also in attendance for the donation ceremony will be representatives from a number of corporate sponsors who played a vital role in the event including: Courtyard Marriott Executive Park & Northlake, Russell Athletic, Tossed, the A&E Group, Emory Athletics, Sodexho, the Emory Bookstores and BJ's Wholesale Club.

Admission to the game is free and donations will be accepted.  Emory Eagles THINK PINK merchandise as well as Breast Cancer Awareness items will be on sale.  All proceeds will go to the Winship Cancer Institute as well as the Emory School of Medicine Breast Cancer Research Program.  For additional information on the events or donations please contact Emory Assistant Athletics Director for Marketing Angie Duprey at 404-727-6739.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL EARN ROAD WIN AT NYU

(Feb. 10) - Emory junior Erica Kaplan and sophomore LeShonda Lillard combined for 41 points in leading the Eagles to a hard-fought 64-61 victory at NYU Sunday afternoon. The win was the Eagles' fourth in their last five contests and raised their overall record to 11-9, 4-5 in the University Athletic Association.  With the loss, NYU slipped to 13-7 overall, 2-7 in conference affairs.

Kaplan posted a season-high 25 points, 17 coming in the second half, and scored the Eagles last seven points of the game including a dramatic three-point field goal with 52 seconds left that broke a 57-57 tie.  Kaplan sank seven-of-13 field goal attempts, including three-of-four from beyond the arc, and eight-of-nine from the foul line in registering her 10th double-figure scoring performance of the season. Lillard also converted seven-of-13 from the floor in en route to 16 points, her 13th double-digit outing of the campaign. Kate Corkle rounded out the team's double-figure scorers with 12 points.

The Eagles got off to a quick start and led by a 12-2 margin just 3:56 into the game.  Eventually Emory took a 34-31 advantage into halftime with 10 points from Lillard and nine points by Corkle keying the offensive attack.

In the second half, the Eagles maintained their lead until a basket by NYU's Jess McEntee with 9:41 remaining put the Violets up by a 46-45 count.  From that point, the game would be tied on five occasions. A basket by Lillard with 1:52 left on the clock gave the Eagles a 57-55 edge but McEntee answered with a bucket that knotted the score with 1:20 on the clock, setting the stage for Kaplan's heroics.  After Kaplan's trey, she accounted for the team's final four points from the foul line.

NYU outshot Emory, sinking 43.8 percent (21-of-48) from the floor, while the Eagles finished at 38.1 percent (21-of-48).  The Violets posted a 37-35 advantage on the boards, but Emory grabbed 13 offensive rebounds compared to NYU's eight.  The Eagles won the turnover battle, finishing with 12 miscues (second-lowest total of the season) while NYU lost the ball on 19 occasions.

Emory returns to action on Friday (Feb. 15) when it hosts the University of Chicago in a 6:00 p.m. tip.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL RALLIES FOR WIN OVER BRANDEIS

(Feb. 8) - The Emory University junior Kate Corkle scored all 13 of her points in the second half and the Eagles used a blistering second-half offensive attack in recording a 75-63 come-from-behind win at Brandeis Friday evening.  The win raised Emory's record to 10-9 overall (3-5 UAA) while the loss dropped Brandeis record to 14-5 (5-3 UAA).

The Eagles outscored the host Judges by a 47-21 margin in the second half and wiped out a pair of 20-point advantages Brandeis had built in the opening stanza.  Emory shot 58.0 percent (18-of-31) from the floor during the final 20 minutes of action while Brandeis could only muster 26.9 percent (7-of-26). Junior Lora Turner paced the Eagles' scoring attack with 14 points while sophomore LeShonda Lillard (13 pts.) and junior Kendall Boyd (11 pts.) rounded out the team's double-figure scorers.

Trailing by a 45-31 count early in the second half, Emory battled back and ran off a dominating a 21-3 run to take a 52-48 lead with 10:15 left in the contest. Corkle scored the first 10 points of the barrage while Lillard picked up five points during the stretch.  A pair of free throws by BU's Jamie Capra with 8:51 left on the clock drew the hosts to within 55-52 but the Eagles effectively put the game out of reach with an 11-3 spurt, keyed by six points from Turner, which put them up by a 66-55 score with 5:21 left. 

In the opening half, Brandeis held a 22-18 lead with 8:20 left before going on a 15-0 run to take a 37-18 advantage with 2:55 remaining in the stanza.  The Judges hit three three-point field goals in the onslaught, a pair coming from Lauren Orlando.  Brandeis built a pair of 20-point leads, the latest being 42-22, before the Eagles closed out the half by scoring six straight points to cut the deficit to 42-28.  The Judges shot 50 percent (17-of-34) from the field in the first stanza while Emory hit on 36 percent of its floor. 

Emory returns to action on Sunday (Feb. 10) when it plays at New York University in a 2:00 p.m. tip.

EMORY'S LORA TURNER NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT  

(Feb. 8) - Emory University junior Lora Turner (Florence, AL), a three-year starter on the Eagles' basketball squad, has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Women's Basketball Team.  Turner was a third-team pick for District 3 in the College Division.  The College Division consists of colleges and universities from NCAA Divisions II, and III and the NAIA.

The honor is awarded annually to student athletes who have excelled both academically and athletically.  To be eligible, a nominee must have reached sophomore academic and athletic standing at his/her current institution, carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) and be a starter or key reserve.

The 5-foot-11 Turner majors in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology and posts a 3.56 grade-point average.  A starter in all 18 Emory games, Turner tops the team and ranks No. 3 among University Athletic Association players in scoring with a 14.6 points per-game average.  A double-figure scorer on 15 occasions, she has turned in four contests of 20 or more points and led or shared for team scoring honors on nine occasions.  Through games played Feb. 3, she is shooting a conference-leading 51.3 percent from the floor and also ranks among the UAA leaders in rebounding (5th, 7.2 rpg) and free throw percentage (4th, 73.2%).

Career-wise, Turner ranks 14th on the school's all-time scoring list with 798 points and is 12th in rebounding with 421 boards.

Voting for the Academic All-District team is conducted by the College Sports Information Directors of America.  District 3 is composed of NCAA institutions in the states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.  

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL EYES ROAD TRIP TO BRANDEIS & NYU
           
(Feb. 6) - GAME FACTS - The Emory University women's basketball team begins the second half of University Athletic Association play this weekend with a pair of tough road contests.  On Friday (Feb. 8), the Eagles tangle with the Judges from Brandeis University in a 6:00 p.m. start before taking on the Violets of New York on Sunday (Feb. 10) in a 2:00 p.m. tip.

The Emory-Brandeis game can be heard via the internet at http://www.wbrs.org while the Emory vs. NYU game can be heard at www.wnyu.org

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty (Tulane, '96) is in her fifth season at the helm of the program.  She assumed her current duties prior to the start of the 2003-04 season. 

Now in her 21st season as head coach of the Brandeis University program, Carol Simon (Colby College, ‘85) was won 296 games.  Last season, she posted a 20-6 won-lost mark and directed the Judges to an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Janice Quinn (NYU, ‘85) is in her 21st year as the head coach at New York University. During her tenure with the Violets, she has manufactured a school and career record of 452-121 that includes a national championship in 1997.  Last year, she directed the team to an overall record of 27-4 along with a Final Four berth.

Emory's Top Defensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

2007-08 RECORDS - Emory heads east with an overall effort of 9-9 (2-5 UAA) after splitting a pair of home contests last weekend. The Eagles notched an impressive 80-60 victory over then No. 21-ranked NYU on Friday before coming out on the short end of a 70-66 decision to Brandeis.

Brandeis entertains Emory with a won-lost showing of 14-4, 5-2 in the UAA.  Before slipping by Emory, the Judges posted a 67-65 overtime win at Case Western Reserve on Friday.  Brandeis has compiled a 7-2 record in home games this year.

NYU brings an overall record of 13-5, 2-5 in UAA contests, into a Friday home bout against Case Western.  Following its setback to Emory, the Violets played at Case Western and lost by a 70-58 margin.  NYU has captured nine of 11 games played on its home court this season.

SERIES RECORDS -  Brandeis' win on Sunday evened the all-time series with Emory at 19 wins apiece.  The Judges have won 10 of 18 meetings against Emory in games played on their home floor and have won the last five encounters between the schools at Auerbach Arena.

NYU holds an all-time record of 30-8 against Emory in a series that started in 1989.  The Violets have claimed 16 of 18 meetings between the two schools in games played on their home floor.

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty 

CORKLE COMES TO THE FOREFRONT  - Junior Kate Corkle (River Forest, IL) turned in a pair of solid outings over the weekend, averaging 10.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists.

In the 80-60 triumph over No. 21 NYU, the 5-foot-6 Corkle totaled eight points, three rebounds and one steal.  She followed that performance with career highs in both points (13) and rebounds (7) in a 70-66 setback to Brandeis University. Against the Judges, she converted four-of-nine from the floor, including two-of-three from three-point range.  Over the weekend, she knocked down seven-of-16 from the floor (.438), including three-of-six from three-point range, and four-of-five from the line.

Kate has made all of her starts this year over the past 10 games and she is averaging 16.2 minutes, 3.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per contest.

LILLARD STRONG AT BOTH ENDS OF THE FLOOR  - Sophomore LeShonda Lillard (Bloomington, IN) totaled 13 and 11 points against NYU and Brandeis, respectively, over the weekend her third straight and 11th double-figure scoring performance of the season.  In her last three outings, Lillard is averaging 14.0 points and shooting 53.8 percent from the floor (14-of-26).  She doled out a game-high six assists against NYU and holds down the No. 6 spot on the UAA chart in that category with a 3.06 per-game average.  She has either led or shared for team honors in assists on 12 occasions. She also registered steals in each game, running her consecutive game streak to nine, and she stands No. 1 on the squad and No. 4 among UAA players in thefts with a 2.28 per-game average.  Her 41 total steals ties her for 19th place on the school's seasonal ladder.

TURNER TALES - Junior Lora Turner's (Florence, AL) 12-point afternoon against Brandeis represented her fourth straight and 15th double-figure scoring performance of the campaign.  In the NYU game, she grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, the 10th time during the '07-08 campaign that she either led or shared for team honors in that category.

Through games played Feb. 3, Turner is tossing in a team-best 14.6 points per game, good for the No. 3 position among UAA players in overall play. The 5-foot-11 frontliner also figures prominently in other UAA overall categories including the No. 1 spot in field goal shooting (.519), the No. 5 position in rebounding (7.2 rpg) while standing No. 4 in free throw shooting (.732).

Career-wise, Turner has 798 points and holds down the No. 14 position on the school's all-time list (20 points from moving into 13th).  In addition, she ranks third on Emory's career list in field goal shooting (50.0%, 305-of-610) and is 12th in rebounding with 421 boards.  

EMORY NOTES - Emory tied a school single-game record in the NYU contest when it knocked down 12 three-point field goals ... The previous time the Eagles recorded a dozen treys came against Brandeis on Feb. 4, 1996 ... Sophomore Whitney Martin (Barrington, IL) tied her career high with 14 points while snatching a season-high seven rebounds against Brandeis ... Martin has three double-figure scoring efforts this season ... Junior Erica Kaplan's 18 points against NYU was her high for a league game this season and represented her second-highest total of the campaign ... Kaplan holds down the No. 5 position on the school's all-time three-point list with 96 treys and is closing in on the fourth-place mark of 97 held by Beth Byron (2000-04) ... Through games played Feb. 3, Kaplan is tied for 12th place on the UAA ladder in scoring average (10.3 ppg) ... Senior Kristen Brown's 10 point-evening against NYU was her fourth double-digit performance of the year ... Brown is No. 2 on the club and 17th among UAA players in rebounding (5.6 rpg) ... Emory has outshot 10 foes from the field and shows a 6-4 record in those affairs ... Over the last four games, the Eagles are shooting 41.2 percent from the floor compared to 37.4 percent for the opposition ... In addition, Emory is averaging 68.8 points vs. 60.2 for its foes ... Four of Emory's five losses in conference play have been by four or fewer points ... The Eagles finished with a season-low 11 turnovers in the Brandeis game ... Through games played Feb. 3, Emory is No. 2 among UAA teams in free throw percentage (.709) and field goal percentage (.410) ... During Thomaskutty's tenure at Emory, the Eagles show a  32-12 record when holding a foe to 60 or fewer points ... Emory has recorded double digits in steals in nine games and is tied for third  among UAA clubs in that category (9.83 spg) ... Emory has outrebounded 11 of 18 opponents this year and posts a 7-4 mark in those games ... In its nine wins, Emory is averaging 75.6 points per game (58.2 for the opposition) and shooting 44.0 percent from the floor (37.0 percent for opponents) ... In their nine setbacks, the Eagles have connected on 38.1 percent from the floor vs. 41.5 percent for the opposition and have been outscored by a 69.8-62.9 in those affairs ... Emory has outscored its foes in the first half in 11 contests and average 33.9 first-half points vs. the opposition's 29.3.

Emory's Career Rebounding Leaders

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS TO BRANDEIS

(Feb. 3) - Emory University sophomore Whitney Martin tied her career high with 14 points  while junior Kate Corkle added a career-best 13 points but it wasn't enough as Brandeis held off the Eagles to claim a 70-66 win Sunday afternoon. The loss snapped a two-game Emory winning streak and left the Eagles' record at 9-9 overall, 2-5 in the University Athletic Association.  With the victory, Brandeis upped its mark to 14-4 in overall action, 5-2 in the UAA.

Martin sank six-of-10 from the floor and a pair of free throws en route to her third double-figure scoring effort of the campaign while Corkle finished four-of-nine from the floor, including two-of-three from three-point range, and three-of-four from the line. Martin and Corkle both shared team honors with seven rebounds.

Brandeis led for the majority of the first half and enjoyed a nine-point advantage, 20-11, with 13:30 left. Emory battled back and claimed a 29-28 advantage with 4:14 left following a basket by Martin who totaled 12 points during the opening 20 minutes of play.  A jumper by Jaime Capra with 53 seconds on the clock snapped a 33-33 deadlock and gave Brandeis a two-point advantage heading into the intermission. Capra led all players with 25 points and nine rebounds.

Seven straight points by Capra in a 1:14 span enabled the Judges to lay claim to their largest lead of the game, 50-39, with 14:22 remaining. Brandeis still maintained a 61-53 edge with 7:15 on the clock before an 11-0 run by Emory allowed it to take a 64-61 margin with 3:55 remaining. Junior Lora Turner scored four points in that stretch while senior Kristen Brown drained a three-pointer that gave the Eagles the lead.  However, that was the last lead Emory would have as Brandeis outpointed the Eagles by a 9-2 margin over the remainder of the contest.  Emory cut the lead to 67-66 with 56 seconds left following a basket by guard LeShonda Lillard. After Brandeis missed a field goal attempt on its ensuing possessions, the Eagles had a chance to take the lead but a turnover stopped that bid.

Emory finished the game shooting 43.4 percent from the floor (23-of-53) while Brandeis hit on 38.3 percent (23-of-60).  The Judges turned in a 37-34 advantage in rebounding and converted 85.7 percent (18-of-21) from the charity stripe compared to Emory's effort of 64.0 percent.

Emory returns to action on Friday on Friday (Feb. 8) when it plays at Brandeis in a 6:00 p.m. start.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM TOPS NO. 21 NYU

(Feb. 1) - Emory University junior Erica Kaplan totaled a  team-high 18 points and the Eagles rode the wave out some torrid outside shooting in registering an impressive 80-60 win over No. 21-ranked New York University Friday evening.  The win was Emory's second straight and raised its overall record to 9-8, 2-4 in the University Athletic Association.  NYU saw its record slip to 13-4 in overall action, 2-4 in the league.

Kaplan finished the evening hitting six-of-12 from the floor, including four-of-seven from three-point range to lead a quartet of double-figure scorers.  The Eagles converted 12-of-24 attempts from beyond the arc while NYU connected on just five-of-20.

Emory started the game ice-cold from the floor, hitting just three of its first 24 attempts as the visiting Violets took an 18-8 lead with 7:53 left in the first half.  However, the Eagles regained their shooting stroke and closed out the half on a 21-9 run with Kaplan accounting for 11 points on three treys and a pair of free throws and junior Jenny Kraus picking up six points on a pair of three-pointers.  The burst enabled Emory to stake itself to a 29-27 lead at halftime.

The Eagles' offense was clicking on all cylinders in the opening minutes of the second half as they drained nine of their first 12 field goal attempts in a deciding 24-9 run that pushed their advantage to 53-36 with 13:55 left in the game. Emory received three-point field goals from four different players in the barrage with sophomore LeShonda Lillard totaling seven points and Kaplan and senior Kristen Brown each adding five points in the stretch.

A basket by NYU's Jessica McEntee cut the Emory margin to nine points, 57-48, with 8:35 on the clock but the Eagles ended any hopes of a Violet comeback with a 13-2 run that pushed the lead to 20 points, 70-50, with 3:05 left.

Lillard recorded 13 points and dished out six assists while Brown and junior Lora Turner each chipped in 10 points apiece with Turner sharing game honors with Lillard with eight rebounds.  Emory concluded the contest by shooting 43.1 percent from the floor (28-of-64), including 62.1 percent in the second half, and enjoyed a 39-33 advantage in rebounding.

Emory returns to action on Sunday (Feb. 3) when it plays host to Brandeis University in a 2:00 p.m. tip.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL GEARS UP FOR UAA HOME ACTION
           
GAME FACTS - The Emory University women's basketball team opens the month of February this weekend by hosting a pair of University Athletic Association opponents. On Friday (Feb. 1), the Eagles entertain nationally ranked New York University in a 6:00 p.m. start before battling Brandeis University on Sunday (Feb. 3) in a 2:00 p.m. tip. Both games will be held at the Woodruff PE Center on the Emory campus.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty (Tulane, '96) is in her fifth season at the helm of the program.  She assumed her current duties prior to the start of the 2003-04 season. 

Janice Quinn (NYU, ‘85) is in her 21st year as the head coach at New York University. During her tenure with the Violets, she has manufactured a school and career record of 452-119 that includes a national championship in 1997.  Last year, she directed the team to an overall record of 27-4 along with a Final Four berth.

Now in her 21st season as head coach of the Brandeis University program, Carol Simon (Colby College, ‘85) was won 294 games.  Last season, she posted a 20-6 won-lost mark and directed the Judges to an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Emory's Top Defensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

2007-08 RECORDS - Emory checks into the weekend with an overall effort of 8-8 (1-4 UAA) after splitting a pair of home contests last weekend.  The Eagles dropped a tough 57-54 verdict to No. 10-ranked Rochester on Friday before coming away with a decisive 75-54 triumph over Carnegie Mellon on Sunday. 

NYU comes to town the owners of a 13-3 overall record, 2-3 in UAA contests.  The Violets are ranked No. 21 in the nation by D3hoops.com and hold down the No. 23 spot in USA Today ESPN Top 25 Coaches Poll.  Last week, NYU suffered a pair of home defeats, 66-60 to Washington University and 72-68 against the University of Chicago.

Brandeis visits Case Western on Friday evening with a won-lost showing of 12-4, 3-2 in the UAA.  The Judges came up with a pair of home victories last weekend, topping Chicago, 60-56, and Washington University, 66-48.  

SERIES RECORDS -  NYU holds an all-time record of 30-7 against Emory in a series that started in 1989.  The Violets won both meetings last season, 75-57 in New York and 69-67 in Atlanta.  NYU has won 14 of 19 contests played on the Eagles' home court.

Emory claims a 19-18 edge in the all-time series against Brandeis that saw the first game played in 1990.  The Judges captured both meetings last year, earning a 73-59 win at Brandeis and 58-51 decision at Emory.  Emory posts an 11-8 record vs. Brandeis in games played on its home floor.

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty 

BROWN BATTLING ON THE BOARDS - Senior Kristen Brown (River Vale, NJ) has been a major force on the boards over the last three games, leading the squad in rebounding in two contests while averaging 8.0 caroms in that stretch.  The 5-foot-11 Brown has either led or shared for team honors in rebounding on four occasions this year and her 5.6 per-game average in that department places her No. 2 on the team and 15th among UAA players.  In conference games, she is pulling down 7.0 boards and is tied for the No. 8 position on the league's chart.

A starter in 14 of 16 games, Kristen is averaging 18.5 minutes per outing and she ranks No. 2 on the team and eighth in the UAA in steals (1.88 spg).

LILLARD STRONG AT BOTH ENDS OF THE FLOOR  - Sophomore LeShonda Lillard (Bloomington, IN) continued her solid all-around play at both ends of the floor last weekend, averaging 13.0 points, 2.5 assists and 4.5 steals in contests against No. 10-ranked Rochester and Carnegie Mellon. 

Against the Yellowjackets of Rochester, she led the Eagles with a season-high tying 18 points while chalking up a pair of assists along with a season-high tying five steals.    On Sunday, Lillard helped the Eagles to their first UAA win by picking up eight points, three blocked shots and four steals. In the two games, she shot 47.8 percent from the floor (11-of-23) while her steals total boosted her team-leading average to 2.4 per game.

A starter in 15 of 16 games, she has scored in double figures in five of the past six and in a total of nine games this year. She is averaging 9.8 points per contest, good for the No. 3 spot on the team and a tie for 18th among UAA players.

TURNER TALES - Junior Lora Turner (Florence, AL) notched her third double double of the season and seventh of her career when she posted a team-high 15-point, 11-rebound evening against Rochester.  She followed that effort with 12 points, her 13th double-figure scoring performance of the year, and six boards against Carnegie Mellon. 

Turner has either led or shared for team scoring and rebounding honors in nine games and her team-high 15.0 points per-game average places her third among UAA players.  She holds down the No. 6 spot on the conference chart in rebounding (7.4 rpg) and stands No. 1 in field goal shooting (.529). 

Career-wise, Turner has 776 points and holds down the No. 15 position on the school's all-time list (three points from moving into 14th).  In addition, she ranks third on Emory's career list in field goal shooting (50.4%) and is 13th in rebounding with 411 boards, just eight shy of moving past Sally Goldberg (1996-99) and into 12th position.  

EMORY NOTES - Emory's 49.2 percent mark from the floor against Carnegie Mellon was the squad's fourth-highest mark of the season and best showing since Dec. 31 when it finished with a 50.0 effort vs. Birmingham Southern ... Junior Kerry Madison (Los Angeles, CA) came off the bench in the Carnegie Mellon game to score eight points, her second-highest total of the season, while pulling down five rebounds ... Emory outrebounded No. 10 Rochester by a 46-41 margin and held a 15-8 edge on the offensive glass ... The Eagles are averaging 14.5 offensive boards per game this season ... Junior Lauren Bugg (Pembroke, FL) tallied a season-high seven points against Carnegie Mellon  ... In its nine home games, Emory has held the opposition to 39.3 percent from the field (201-of-512) while posting a 67.7-60.9 per-game scoring advantage ... Junior Erica Kaplan (Commack, NY) came up with a season-high 10 rebounds in the Rochester game, her third career contest of double-figure boards ... Kaplan holds down the No. 5 position on the school's all-time three-point list with 92 treys and is closing in on the fourth-place mark of 97 held by Beth Byron (2000-04) ... Through games played Jan. 27, the Eagles are No. 2 in the UAA in free throw percentage (70.8%) ... Emory has 12 or more offensive rebounds in 13 games ...  Emory has outrebounded 10 of 16 opponents this year and posts a 6-4 mark in those games ...  During Thomaskutty's tenure at Emory, the Eagles show a  31-12 record when holding a foe to 60 or fewer points ... Emory has recorded double digits in steals in nine games and ranks No. 3 among UAA clubs in that category (10.25 spg) ... Through games played Jan. 27, the Eagles are No. 3 among UAA teams in overall play in scoring offense (68.8 ppg) ...Emory has outscored the opposition  in 18 of 33 halves (includes overtime stanzas)  ... Emory has outscored its foes in the first half in 10 contests and average 34.3 first-half points vs. the opposition's 29.1 ... In its eight wins, Emory is averaging 75.0 points per game (58.0 for the opposition) and shooting 44.1 percent from the floor (36.6 percent for opponents) ... In their eight setbacks, the Eagles have connected on 37.5 percent from the floor vs. 41.9 percent for the opposition ... Emory has outshot eight foes from the field and shows a 5-3 record in those affairs.

Emory's Career Rebounding Leaders

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM RACES BY CARNEGIE MELLON

(Jan. 27) - Emory University sophomore LeShonda Lillard totaled a game-high 18 points
to spark the Eagles to a 75-54 University Athletic Association win over Carnegie Mellon University on Sunday.  The victory evened Emory's overall record to 8-8 (1-4 in UAA).  The setback dropped Carnegie Mellon's record to 7-9 in overall action, 0-5 in UAA outings.

A total of 17 Emory players saw action in the squad's initial league win as Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty had the luxury of getting a number of reserves into the game during the final minutes.  Twelve players found their way into both the scoring and rebounding columns as the Eagles snapped a four-game losing skid.

Emory took a 37-21 lead into halftime as it limited the visiting Tartans to just 28.6 percent (8-of-28) from the floor while knocking down 42.9 percent (15-of-35) of its opportunities.  Holding a six-point lead, 22-16, with 8:37 remaining in the stanza, the Eagles held CMU scoreless for nearly five minutes while registering seven unanswered points in taking a 13-point advantage, 29-16, with 4:05 left.  Lillard got things started with a field goal while junior Lora Turner picked up five points. The Eagles eventually closed out the half on an 8-2 surge with four different players accounting for baskets. Lillard scored 10 points during the opening 20 minutes while Turner added seven.

In the second half, CMU drew to within 11 points, 41-30, with 15:56 remaining before Emory blew the game wide open with a 13-0 barrage, with five players accounting for those points, that put the Eagles out of reach at 54-30 with 14:11 left.

Lillard sank seven-of-12 floor opportunities and three-of-five from the charity stripe while also contributing a season-high tying five steals. Emory forced 28 Carnegie Mellon turnovers and came up with 14 steals.  Turner posted 12 points while senior Kristen Brown finished the afternoon with nine points and a team-best seven rebounds.

Emory returns to action on Friday (Feb. 1) when it plays host to New York University in a 6:00 p.m. tip.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM DROPS NAILBITER TO NO. 10-RANKED ROCHESTER  

(Jan. 25) - Emory University junior Lora Turner scored a game-high 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds but it wasn't enough as the No. 10-ranked University of the Rochester stormed back from a 16-point second-half deficit to escape with a 57-54 triumph over the Eagles Friday evening. The loss dropped Emory's record to 7-8 overall (0-4 UAA) while Rochester boosted its mark to 14-1 (4-0 UAA).

Rochester freshman Melissa Alwardt scored 11 of her team-high 14 points in the second half including a three-point field goal with 1:40 left in the game that gave the visitors a 55-54 lead.  Following a pair of free throws by Rachel Stern with 24 seconds remaining, Rochester survived four Emory field goal attempts to leave the Woodruff PE Center with the win.

Emory ended the game shooting 31.0 percent from the floor (22-of-71) while Rochester finished with a 34.5 percent effort (20-of-58).  The Eagles held the Yellowjackets to 12 points under their scoring average and also enjoyed a 46-41 advantage on the glass.   

An energetic and aggressive Emory club limited Rochester to just 27.6 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes in taking a 27-23 lead into halftime.  Senior Kristen Brown totaled seven points for the Eagles during the opening stanza en route to a nine-point, nine-rebound evening.

Four points apiece by Turner and junior Kate Corkle, along with a basket by junior Eric Kaplan, helped the Eagles to a 10-2 spurt in the opening moments of the second half that enabled Emory to claim a 37-25 lead.  Holding a 43-33 advantage, Emory pushed its lead to 16 points, 49-33, with 10:20 left on the clock following a field goal by sophomore LeShonda Lillard.   Rochester responded with a 12-0 run to draw to within four points, 49-45 with 4:15 remaining.  Turner accounted for all five of Emory's next points including a pair of free throws with 2:57 left that pushed the Eagles' advantage to 54-47. However, Emory would not find its way onto the scoreboard for the remainder of the game as the Yellowjackets posted the game's final 10 points.

Emory returns to action on Sunday (Jan. 27) when it plays host to Carnegie Mellon in a 2:00 p.m. tip.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL RETURNS HOME FOR UAA BATTLES
           
(Jan. 23) -- GAME FACTS - The Emory University women's basketball team closes out the month of January this weekend as it looks forward to a pair of University Athletic Association home encounters.  On Friday, the Eagles play host to nationally ranked Rochester at 6:00 p.m. before meeting Carnegie Mellon on Sunday (Jan. 27) in a 2:00 p.m. tip. Both games will be held at the Woodruff PE Center on the Emory campus.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty (Tulane, '96) is in her fifth season at the helm of the program.  She assumed her current duties prior to the start of the 2003-04 season. 

Jim Scheible (Clarkson, ‘88) is in his ninth year as the head coach at the University of Rochester.  During his tenure with the Yellowjackets, he has guided the program to Final Four berths in 2003 and 2004. Prior to his current position, he served as head coach at Elmira College.

Now in her 24th fourth season as head coach of the Carnegie Mellon program, Gerri  Seidl (Pittsburgh, ‘78) claims a school and career ledger of 259-320 heading into a Friday contest vs. Case Western.

Emory's Top Defensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

2007-08 RECORDS - Emory stands 7-7 (0-3 UAA) after dropping a pair of road outings last weekend.  The Eagles came out on the short end of a 76-63 decision to Washington University before losing a hard-fought 54-52 verdict to the University of Chicago.

The University of Rochester has won its last 11 games and meets Emory with a 13-1 record, 3-0 in league play.  The Yellowjackets are ranked No. 10 in the nation in the USA Today ESPN Division III Top 25 Coaches' Poll and are slotted No. 12 by d3hoops.com.  Last week, Rochester came away with home triumphs over New York University (62-55) and Brandeis University (77-61).

Carnegie Mellon visits Case Western on Friday evening with a won-lost ledger of 7-7, 0-3 in the UAA.  The Tartans lost to Brandeis (74-56) and NYU (50-38) last weekend.  

SERIES RECORDS -  Rochester holds an all-time record of 20-17 against Emory in a series that started in 1989.  The Yellowjackets have won the last eight contests between the schools including 75-52 (at Rochester) and 68-63 (at Emory) decisions last season.  In games played on its home floor, Emory sports a 12-8 record against Rochester.   

Emory owns a 22-15 edge in the all-time series against Carnegie that saw the first game played in 1989.  The teams split a pair of meetings last year with CMU earning a 77-66 win in Pittsburgh before the Eagles bounced back to come away with a 77-55  triumph in Atlanta.  The Eagles have enjoyed a decisive advantage in games played on their home floor, winning 13 of 18 decisions.

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

LILLARD CONTINUES TO PRODUCE  - Sophomore LeShonda Lillard (Bloomington, IN) averaged 14.5 points and 4.5 assists in Emory's two games last weekend.  Lillard led the Eagles in scoring against Washington University with a season-high 18 points before registering 11 points against Chicago.  Lillard's output in the Wash U. affair represented the second time this season that she was Emory's top point producer.  Entering Friday's game, her four-game streak of double-figure scoring is the longest on the club and she is averaging 13.8 points in that stretch.  She has notched 10 or more points in seven of her last eight and in a total eight games during the year.

A starter in 13 of the team's 14 contests, Lillard is averaging 9.3 points per game, good for third on the team and 19th among UAA players.  In addition, her team-high 2.93 assists per game is good for a seventh-place tie in the conference.  She has made her presence known on the defensive end of the floor as well with her team-high 2.07 steals per-game average ranking her in a fifth-place tie on the league ladder.

TURNER TALES - Junior Lora Turner (Florence, AL) saw an impressive eight-game double-figure scoring streak come to an end vs. Washington Univ., as she finished with eight points.  She then posted seven points against Chicago, marking the first time that she had been held to single-digit scoring in back-to-back games since the last two contests of the 2005-06 campaign.

Despite seeing her streak ended, Turner's 15.2 points per game average still ranks first on the team (through Jan. 20) and third among UAA players.  She is shooting a keen 52.9 percent from the floor (82-of-155) which stands as the top mark in the league and has either led or shared for the squad's scoring honors in eight games.

As for her play on the glass, Lora is pulling down a team-high 7.3 caroms per effort, good for sixth in the UAA, and has either led or shared for the club's high in that category in eight games.

Career-wise, Turner has 749 points and holds down the No. 15 position on the school's all-time list.  In addition, she ranks third on Emory's career list in field goal shooting (50.6%) and is 16th in rebounding with 394 boards, just four shy of moving past Allison Reopel (1999-01, 02-03) and into 15th position.  

EMORY NOTES - Sophomore Whitney Martin (Barrington, IL) saw her streak of shooting 50 percent or better from the floor end at six games against Chicago ... Martin still owns a solid 49.3 percent mark from the floor (33-of-67) ... Senior Kristen Brown (River Vale, NJ) snatched a team-high eight rebounds against Chicago, the third time this year that she paced the team in that category ...  Brown is No. 2 on the squad and tied for 16th in the UAA in rebounding (5.3 rpg) ... Sophomore Mary Smith (Houston, TX) gave Emory a boost off the bench in each game last weekend, sharing for team honors with five boards against Washington Univ., and then hitting both of her three-point attempts en route to six points against Chicago ... Junior Erica Kaplan's (Commack, NY) team-high 13 points in the Chicago game represented the fourth time this year she had either led or shared for team scoring honors ...Kaplan holds down the No. 5 position on the school's all-time three-point list with 91 treys and is closing in on the fourth-place mark of 97 held by Beth Byron (2000-04) ... Emory converted 80 percent of its free throw attempts (8-of-10) in the Washington game, the fifth time this year it had  finished with a mark of 80 percent or higher ...  Through games played Jan. 20, the Eagles are No. 3 in the UAA in free throw percentage (72.1%) ... Emory has 12 or more offensive rebounds in 11 games and  average 14.4 boards per outing on the offensive end ... Emory has outrebounded nine of 14 opponents this year and posts a 6-3 mark in those games ...  During Thomaskutty's tenure at Emory, the Eagles show a  30-11 record when holding a foe to 60 or fewer points ... Emory has recorded double digits in steals in eight games and ranks No. 4 among UAA clubs in that category (10.1 spg) through Jan. 20 ... Through games played Jan. 20, the Eagles are No. 3 among UAA teams in overall play in scoring offense (69.4 ppg) ...Emory has outscored the opposition  in 15 of 29 halves (includes overtime stanzas)  ... Emory has outscored its foes in the first half in eight contests and are averaging 34.5 first-half points vs. the opposition's 30.1 ... In its seven wins, Emory is averaging 75.0 points per game (58.6 for the opposition) and shooting 43.4 percent from the floor (36.6 percent for opponents) ... In their seven setbacks, the Eagles have connected on 38.6 percent from the floor vs. 43.0 percent for the opposition ...  Through games played Jan. 20, Emory ranks first among UAA clubs in three-point shooting (35.3%) is holds down the No. 2 spot in field goal shooting (41.0%) ...  Emory has outshot seven foes from the field and shows a 4-3 record in those affairs.

Emory's Career Rebounding Leaders

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM EDGED BY CHICAGO

(Jan. 20) - The Emory University's Erica Kaplan and LeShonda Lillard scored 13 and 11 points, respectively, but it wasn't enough as the University of Chicago rallied for a 54-52 win Sunday afternoon in University Athletic Association play.  The loss dropped Emory's record to 7-7 overall (0-3 UAA) while the win increased the Maroons' record to 11-3 (2-1 UAA).

Chicago freshman Stacey Leach's basket with 30 seconds left proved to be the difference in the contest with the bucket gave the Maroons a 53-52 advantage.  After a free throw by Lori Tanaka gave the host Maroons a two-point margin, the Eagles launched a three-point attempt in the waning moments that missed the mark. 

Trailing by a 28-26 margin at halftime, the Eagles opened the second half with an impressive 17-6 run that put it up by a 43-34 count with 11:45 remaining in the contest.  Kaplan sparked burst by scoring six points via a pair of three-point field goals while Lillard accounted for five points. Another trey by Kaplan gave the Eagles a 47-39 cushion but an 8-0 Chicago spurt in an eighty-second span tied the game with 6:05 left on the clock.  A three-pointer by Mary Smith followed by a bucket from Kaplan with 2:56 remaining enabled the Eagles to take a slim 52-49 lead.  However, Emory would not score for the remainder of the game with the Maroons scoring the contest's final five points.

Emory shot 29.2 percent from the floor for the game (19-of-65) while Chicago checked in with a 33.9 percent effort (20-of-59).  The Eagles hit seven-of-19 from beyond the arc while the Maroons went 0-of-13.  Chicago posted a 49-38 edge in rebounding but turned the ball over on 21 occasions compared to Emory's 15.  Chicago sophomore Molly Hackney led all players with 19 points.

Emory led most of the first half and held an 18-12 advantage with 12:11 left in the opening stanza when Lillard converted a layup.  A three-point field goal by the Eagles' Jenny Kraus wiped out a one-point Chicago advantage and staked Emory to a 26-24 lead with 2:06 left.  However, the Maroons scored the final four points and took its biggest lead of the half when a basket by Nofi Mojidi with 11 seconds on the clock sent the teams into halftime with Chicago holding a slim 28-26 edge.  Neither team enjoyed a good shooting effort from the field with Emory hitting just 29.4 percent (10-of-34) compared to UC's 33.3 percent showing (9-of-27).  Chicago held a 23-18 margin on the boards, but the Eagles converted 12 Maroon turnovers into 11 points while Chicago mustered only three points off seven Emory miscues.

Emory returns to action on Friday (Jan. 25) when it hosts the University of Rochester in a 6:00 p.m. tip.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM FALLS TO WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY


(Jan. 18) - The Emory University women's basketball team received a season-high 18 points and five assists from sophomore LeShonda Lillard but it wasn't enough as Washington University posted a 76-63 win triumph over the Eagles Friday evening.  The loss dropped Emory's record to 7-6 overall (0-2 UAA) while the win was the Bears' fifth straight and upped their record to 10-3 (2-0 UAA).

Lillard connected on seven-of-14 from the floor, including two-of-three from three-point range en route to her third straight and seventh double-figure scoring effort of the campaign.  Lillard was the lone Emory player to finish in double digits as the team ended the evening shooting 42.9 percent from the floor (24-of-56).  Sophomore Whitney Martin added nine points.

Emory faced an eight-point deficit, 34,-26, with 3:39 left in the first half before a three-point field goal by Lillard and a free throw cut the gap to 34-30, with a 1:20 remaining.  The Bears would use a trey by Halsey Ward in the closing moments to take a 39-32 advantage into the halftime.  Emory connected on 52 percent of its field goal opportunities in the first half (13-of-25) while the Bears hit on 40.5 percent (15-of-37).  Lillard paced the Eagles' scoring effort with nine points, hitting four-of-five of her floor opportunities.  Senior Kristen Brown chipped in seven points.

In the second half, Emory drew to within six points, 47-41, with 13:00 remaining, however the Bears went on a 6-0 run to boost their advantage to 12 points with 11:16 left. Washington would eventually build a 16-point cushion with 4:38 left on the clock.

The Bears' Zoe Unruh led all players with 20 points and nine rebounds while Halsey Ward finished with 14 points.  Washington University shot 39.7 percent from the floor and held a slim 41-37 edge in the rebounding department.

Emory returns to action on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 20) when it plays at Chicago.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SQUAD BATTLES WASHINGTON
UNIVERSITY AND CHICAGO ON THE ROAD  
           
GAME FACTS - The Emory University women's basketball team's initial road swing of the University Athletic Association season promises to be a challenging one as the Eagles battle Washington University on Friday (Jan. 18) and the University of Chicago on Sunday (Jan. 20).  The WU Field House will serve as the site of the 38th meeting between Emory and Washington University and tip is slated for 6:00 p.m. (CST).  The Ratner Center on the University of Chicago campus is the setting for 38th contest between the Eagles and Maroons and the start time is 2:00 p.m. (CST).

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty (Tulane, '96) is in her fifth season at the helm of the program.  She assumed her current duties prior to the start of the 2003-04 season. 

Nancy Fahey (Wisconsin, ‘81) is in her 22nd year as the head coach at Washington University and checks into Friday's action with a school and career record of 506-88. During her tenure, she has guided the Bears to four national titles while making 19 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament.

Now in his fourth season as head coach at the University of Chicago, Aaron Roussell (Iowa, ‘01) claims a school and career ledger of 60-27 heading into a Friday contest vs. Case Western.

Emory's Top Defensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

2007-08 RECORDS - Emory stands 7-5 (0-1 UAA) following a 76-72 setback at home to Case Western last Saturday.  In that game, junior Erica Kaplan (Commack, NY) led four double-figure Emory scorers with 15 points while junior Lora Turner (Florence, AL) and sophomore Whitney Martin (Barrington, IL) each chipped in 14 points.

Washington University has won its last four games and meets Emory with a 9-3 record, 1-0 in league play.  The Bears opened UAA action last Saturday with a 67-56 win at home against Chicago.

Chicago hosts Case Western on Friday aiming to improve upon its 9-3 record (0-1 UAA).  The Maroons saw a four-game win streak snapped last Saturday when they came out on the short end of a 67-56 decision to Washington University.

SERIES RECORDS -  Washington University holds an all-time record of 33-4 against Emory in a series that started in 1989.  The Bears have won the last 18 meetings between the schools.  

Chicago posts a 22-15 all-time mark against Emory.  The teams split the series a year ago with the Bears bringing home an 81-50 triumph in Atlanta before Emory posted a 69-63 victory in Chicago that snapped a five-game Maroon win streak in the series.  Chicago has notched wins in 11 of 18 games played on its home court.

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

MARTIN A SPARK OFF THE BENCH --  Whitney Martin gave the Eagles a spark off the bench in the Case game, picking up a career-best 14 points while grabbing six rebounds in 25 minutes of action.  The 6-foot Martin converted four-of-seven from the floor and six-of-seven from the foul line en route to her second double-figure scoring game of the campaign.  Martin has shot 50 percent or better from the floor in each of her last five outings and is hitting at a 60.8 percent clip (14-of-23) in that stretch.

LILLARD A CONSISTENT FORCE  - Sophomore LeShonda Lillard (Bloomington, IN) continued her steady play in the Case Western outing, totaling 13 points along with a season-high tying four assists.  Her point production was the fifth double-digit performance in the last six games and sixth on the year.  A starter in 11 of the team's 12 games, Lillard is averaging 8.4 points per game, good for 19th place on the UAA chart, and a team-best 2.67 assists per effort, good for ninth in the league.  She has made her presence known on the defensive end of the floor as well with her team-high 2.08 steals  per-game average placing her in a fifth-place tie on the conference ladder.

TURNER TALES - Lora Turner continues her stellar play, coming off a 14-point, team-high eight rebounds in the Case Western game.  Her scoring total represented her eighth consecutive and 11th double-digit effort of the season.  Through games played Jan. 13, the 5-foot-11 Turner tops the team and is No. 3 in scoring among UAA cagers with a 16.5 per-game average.  Despite drawing considerable defensive attention, Turner has either led or shared for the squad's scoring honors in four of the last five and in eight games this year.  Lora's seven-of-10 effort from the field upped her season total to 54.3 percent (75-of-138), good for the No. 1 spot among UAA players for games played through Jan. 13.

As for her play on the glass, Lora is pulling down a team-high 7.8 caroms per effort, good for third in the UAA, and has either led or shared for the club's high in that category in eight games.

Career-wise, Turner has 734 points and holds down the No. 15 position on the school's all-time list.  In addition, she ranks third on Emory's career list in field goal shooting (50.6%) and is 16th in rebounding (386).

EMORY NOTES - Junior Erica Kaplan's (Commack, NY) team-high 15 points in the Case game marked the third time this year she had either led or shared for team scoring honors ...Kaplan holds down the No. 5 position on the school's all-time three-point list with 87 treys ... Emory converted 80 percent of its free throw attempts (16-of-20) in the Case Western game, the fourth time this year it had  finished with a mark of 80 percent or higher ...  Through games played Jan. 13, the Eagles are No. 2 in the UAA in free throw percentage (73.0%) ... Emory has 12 or more offensive rebounds in 10 games and  average 14.75 boards per outing on the offensive end ... Emory has outrebounded nine of 12 opponents this year and posts a 6-3 mark in those games ...  During Thomaskutty's tenure at Emory, the Eagles show a  30-10 record when holding a foe to 60 or fewer points ... Emory has recorded double digits in steals in seven games and ranks No. 4 among UAA clubs in that category (10.67 spg) through Jan. 13 ... Through games played Jan. 13, the Eagles are No. 2 among UAA teams in scoring offense (71.3 ppg) ...Emory has outscored the opposition  in 15 of 25 halves (includes overtime stanzas)  ...
Emory has outscored its foes in the first half in eight contests and are averaging 35.5 first-half points vs. the opposition's 29.6 ... In its seven wins, Emory is averaging 75.0 points per game (58.6 for the opposition) and shooting 43.4 percent from the floor (36.6 percent for opponents) ... In their five setbacks, the Eagles have connected on 39.8 percent from the floor vs. 45.7 percent for the opposition ...  Through games played Jan. 13, Emory ranks first among UAA clubs in both three-point shooting (35.2%) and tied for first in field goal shooting (41.9%) ...  Emory has outshot six foes from the field and shows a 4-2 record in those affairs ... Senior Kristen Brown (River Vale, NJ) snatched seven boards against Case, her sixth performance of six or more caroms ... Brown stands 19th among UAA players in rebounding (5.2 rpg).  

Emory's Career Rebounding Leaders

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM DROPS UAA OPENER TO CASE  

(Jan. 12) - The Emory University women's basketball team saw four players score in double figures but it wasn't enough as it dropped a hard-fought 76-72 decision to Case Western Reserve in the University Athletic Association opener for both squads.  The loss dropped Emory's record to 7-5 overall (0-1 UAA) while Case boosted its mark to 8-4 (1-0 UAA).

The Eagles fell victim to a hot-shooting Case unit in the second half as the Spartans connected on 55.6 percent of their field goal opportunities (15-of-27) over the final 20 minutes of action including 50 percent from three-point range (5-of-10).  Sophomore guard Ashleigh Tondo was the main culprit from the Eagles' perspective as she chalked up 19 of her game-high 28 points in the second half, finishing the game hitting nine-of-16 from the floor including five-of-10 from beyond the arc.

Junior Erica Kaplan led Emory in scoring with 15 points while junior Lora Turner and sophomore Whitney Martin each picked up 14 points.  Sophomore guard LeShonda Lillard rounded out the team's double-figure scorers with 13 points while doling out four assists. 

Emory spread its scoring out in the early stages of the game with six different players finding their way into the scoring column as it forged a 20-10 advantage with 12:55 remaining in the first half.  However, the Spartans battled back to take its second lead of the afternoon with 6:30 left in the stanza when a basket by Colleen Martin gave Case a 25-24 edge.  From there the teams jockeyed back and forth with the lead changing six times before halftime which saw Case holding a slim 38-35 advantage.

Early in the second half a pair, of pair of buckets by Turner keyed an 8-0 Emory run that wiped out a five-point Case lead and put the Eagles up by three points, 45-42, with 16:30 left. Another basket by Turner kept Emory ahead by three points, 56-53, with 9:48 on the clock, but Tondo nailed back-to-back treys with the second putting Case ahead, 59-56, with 7:44 remaining, a lead that it would not surrender. Trailing by a five-point margin, 68-63, with 3:30 left, the Eagles responded with a 7-2 charge that was capped with a basket by Martin that tied the game at 70-70 with 1:18 remaining.  However, Tondo connected on her fourth trey of the half and knocked down three charity tosses to help Case keep Emory from assuming the lead.

Case concluded the contest by shooting 50 percent from the floor (30-of-60) compared to Emory's 42.2 percent (27-of-64).  The Eagles did post a 38-32 edge in rebounding with Turner and senior Kristen Brown leading the way with eight and seven boards, respectively.  The game featured 17 lead changes and seven ties.

Emory returns to action next Friday evening (Jan. 18) when it plays at Washington University.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SQUAD OPENS UAA PLAY WITH HOME
GAME AGAINST CASE WESTERN RESERVE

(Jan. 9) - GAME FACTS - The Emory University women's basketball team opens its 20th season of University Association play on Saturday (Jan. 12) when it plays host to Case Western Reserve University.  The Woodruff PE Center on the Emory campus will serve as the site of the 28th meeting between the Eagles and Spartans and tip is slated for 2:00 p.m.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty (Tulane, '96) is in her fifth season at the helm of the program.  She assumed her current duties prior to the start of the 2003-04 season. 

Jennifer Reimer (Lycoming College) is in her first year as the head coach at Case and was appointed to her position in September of 2007.  Prior to her arrival, she served as head coach at Allegheny College for seven seasons where she posted a record of 120-68.  She also enjoyed a successful two-year stint as head coach at Mount Union, compiling a 32-18 mark.

Emory's Top Defensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

2007-08 RECORDS - Emory stands 7-4 following an exciting 70-66 come-from-behind overtime win at Piedmont College on Monday.  Leading the Eagles in that affair was junior Lora Turner (Florence, AL) with a career-high 25 points and 13 rebounds, her second double-double of the season and sixth of her career.

After registering a 9-16 record last season, the Spartans of Case come to Atlanta with an overall effort of 7-4.  CWRU has won its last two outings and is coming off an 85-65 home win against Kalamazoo College on Jan. 3.

SERIES RECORDS -  Case holds an all-time record of 15-12 against Emory in a series that started in 1988.  The Eagles captured both meetings a year ago, battling to a 75-72 win in Cleveland before closing out the campaign with a 66-58 triumph at home.  In games played on its home court, Emory stands 7-6 against Case.

LILLARD MAKING HER MARK - Sophomore LeShonda Lillard (Bloomington, IN) has emerged as a solid performer at the point guard position.  Lillard's 13 points in the Piedmont contest represented her fourth double-figure scoring performance in the last five and fifth of the season while her five steals was a season high. 

Lillard has started 10 of the Eagles' 11 games and is averaging 8.0 points while leading the squad in both assists with a 2.8 per-game average, good for 10th place among UAA players, and steals with a 2.18 per-game showing, good for a fifth-place tie on the league chart.

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

TURNER TALES - Lora Turner continues to put up impressive numbers in the scoring and rebounding departments with her career-best 25 points against Piedmont marking her fourth outing this season and seventh of her career of 20 or more points.  The 5-foot-11 Turner has either led or shared for the team's scoring lead in the last four and in eight contests during the year and claims 10 double-figure scoring performances. Her team-high 16.7 points per game average ranks her No. 2 among UAA players while her 53.1 percent mark from the floor places her first among UAA players through games played Jan. 8. 

As for her play on the glass, Lora is pulling down a team-high 7.8 caroms per effort, good for fourth among UAA cagers, and has either led or shared for the club's high in that category in seven games.

Career-wise, Turner has 720 points and holds down the No. 15 position on the school's all-time list.  In addition, she ranks third on Emory's career list in field goal shooting (50.3%) and is 18th in rebounding (378).

EMORY NOTES - Junior Erica Kaplan's (Commack, NY) has a team-high 24 three-point field goals to her credit and is shooting 42.1 percent (24-of-57) from beyond the arc, good for the No. 3 slot on the UAA chart through games played Jan. 8 ... Kaplan holds down the No. 5 position on the school's all-time three-point list with 86 treys ... Sophomore Whitney Martin (Barrington, IL) logged a career-long 31 minutes in the Piedmont game and tallied nine points, her second-highest total of the campaign, and six boards ... Emory's game at Piedmont marked the program's first overtime contest since Feb. 26, 2005 (70-66 loss to Case Western) ... Solid foul shooting played a key role in Emory's overtime triumph against Piedmont as it shot a season-high 88.5 percent from the charity stripe (23-of-26) ... The Eagles grabbed a season-high 21 offensive rebounds against Piedmont ... The Eagles have 12 or more offensive rebounds in nine games and are averaging 14.6 boards per outing on the offensive end ...Emory has outrebounded eight of 11 opponents this year and posts a 6-2 mark in those games ...  During Thomaskutty's tenure at Emory, the Eagles show a  30-10 record when holding a foe to 60 or fewer points ... Emory has recorded double digits in steals in six games and ranks No. 3 among UAA clubs in that category (10.7 spg) through Jan. 8 ... Through games played Jan. 8, the Eagles are No. 2 among UAA teams in scoring offense (71.3 ppg) ...Emory has outscored the opposition  in 15 of 23 halves (includes overtime stanzas)  ... Emory has outscored its foes in the first half in eight contests and are averaging 35.5 first-half points vs. the opposition's 28.8 ... In its seven wins, Emory is averaging 75.0 points per game (58.6 for the opposition) and shooting 43.4 percent from the floor (36.6 percent for opponents) ... In their four setbacks, the Eagles have connected on 39.1 percent from the floor vs. 44.5 percent for the opposition ... Through games played Jan. 8, Emory ranks first among UAA clubs in both three-point shooting (36.6%).

Emory's Career Rebounding Leaders

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM TOPS PIEDMONT

(Jan. 7) - The Emory University junior Lora Turner posted 25 points and 13 rebounds in sparking the Eagles to a 70-66 come-from-behind overtime win over Piedmont College Monday evening.  The win boosted Emory's record to 7-4 while Piedmont slipped to 10-3.

Turner finished the evening converting five-of-14 from the floor and established a single-game school record as she knocked down all 15 of her free throw opportunities. Turner's performance from the foul line bettered the previous record of 13 set by Stephanie Seibert against the University of Rochester on Feb. 2, 2001.

Emory got off to a slow start and trailed by a 22-6 margin with 10:16 left in the first half.  The Eagles cut the gap to six points with 6:08 left in the opening stanza when senior Kristen Brown hit a jumper, however the Lions stretched the lead to 12 points, taking a 34-22 cushion into the locker room at halftime.  During the opening 20 minutes of play, Piedmont shot 52.2 percent (12-of-23) from the floor while Emory was held to 24.1 percent (7-of-29).

The second half saw Emory hit six of its first nine field goal attempts as it battled back into contention.  The Eagles tied the contest, 40-40, with 12:00 remaining following a pair of charity tosses by sophomore Whitney Martin.  Emory took a brief lead, 45-44, with 10:00 left when Turner converted a three-point play but the Lions eventually built a six-point advantage, 58-52, with 3:28 remaining in the contest.  The Eagles fought back using a basket and a pair of free throws by Turner to narrow the gap to 58-56.  Following a Piedmont free throw, sophomore LeShonda Lillard drained a three-point field goal with 1:06 remaining that knotted the score at 59-59 as well as closing out the game's scoring in regulation.  Lillard finished the game with 13 points, three assists and five steals.

In the overtime, Emory used an effective zone defense that limited Piedmont to just 14.3 percent (1-of-7) from the floor.  Conversely, the Eagles hit four-of-five of their attempts.  A jumper by Martin broke a 63-63 tie and a subsequent three-pointer by Erica Kaplan gave Emory a 68-63 advantage with 1:49 left in the extra session. Piedmont drew to within two points but free throws by Lillard with 22 ticks left proved to be the contest's final scoring.

Brown was Emory's third double-figure scorer with 10 points while Martin scored all nine of her points in the second half and overtime while also registering six rebounds. 

Emory returns to action on Saturday (Jan. 12) when it opens University Athletic Association play with a home date against Case Western Reserve University starting at 2:00 p.m.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM BATTLES PIEDMONT

(Jan. 4) - GAME FACTS - The Emory University women's basketball team plays its final non-conference game of the 2007-08 campaign on Monday (Jan. 7) when it takes on Piedmont College.  Cave Arena at the Johnny Mize Athletic Center on the Piedmont campus will be the site of the 19th meeting between the Eagles and Lions and tip is slated for 6:00 p.m.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty (Tulane, '96) is in her fifth season at the helm of the program.  She assumed her current duties prior to the start of the 2003-04 season. 

Jamie Childs-Purdy (Piedmont College) is in her third year as the head coach at Piedmont and posts a school record of 48-17. In five seasons as a head coach, which includes a two-year stint at Middle Georgia, Purdy posts a career mark of 79-38.  

2007-08 RECORDS - Emory takes a 6-4 slate into the Piedmont contest.  The Eagles have split their two games since resuming action from winter break, dropping an 80-68 home decision to Birmingham Southern on Dec. 31 before claiming an 80-67 triumph at Agnes Scott on Jan. 2.

Piedmont College owns a seven-game winning streak and will host Emory with a won-lost ledger of 10-2. In their most recent performance, the Lady Lions registered a 50-40 win at home against Methodist University on Jan. 3. Piedmont has won four of five home games this year.

Emory's Top Defensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

SERIES RECORDS -  Piedmont holds an all-time record of 10-8 against Emory in a series that started in 1988.  This will be the second meeting between the programs this season with the Lady Lions recording a 64-51 decision at Emory back on Nov. 20.  Piedmont has won six of nine decisions vs. Emory on its home floor.

MADISON GIVE EAGLES A BOOST - Junior Kerry Madison (Los Angeles, CA) gave Emory a jump start off the bench in the Agnes Scott contest, registering her first career double-double with a season-high 10 points along with a career-best 11 rebounds.  Madison's effort on the glass helped the Eagles to a decisive 47-27 advantage in rebounding against the Scotties and represented the second-highest total by an Emory player this season.

BOYD MAKES MOST OF MINUTES --  Junior Kendall Boyd (Eden Prairie, MN) logged a season-high 26 minutes (second-longest career stint) in the Agnes Scott affair and tied her career highs in both points (11) and three-point field goals (3).  In her last two games, Boyd is averaging 8.5 points while shooting 55.6 percent from beyond the arc (5-of-9).

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

TURNER TOUGH TO STOP - Junior Lora Turner (Florence, AL) continues to be a dominating force at both ends of the floor for the Eagles.  After tying her season high with 21 points against Birmingham Southern, the 5-foot-11 Turner paced Emory in scoring for the third straight and seventh time this season with 17 points against Agnes Scott. She connected on seven-of-12 from the floor and three-of-four from the foul line en route to her ninth double-figure scoring outing of the campaign.  Turner is shooting a team-high 55.3 percent from the field (63-of-114), good for the No. 1 spot among UAA players.

Career-wise, Turner has 695 points and holds down the No. 15 position on the school's all-time list.  In addition, she ranks third on Emory's career list in field goal shooting (50.6%) and is 19th in rebounding (365).

EMORY NOTES - Junior Erica Kaplan's (Commack, NY) 13 points against Agnes Scott represented her sixth double-figure scoring effort of the season ...  Kaplan has a team-high 23 three-point field goals to her credit and is shooting 44.2 percent (23-of-52) from beyond the arc, good for the No. 3 slot on the UAA chart through games played Jan. 3 ... The Eagles connected on a season-high 53.8 percent from three-point range in the Agnes Scott contest ... Emory has outrebounded seven of 10 opponents this year and posts a 5-2 mark in those games ...  During Thomaskutty's tenure at Emory, the Eagles show a  30-10 record when holding a foe to 60 or fewer points ... Emory has outscored the opposition  in 13 of 20 halves ... The Eagles have 12 or more offensive rebounds in eight games and are averaging 14 boards per outing on the offensive end ... Emory has outscored its foes in the first half in eight contests and are averaging 36.9 first-half points vs. the opposition's 28.3 ... Emory has recorded double digits in steals in five games and ranks No. 4 among UAA clubs in that category (10.5 spg) through Jan. 3 ...  Through games played Jan. 3, the Eagles are No. 2 among UAA teams in scoring offense (71.4 ppg) ... In its six wins, Emory is averaging 75.8 points per game (57.3 for the opposition) and shooting 45.2 percent from the floor (36.7 percent for opponents) ... In their four setbacks, the Eagles have connected on 39.1 percent from the floor vs. 44.5 percent for the opposition ... Through games played Jan. 3, Emory ranks first among UAA clubs in both three-point shooting (37.2%).

Emory's Career Rebounding Leaders

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM TOPS AGNES SCOTT

(Jan. 2) - The Emory University women's basketball team saw four players post double figures in scoring and the Eagles opened the 2008 portion of their schedule with a solid 80-67 win at Agnes Scott this afternoon.  The victory upped Emory's record to 6-4 while Agnes Scott slipped to 4-5.  

Junior Lora Turner (Florence, AL) paced Emory's scoring attack with 17 points while juniors Kendall Boyd (Eden Prairie, MN) and Erica Kaplan (Commack, NY) each posted 13 points in the win.  Turner's performance was her sixth straight and ninth double-figure scoring performance of the season. of the year. Emory led from start to finish and ended the game shooting 48.3 percent from the floor (28-of-58) while holding the Scotties to 38.5 percent (20-of-52).

The Eagles bolted to a 10-0 advantage just two minutes and four seconds in the contest and used 13 points from Turner and eight by Boyd in taking a commanding 42-23 edge at halftime.  Turner scored 13 of the Eagles' first 22 points while Boyd scored eight straight that helped stretch a nine-point edge into a 15-point cushion late in the first stanza.

The Eagles eventually built a 21-point lead on two occasions early in the second half but saw Agnes Scott draw to within 11 points at 63-52 with 8:01 remaining. However, Emory answered the comeback bid with an 11-1 run, capped by a three-point field goal by Kate Corkle that pushed the score to 74-53 with 4:57 remaining.

Emory held a big advantage on the glass, outrebounding the Scotties by a 47-27 margin.  Junior Kerry Madison (Los Angeles, CA) grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds to lead Emory in that department while picking up 10 points, her first career-double-double.

Emory returns to action on Monday (Jan. 7) with a game at Piedmont College starting at 6:00 p.m.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM FALLS TO BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN

(Dec. 31) - Emory University junior Lora Turner (Florence, AL) scored a season-high tying 21 points but it wasn't enough as the Eagles dropped an 80-68 decision to Birmingham Southern this afternoon.  The setback dropped Emory's record to 5-4 while the Panthers saw their record go to 8-3.  

Birmingham Southern senior Mallory Morring scored 22 of her game-high 26 points in the second half while senior forward Reba Ross totaled 23 points and 14 rebounds in sparking the Panthers.  After missing her first six attempts from three-point range during the opening 20 minutes of play, Mallory converted six-of-nine from beyond the arc in the second half while helping the visitors to a keen 58.3 percent mark from distance in the final half of action.

Playing its first game since Dec. 11, Emory shot 51.9 percent from the floor (14-of-27) in the first half as the teams battled to a 33-33 deadlock. The Eagles enjoyed a balanced  scoring attack in the opening stanza with nine different players finding their into the scoring column including Turner and junior Erica Kaplan (Commack, NY), both of whom registered six points.  While Emory was spreading the scoring around, Ross picked up 15 points 10 rebounds for the Panthers in the opening 20 minutes.

A basketball by sophomore Mary Smith (Houston, TX)  gave Emory a 52-48 edge with 10:09 remaining in the game but BSC responded with a big 17-2 run, with Mallory accounting for eight points during that stretch, to take a 65-54 lead with 5:21 on the clock. From there, the closest Emory would get was seven points.

Turner finished the game by hitting 10-of-13 from the floor, including seven-of-nine during the second half, and also ended the contest by sharing for the team lead with four rebounds.  Sophomore LeShonda Lillard (Bloomington, IN) was the other Emory player to finish with double-figure scoring with 11 points. Emory shot 50 percent (27-of-54) from the floor compared to 45 percent (27-of-60) for the visitors but the Panthers made the most of the three-point shot, hitting 10-of-23 from beyond the arc (43.5 percent) while the Eagles converted five-of-17 (29.4 percent).  BSC also finished with a 39-23 edge in rebounding.

Emory returns to action on Wednesday (Jan. 2) with a game at Agnes Scott starting at 2:00 p.m.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM HOSTS BIRMINGHAM
SOUTHERN
           
(Dec. 26) - GAME FACTS - The Emory University women's basketball team closes out the 2007 portion of its schedule on Monday (Jan. 31) when it plays host to Birmingham Southern College.  The Woodruff PE Center on the Emory campus will be the site of the first-ever meeting between the Eagles and Panthers and tip is slated for 2:00 p.m.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty (Tulane, '96) is in her fifth season at the helm of the program.  She assumed her current duties prior to the start of the 2003-04 season. 

Brad Hodge (Athens State, ‘96) is in his third year as the head coach at BSC and posts a school record of 27-41. In seven seasons as a head coach, which includes a four-year stint at East Central Community College (MS), Hodge posts a career effort of 107-77.  

Emory's Top Defensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

2007-08 RECORDS - Emory brings a 5-3 record into the Birmingham Southern contest.  The game against the Panthers will be the first for the Eagles since Dec. 11 when they came away with a 79-67 win at University of the South.  In that outing, juniors Erica Kaplan (Commack, NY) and Lora Turner (Florence, AL) each totaled 20 points to pace the Emory scoring attack, with Kaplan also registering a team-high eight rebounds.   

Birmingham Southern, playing in its first year as a Division III affiliate and member of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC), invades Atlanta with an overall slate of 7-3.  The Panthers last played on Dec. 17 when they notched a 65-60 win at Spring Hill College.

 SERIES RECORDS -  Monday's contest will represent the first-ever meeting between Birmingham Southern and Emory in women's basketball.

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

KAPLAN FINDS THE MARK - Erica Kaplan put on a shooting clinic in the South contest, knocking down a career-high tying six-of-seven three-point field goals including  all five of her opportunities during the opening 20 minutes of the game.  Kaplan's six treys stand as the high-water mark this season by any UAA player through games played Dec. 21.  Career-wise, Kaplan holds down the No. 6 spot on the school's career ladder with 81 three-pointers and is just one shy of tying Sally Goldberg's (1996-99) fifth-place mark of 82.

EMORY NOTES - Lora Turner's 20-point night against South was her seventh double-figure scoring performance of the campaign and second of 20 or more points ...  Turner has recorded five games of 20 or more points during her Emory career ... Turner is 15th on the school's all-time scoring list with 657 points ... Sophomore Whitney Martin (Barrington, IL) gave the Eagles a boost off the bench vs. South, hitting four-of-five from the floor en route to a season-high 10 points while also pulling down six boards ...  Sophomore LeShonda Lillard's (Bloomington, IN) 10 points in the South game marked her third double-figure scoring performance of the campaign ... Emory has outrebounded six of eight opponents this year and posts a 4-2 mark in those games ...  During Thomaskutty's tenure at Emory, the Eagles show a  30-10 record when holding a foe to 60 or fewer points ... Emory has outscored the opposition  in 12 of 16 halves ... The Eagles have 12 or more offensive rebounds in seven games and are averaging 14.75 boards per game on the offensive end ... Emory has outscored its foes in the first half in seven contests and are averaging 36.8 first-half points vs. the opposition's 28.4 ... Emory has recorded double digits in steals in five games and ranks No. 1 among UAA clubs in that category (11.3 spg) through Dec. 21 ...  Through games played Dec. 21, the Eagles are No. 2 among UAA teams in scoring offense (70.8 ppg) ... In its five wins, Emory is averaging 75.0 points per game (55.4 for the opposition) and shooting 44.6 percent from the floor (36.4 percent for opponents) ... In their three setbacks, the Eagles have connected on 35.9 percent from the floor vs. 44.3 percent for the opposition ...  Through games played Dec. 21, Emory ranks first among UAA clubs in both three-point shooting (36.4%) and turnover margin (+3.12).

Emory's Career Rebounding Leaders

EMORY'S ERICA KAPLAN NAMED UAA BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Emory University junior Erica Kaplan (Commack, NY) has been selected by the University Athletic Association as Women's Basketball Player of the Week following her performance on the road at University of the South.  It marks the second time in her career that she has won the award.  

The 5-foot-7 Erica Kaplan had the hot hand in a 79-67 win over South on Dec. 11, sharing for team honors with a season-high 20 points while also tying for the team high with eight rebounds.  Kaplan concluded the game by sinking six-of-nine from the floor, including a career-high tying six-of-seven from three-point range, and both of her free throw opportunities.  Kaplan sank all five of her attempts from beyond the arc in the first half of action. Kaplan's six treys against South boosted her career total to 81, good for sixth place on the school's all-time list.

Kaplan is No. 2 on the team and 12th among UAA players with an 11.4 points per-game average.  The owner of five double-figure scoring games, Kaplan tops all UAA cagers with a keen 47.5 percent mark (19-of-40) from three-point range.

Emory stands 5-3 on the year and returns to action on Dec. 31 when it entertains Birmingham Southern.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM FACES ROAD GAME AT
UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH
           

GAME FACTS - The Emory University women's basketball team continues its season Tuesday evening (Dec. 11) with a road game at the University of the South.  Juhan Gymnasium on the South campus will be the setting for the 35th meeting between the Eagles and Tigers and tip is slated for 6:00 p.m. (CST).  Tuesday's game will be the last game before the squad prepares for final exams and then winter break.  Emory will return to action on Monday, Dec. 31, when it hosts Birmingham Southern.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty (Tulane, '96) is in her fifth season at the helm of the program.  She assumed her current duties prior to the start of the 2003-04 season. 

Dickie McCarthy (Georgia, ‘77) is in his fifth year as the head coach at South and posts a school and career record of 55-55.

Emory's Top Defensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

2007-08 RECORDS - Emory will bring a 4-3 record into the South contest.  The Eagles have dropped their last two outings including a 64-62 loss at home to Maryville College.  Sophomore LeShonda Lillard (Bloomington, IN) paced the team's scoring attack with a season-high 14 points while junior Lora Turner (Florence, AL) chipped in 12 points along with a team-high nine rebounds.

South will be looking to snap out of a three-game losing skid that has dropped its record to 4-4. In their most recent outing, the Tigers came out on the short end of a 43-32 decision at Agnes Scott on Saturday (Dec. 8).  

SERIES RECORDS -  In a series that dates from 1988, Emory posts an all-time record of 25-9 against the University of the South.  The Eagles have notched wins in the last two meetings including a 63-60 verdict last year at the Woodruff PE Center.  In games played at South, the Eagles stand 12-5 against the Tigers.

EMORY NOTES - LeShonda Lillard's 14 points in the Maryville game marked her second double-figure scoring performance of the campaign ... Junior Erica Kaplan (Commack, NY) tied her season high with eight rebounds against Maryville ...  Lora Turner's 12 points against Maryville represented her sixth performance of double-digit point production this season ... Sophomore Mary Smith (Houston, TX) picked up eight points off the bench and established a career high with seven boards in the Maryville outing ... Maryville snared 15 offensive rebounds against the Eagles, the second-highest total by an opponent this year ... Emory has outrebounded five of seven opponents this year ...  Emory has turned the ball over on more occasions than the opposition in two contests ... During Thomaskutty's tenure at Emory, the Eagles show a  30-10 record when holding a foe to 60 or fewer points ... Emory has outscored the opposition  in 10 of 14 halves ... The Eagles have outscored their foes in the first half in six contests and are averaging 37.1 first-half points vs. the opposition's 28.0 ... Emory has recorded double digits in steals in five games and ranks No. 1 among UAA clubs in that category (11.8 spg) ... Through games played Dec. 8, the Eagles are tied for the No. 2 spot among UAA teams in scoring offense (69.6 ppg) ... Lora Turner stands fourth in the UAA in scoring (14.4 ppg) and is fifth in rebounding (7.6 rpg).

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM DROPS NAILBITER TO MARYVILLE


(Dec. 8) - Maryville College senior Katie Saxe sank a pair of free throws with 16 seconds remaining to snap a tie and propel the Lady Scots to a hard-fought 64-62 win over Emory Saturday afternoon in a game played at the Woodruff PE Center.  The loss dropped Emory's record to 4-3 while Maryville upped its mark to 5-2.

Emory was paced in scoring by LaShonda Lillard (Bloomington, IN) who totaled a season-high 14 points on six-of-10 shooting from the floor including a pair of three-point field goals. Junior Lora Turner (Florence, AL) was the other Eagle to finish in double digits with 12 points while snaring a team-high nine rebounds. Sophomores Mary Smith (Houston, TX) and Whitney Martin (Barrington, IL) both came off the bench to score eight points with Smith picking up seven rebounds.
 
Emory ended the game shooting 38.6 percent from the floor (22-of-57) while the visiting Lady Scots converted 35.9 percent (23-of-64) of their opportunities.  Emory held a 45-38 edge on the glass but also turned the ball over on 19 occasions which led to 17 Maryville points.

Emory got off to a fast start and built a 12-3 lead just six minutes and fifteen seconds into the contest.  The Eagles never trailed in the opening 20 minutes of play and a Lillard bucket with one second left gave Emory a 35-33 lead at the intermission.

The second half was a hotly contested affair with a total of seven ties and nine lead changes over the final 20 minutes as neither team could muster more than a four-point advantage.  A jumper by Martin staked the Eagles to a 60-57 margin with 5:19 on the clock but Maryville tied the game with 3:41 remaining when Lauren Fleming sank one of two foul shots.  A foul shot by Smith allowed Emory to tie the game at 62-62 with 1:05 left but Saxe broke the deadlock with her charity tosses.  Emory had three shot attempts in the final seconds but couldn't find the basket as it was saddled with its second straight setback.

Emory returns to action with a road game at University of the South on Tuesday (Dec. 11) starting at 6:00 p.m.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SQUAD FALLS VICTIM TO RALLY BY NO. 25 OGLETHORPE

(Dec. 6) - The Emory women's basketball team enjoyed a 15-point lead early in the second half but fell victim to a torrid shooting attack by No. 25-ranked Oglethorpe Thursday evening as the Stormy Petrels rallied to claim an 87-78 win. The loss left Emory's record at 4-2 while Oglethorpe went to 5-0.

Junior Lora Turner led the Emory offensive scoring attack with 21 points while senior Kristen Brown added 10 points along with a team-high eight rebounds. Their efforts couldn't withstand the blistering second-half Oglethorpe onslaught that saw it convert 62.5 percent of its field goal attempts during the final 20 minutes of action while outscoring Emory by a 53-31 margin.

Turner was virtually unstoppable in the first half as she totaled 17 points and five rebounds in helping the Eagles to a 47-34 lead at halftime.  Emory held a 17-12 advantage with 11:18 left in the stanza before bolting to a 13-2 scoring run to take a 30-14 lead with 7:42 remaining.  The Eagles still led by 16 with 2:20 left when a bucket by Whitney Martin made the score 44-28.  Emory shot 44.1 percent (15-of-34) in the opening half while its play on the defensive end disrupted Oglethorpe consistently as the Stormy Petrels coughed up the ball on 17 occasions while connecting on just 31.6 percent (6-of-19) from the floor.

The second half was a different story with Oglethorpe staging a determined comeback After a three-point field goal by Kendall Boyd gave Emory a 52-38 lead with 17:07 left on the clock, the Stormy Petrels went on a 12-0 run, aided by nine straight misses from the floor along with five turnovers by the Eagles to draw to within two points, 52-50, with 11:57 remaining. A jumper by the Eagles' Erica Kaplan stemmed the tide, but Oglethorpe rattled off an 11-0 burst that enabled it to go up by a 61-54 count and a lead that it would not surrender.

Emory returns to action on Saturday (Dec. 8) when it plays host to Maryville College in a 2:00 p.m. start.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM PLAYS AT 25th-RANKED OGLETHORPE
BEFORE ENTERTAINING MARYVILLE
           
(Dec. 4) - GAME FACTS - Looking to continue the momentum generated from a two-game winning streak, the Emory University women's basketball team faces a pair of tough challenges this week with a road contest at Oglethorpe University on Thursday (Dec. 6) and a home date against Maryville College on Saturday (Dec. 8). 

The Dorough Field House on the Oglethorpe campus will be the site of the 30th meeting between the two programs and tip is slated for 6:00 p.m.  On Saturday, the Woodruff PE Center on the Emory campus will provide the backdrop for the eighth encounter between the Lady Scots and Eagles with that game starting at 2:00 p.m.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty (Tulane, '96) is in her fifth season at the helm of the program.  She assumed her current duties prior to the start of the 2003-04 season. 

Ron Sattele (Villanova) is in his fourth year as the head coach at Oglethorpe and posts a school and career record of 56-31. He has guided the program to NCAA Tournament appearances in each of the past two years.

Now in his second season as the head coach of the Maryville Lady Scots is Jeff Pardue (King College).  Pardue, who stands 27-6 heading into a Dec. 4 home contest against Carson Newman, directed the team to a 23-5 mark last season.

Emory's Top Defensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

2007-08 RECORDS - Emory will bring a 4-1 record into the Oglethorpe contest.  The Eagles have won their last two games and are coming off a 69-57 win at Huntingdon College on Saturday.  Junior Lora Turner (Florence, AL) paced three double-figure scorers with 12 points and shared for team honors with eight rebounds while classmate Erica Kaplan (Commack, NY) totaled 11 points and eight boards.

Oglethorpe has gotten off to a fine start and will host Emory with a 5-0 record.  In their last outing, the Stormy Petrels hosted Rhodes on Sunday and recorded a 96-59 triumph. Oglethorpe holds down the No. 25 spot in this week's USA Today/ESPN Division III Top 25 Coaches' Poll.

Heading into its Dec. 4 affair against Carson Newman, Maryville had manufactured a 4-1 ledger through five contests.  Last Sunday, the Lady Scots played at Wesleyan and came away with a 98-23 victory.

SERIES RECORDS -  In a series that dates from 1992, Emory posts an all-time record of 24-5 against Oglethorpe.  However, the Stormy Petrels captured the only meeting last season, 77-68 at Emory.  The teams have split the last 10 encounters. 

Emory stands 4-3 all-time against Maryville in the series that started in 1995.  The Eagles have a 3-1 mark against the Lady Scots in games played at Emory.  Last year, Maryville notched a 59-40 win on its home court in the lone meeting between the schools.

EMORY NOTES - Huntingdon's 57 points marked the fourth contest this year where the Eagles held an opponent to 60 or fewer points, the first time a Thomaskutty-coached Emory team has accomplished that ... During Thomaskutty's tenure at Emory, the Eagles show a  30-10 record when holding a foe to 60 or fewer points ... Emory has outscored the opposition  in eight of 10 halves ... The Eagles have outscored their foes in the first half in four contests and are averaging 35.6 first-half points vs. the opposition's 25.8 ... Emory's 15 steals against Huntingdon represented the squad's fourth outing of double-digit thefts this season ... The Eagles are averaging 13.6 steals per contest, good for the No. 1 position among UAA teams for games played Dec. 2 ... Emory has held four of five foes to less than 40 percent from the floor ...  Lora Turner's eight rebounds against Huntingdon enabled her to move into 20th place on the school's all-time list with 330 boards ... Erica Kaplan has 73 career three-point field goals and is two shy of tying  Mekisha Parks (1998-02) for sixth place on the school's all-time list ... In addition, Kaplan stands No. 2 on the school's career ladder with a 39.2 percent effort (73-of-186) from three-point range ... Senior Kristen Brown (River Vale, NJ) totaled a season-high 10 points in the Huntingdon game ... Emory holds down the top spot among UAA teams in turnover margin (+5.8) ... Lora Turner's team-high 13.6 points per game average is good for the No. 8 slot among UAA performers while her effort of 7.6 rebounds ties her for fourth ... Kaplan is shooting 44 percent (11-of-25) from beyond the arc, good for the No. 4 spot on the UAA chart.

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM TOPS HUNTINGDON COLLEGE

(Dec. 1) - Emory junior Lora Turner paced three Emory double-figure scorers with 12 points in helping the Eagles to a 69-57 win over Huntingdon College on Saturday.  The win upped Emory's record to 4-1 while Huntingdon slipped to 2-3.

Junior Erica Kaplan added 11 points, while tying Turner for team honors with eight boards, and senior Kristen Brown chipped in 10 points in the win.  Emory concluded the game shooting 38 percent (27-of-71) from the field while the host Lady Hawks finished at 38.5 percent (20-of-52).  Emory finished with a slim 43-41 edge in rebounding and parlayed 24 Huntingdon turnovers in 21 points.

Emory held a 32-26 early in the second half before and 8-1 spurt, keyed by five points from Kaplan, increased the advantage to 40-27.  The Eagles held a 50-38 margin before a 12-2 run gave them an insurmountable 62-40 cushion with 6:52 left on the clock. 

In the opening half, a basket by Huntingdon's Tiffany Jordan gave the Lady Hawks a 12-11 lead with 11:12 remaining.  The Eagles then went on a 11-0 scoring burst over the next four minutes, with six different players registering points, to take a 22-12 lead that would stand as Emory's largest lead in the opening stanza.  Brown scored seven points in the first half while Turner added six to pace the attack.  Emory forced 13 Huntingdon turnovers during the opening 20 minutes and came up with nine steals in taking a 32-24 lead at the intermission.

Emory will play at Oglethorpe on Thursday (Dec. 6) at 6:00 p.m.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM TANGLES WITH HUNTINGDON
COLLEGE IN FIRST ROAD TEST
           
(Nov. 29) - GAME FACTS - After playing its first four games on its home floor, the Emory women's basketball team faces its first road test of the year on Saturday (Dec. 1) when it plays at Huntingdon College. The Catherine Roland Dixon Arena on the Huntingdon campus will be the site of the second-ever meeting between the Eagles and Lady Hawks and tip is slated for 2:00 p.m. (CST).

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty (Tulane, '96) is in her fifth season at the helm of the program.  She assumed her current duties prior to the start of the 2003-04 season. 

Buzz Phillips (Troy, 1970) is in his second tour of duty at Huntingdon.  He also serves as the school's athletic director and is in his second year in that capacity.

2007-08 RECORDS - Emory takes a 3-1 record into the Huntingdon contest.  The Eagles hosted LaGrange College on Wednesday (Nov. 28) and recorded a decisive 79-44 win.  Pacing the Emory attack was junior Erica Kaplan (Commack, NY) with 16 points while senior Kristen Brown (River Vale, NJ) grabbed a team-high eight boards.

Huntingdon stood 2-1 heading into a Nov. 29 road outing against Tennessee Temple. Earlier in the week, Huntingdon topped Spelman by a 59-55 margin.

Emory's Top Defensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

SERIES RECORDS -  The only meeting between the two schools took place on Nov. 20, 1998, when Emory emerged with an 84-79 win.

EMORY NOTES - During Thomaskutty's tenure at Emory, the Eagles show a  29-10 record when holding a foe to 60 or fewer points ... Emory has outscored the opposition  in six of eight halves ... The Eagles are averaging 36.5 first-half points through four contests vs. the opposition's 26.3 ... Emory shot a season-high 50 percent from the floor in the LaGrange game and its 56.3 percent mark in the first half (18-of-32) also was a season best ... The Eagles have held three of four foes to less than 40 percent from the floor ... Emory enjoys a 14.5-11.0 per-game edge in offensive rebounds ... Erica Kaplan's three three-point field goals vs. LaGrange marked her fourth straight outing of two or more treys and enabled her to assume sole possession of seventh place on the school's all-time list with 72 ... Kaplan is three shy of tying Mekisha Parks (1998-02) for sixth place ...Lora Turner has 322 career rebounds and is seven shy of tying for the 20th position on the school's all-time list.

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM BREEZES BY LaGRANGE COLLEGE

(Nov. 28) - Emory junior Erica Kaplan (Commack, NY) scored all of her game-high 16 points in the first half and the Eagles shot a season-high 50 percent from the field in posting a 79-44 win over LaGrange College Wednesday night at the Woodruff PE Center.  The win boosted Emory's record to 3-1 while LaGrange slipped to 3-3.

Kaplan connected on five-of-eight from the floor, including three-of-four from three-point range, in sparking an explosive opening 20 minutes of action that saw the Eagles lay claim to a 47-26 lead at halftime. 

Trailing by a 4-2 margin in the early stages of the game, Emory held the Panthers scoreless for a six-minute span while going on a 14-0 scoring run that gave it a 16-4 lead.  Holding a 25-16 cushion with 7:26 left in the half, Emory scored eight unanswered points, five coming from Kaplan, in building a 33-16 bulge with 5:52 remaining.  Emory turned in a solid effort on the defensive end of the floor during the opening stanza, forcing 15 LaGrange turnovers that it parlayed into 20 points. 

Emory kept up the defensive intensity in the second half as it forced the visiting Panthers to misfire on their first eight field goal attempts.  The Eagles kept LaGrange off the scoreboard during the opening 5:18 while scoring nine points that upped the score to 56-26.  The Eagles eventually built a 38-point lead with 2:31 left on the clock when freshman Ashley Mire (Houston, TX) came up with a three-point play.

All 18 players who suited up saw action with 13 finding their way into the scoring column.  Emory concluded the contest hitting 32-of-64 attempts from the floor while holding LaGrange to 31.6 percent (18-of-57).  Juniors Lora Turner (Florence, AL) and Kendall Boyd (Eden Prairie, MN) each chipped in nine points while senior Kristen Brown (River Vale, NJ) paced the club's rebounding effort with eight boards. "I was pleased with the way we responded tonight," Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty said,"  "We started strong and stayed that way throughout the evening.  Our defense helped create our offense in the first half and though we didn't create as many points that way in the second half, we did have a number of opportunities."

Emory returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 1, when it plays at Huntingdon College in a 2:00 p.m. start.

NOTES --  LaGrange's 44 points represent the sixth-lowest point total allowed by a Thomaskutty-coached Emory team ... The Eagles' 35-point win is the third-largest point differential during Thomaskutty's tenure ... Emory had nine players account for a season-high 18 steals, the fourth-highest mark during Thomaskutty's stint at Emory.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM  HOSTS LaGRANGE COLLEGE
           
GAME FACTS - The Emory women's basketball team plays its fourth straight home game on Wednesday (Nov. 28) when it entertains LaGrange College.  The Woodruff PE Center on the Emory campus will be the setting for the seventh meeting between the Eagles and Panthers and tip is slated for 6:00 p.m.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty (Tulane, '96) is in her fifth season at the helm of the program.  She assumed her current duties prior to the start of the 2003-04 season. 

Mark Isenhour (LaGrange, 2004) is in his first season as head coach of the Panthers' program.  Prior to his current post, Isenhour served as an assistant coach at Embry-Riddle for one season.  

2007-08 RECORDS - Emory enters Wednesday's contest with a 2-1 record.  The Eagles suffered their first setback of the campaign last Tuesday when they came out on the short end of a 64-51 decision to Piedmont College.  Leading the Emory effort in that affair was junior Lora Turner (Florence, AL) with 17 points and nine rebounds. 

LaGrange comes to Atlanta with a slate of 3-2.  The Panthers split a pair of games at the Southwestern/Austin Invitational last week, dropping a 76-49 decision to Southwestern before edging Austin College by a 55-51 margin.

SERIES RECORDS -  In  a series that began in 2001, Emory claims a 5-1 all-time mark against LaGrange.  The teams last met on Dec. 3, 2005, with Emory recording a 74-66 triumph.  

EMORY NOTES - During Thomaskutty's tenure at Emory, the Eagles show a  28-10 record when holding a foe to 60 or fewer points ... Lora Turner is the lone Emory player to have scored in double figures in each of the team's first three games ... Heading into Wednesday's game, Turner is leading the squad in both scoring (15.7 ppg) and rebounding (9.3 rpg) ... The Eagles have grabbed 15 or more offensive rebounds in each of its first three contests and hold a 16.7-10.7 per-game advantage in that department ... Turner has 320 career rebounds and is nine shy of tying for the 20th position on the school's all-time list ...  Junior Erica Kaplan (Commack, NY) knocked down a pair of three-point field goals in the Piedmont game, raising her career total to 69 and moving her into a tie with Mackezie Bisset (2002-03, 04-06) for the No. 7 position on the school's all-time list  ... Senior Kristen Brown (River Vale, NJ) drew her first start as an Eagle in the Piedmont contest and pulled down seven rebounds in 22 minutes of action ... Turner is shooting a team-high 54.1 percent from the field (20-of-37) and has connected on 50 percent or better in all three contests.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS TO PIEDMONT

(Nov. 20) - Emory junior Lora Turner (Florence, AL) scored 17 points and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds but it wasn't enough as Piedmont College came away with a 64-51 win over the Eagles Tuesday evening in a game played at the Woodruff PE Center on the Emory campus.  The loss left Emory's record at 2-1 while Piedmont boosted its ledger to 3-0 on the year.

Emory exploded out of the gates early and in impressive fashion as it knocked down nine of its first 11 field goal opportunities in racing to a 21-5 advantage seven minutes into the contest. Junior Erica Kaplan (Commack, NY) and Turner keyed the run with eight and six points, respectively.  However, Piedmont, an NCAA Tournament team a year ago, regrouped and posted a 14-2 outburst that cut the gap to 23-19 with 10:25 remaining in the opening stanza.  A layup by Turner with 6:39 left enabled the Eagles to lay claim to a 30-21 advantage which Piedmont eventually narrowed to 34-30 at intermission. 

The second half saw Emory go cold from the floor as it managed to connect on just 15.6 percent from the field (5-of-32) while Piedmont made the most of its attempts, knocking down 66.7 percent (14-of-21).  A bucket by Turner with 15:52 remaining gave Emory a 40-37 edge but the Lady Lions took the lead for good with 14:44 on the clock on a basket by Nikki Sosebee. The Eagles trailed only by four points with 7:06 left, 52-48, but went scoreless over the next 4:36 while Piedmont scored eight unanswered points in taking a commanding 60-48 bulge. Leading Piedmont in scoring was junior Beth Adcock with 16 points while Sosebee added a dozen.

For the game, Piedmont hit 51.0 percent from the floor (26-of-51), including nine-of-14 (64.3%) from three-point range.  Emory concluded the contest with a 30.5 percent effort from field (18-of-59).

Emory returns to action on Wednesday, Nov. 28, when it hosts LaGrange College.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM  BATTLES PIEDMONT
           
GAME FACTS - The Emory women's basketball team plays its third straight home game on Tuesday (Nov. 20) when it entertains Piedmont College.  The Woodruff PE Center on the Emory campus will be the setting for the 18th meeting between the Eagles and Lady Lions and tip is slated for 5:00 p.m.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty (Tulane, '96) is in her fifth season at the helm of the program.  She assumed her current duties prior to the start of the 2003-04 season. 

Jamie Childs-Purdy is in her third season as head coach of Piedmont College and claims a school record of 40-15.  Last year, she guided Piedmont to an overall record of 18-8 that included the program's first-ever berth to the NCAA Tournament. 

2007-08 RECORDS - Emory captured a pair of wins in its opening weekend of play, defeating a pair of foes in the inaugural Emory Tip-Off Tournament.  The Eagles topped Spelman College, 93-55, in the opening game before edging Montclair State, 55-54, in the championship contest. 

Piedmont also enjoyed a productive opening weekend as it notched a pair of wins in the Country Hearth/Lee's Famous Recipe Classic hosted by Centre College.  The Lady Lions opened their '07-08 campaign with a 68-59 win over Greenville College before registering a 68-55 decision over Spalding University.

Emory's Top Defensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

SERIES RECORDS -  In  a series that began in 1988, Piedmont claims a 9-8 all-time mark against Emory.  The Eagles have won the last three meetings between the schools including a 75-70 win at Piedmont last year.

In games played on Emory's home court, the Eagles show a 5-3 record against Piedmont.

EMORY NOTES - Emory's performance last weekend raised its record to 13-7 in season-opening games and 16-4 in home openers ... The Eagles' 93 points against Spelman represented the most points scored during Thomaskutty's tenure as head coach and ranked 13th on the school's single-game list ... Emory attempted a school-record 47 free throws in the Spelman contest while its 32 conversions tied for the second-highest total ... During Thomaskutty's tenure at Emory, the Eagles show a  28-10 record when holding a foe to 60 or fewer points ... Emory has surrendered 109 points after two games (54.5), the best effort in that category since 1999-00 when that team allowed a similar total after the opening two games ...  Turner's 16 rebounds against Montclair State enabled her to crack the 300 career-rebound plateau ...  Turner has 311 career caroms and is 18 shy of tying for the 20th position on Emory's all-time list ...  Junior Erica Kaplan (Commack, NY) came up with five three-point field goals over the weekend, raising her career total to 67, good for ninth place on the school's all-time list  ... Kaplan is one trey shy of tying Kendra Robbins' (1997-00) eighth-place mark of 68.

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

EMORY TANDEM OF KAPALAN & TURNER SPARK WOMEN'S BASKETBALL WIN

(Nov. 17) - Emory juniors Erica Kaplan (Commack, NY) and Laura Turner (Florence, AL) sparked the Eagles' women's basketball team to a hard-fought 55-54 win over Montclair State in the championship game of the Emory Tip-Off Tournament.  The win raised Emory's record to 2-0 while Montclair State slipped to 1-1.Kaplan scored 12 of her 15 points in the second half while Turner finished with a game-high 19 points along with a career-high 16 rebounds in the win.  Kaplan knocked down six-of-nine from the floor, including three-of-four from three-point range, while Turner converted nine-of-16 from the field.

The Red Hawks and Emory played a fast-paced and high-energy first half with Montclair holding a 26-23 lead at the intermission.  The Eagles' frontline of Turner and sophomore Whitney Martin accounted for 14 of those points with Turner scoring eight and Martin six.

MSU enjoyed a six-point lead, 33-27, with 14:23 left in the game but Emory came up with a 9-2 run to take a 36-35 lead with 10:21 on the clock. The Red Hawks stayed within reach and re-took the lead at 42-40 with 6:26 remaining when Jackie Berry sank a jumper.  However, a trey by Kaplan and a subsequent field goal by her enabled Emory to take a 45-42 advantage. Another three-pointer by Kaplan with 2:52 left increased Emory's cushion to 53-46, the largest lead any team had on the night.

Montclair then mounted a comeback and when Berry hit a pair of free throws with 1:11 remaining, the Red Hawks were down by just one point, 53-52.  After MSU missed a shot, Kaplan picked up a bucket with 20 seconds that sealed the outcome of the game.

Emory shot 39 percent from the floor (23-of-59) from the floor while Montclair State finished at 39.1 percent (18-of-46).  Turner's play on the boards helped Emory to a big 42-30 bulge in the rebounding department.

Sophomore guard LeShondra Lillard (Bloomington, IN) also played a key role in the Emory triumph with 11 points and three steals.

The Eagles return to action on Tuesday, Nov. 20, when they host Piedmont College in a 5:00 p.m. start.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SQUAD TOPS SPELMAN IN SEASON  OPENER

(Nov. 16) - The Emory women's basketball team came up with a stifling defensive effort as well as a balanced scoring attack and parlayed those into a decisive 93-55 win over Spelman College in the team's opening game of the Emory Tip-Off Tournament. The game opened the 2007-08 campaign for the Eagles.

 Leading the way for Emory was sophomore Mary Smith (Houston, TX) who totaled a team-high 19 points, converting six-of-10 from the field, including both of her three-point attempts, and five-of-eight from the foul line.  Juniors Lora Turner (Florence, AL) and Kendall Boyd (Eden Praire, MN) each totaled 11 points to round out the team's double-figure point producers.  All 18 players who suited up for the Eagles saw action with 15 finding their way into the scoring column.

The Eagles got out of the blocks quickly, racing to a 16-2 advantage in the opening 6:30 of the game.  Emory's defensive pressure played a key role in the quick start as Spelman missed eight of its first nine shots from the floor while turning the ball over five times in that span.  The Eagles held the Jaguars to just 26.9 percent (18-of-59) shooting during the opening 20 minutes of play while connecting on 41.2 of their opportunities (14-of-34) in taking a commanding 42-23 lead at intermission.

Spelman scored the first six points of the second stanza to draw within 43-29 and trailed, 45-31 with 17:20 left on the clock before an 8-0 spurt by Emory, keyed by four points from Boyd and two points apiece by Turner and Smith, upped its lead to 53-31 with just under 15 minutes remaining. 

Emory finished the contest with a 44.3 percent mark from the floor while Spelman ended up shooting 30.5 percent.  The 93 points represented the high total during Thomaskutty's tenure as head coach and was the 13th highest single-game total in school history.  The Eagles set a school single-game mark with 47 free throw attempts while their 32 makes tied the second highest total. 

"We are pleased with both getting the win and having the opportunity to play everybody," Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty said after the game. "I thought we a got a lot of contributions for a number of players so in that aspect it was a total team win.  I thought Kendall Boyd played a strong all-around game and that we really got a boost from Mary Smith as well." Emory will play in the Tournament championship game on Saturday evening starting at 8:00 p.m. against either the University of the South or Montclair State.

EMORY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SQUAD OPENS '07-08 SEASON BY
HOSTING TOURNAMENT
           
(Nov. 15) - TOURNAMENT FACTS - The Emory women's basketball team opens the 2007-08 season this Friday and Saturday (Nov. 16-17) when it hosts the inaugural Emory Tip-Off Tournament.  Joining the Eagles in the tourney will be Spelman College, Montclair State and University of the South.  Emory will battle Spelman on Friday at 6:00 pm followed by Montclair State vs. South at 8:00 p.m.  On Saturday, the consolation game tips at 6:00 pm with the championship contest starting at 8:00 p.m.  All games will be played on the Woodruff PE Center on the Emory campus.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty (Tulane, '96) enters her fifth season at the helm of the program.  She assumed control of the program prior to the start of the 2003-04 season. 

LaVon Mercer (National Louis Univ., ‘95) starts his 10th season as head coach of Spelman College.  After playing for the University of Georgia (1976-80), Mercer played overseas for 15 years including a 14-year stint in Israel as a member of the European Professional Basketball Association.

Leading Montclair State into the weekend is Karin Harvey (Aquinas College, '97), who was named interim head coach in September.  A former assistant with the Red Hawks for two seasons, Harvey returned to Montclair State after serving as head coach at Drew University during the 2006-07 campaign where she guided the Rangers to a 13-14 won-lost ledger. 

Entering his fifth year as head coach at the University of the South, Dickie McCarthy (Georgia, '77) has registered a school and career record of 51-51.  The 10th head coach in school history, McCarthy stands third in career wins at South.  

2006-07 RECORDS - Emory closed out the 2006-07 season with an overall record of 10-15 including a 7-8 mark in home contests.

Spelman concluded last season with an overall record of 7-13.  A member of the Great South Athletic Conference, the Jaguars compiled a 3-9 showing in league outings.

Montclair State, a member of the New Jersey Athletic Conference, chalked up an impressive 18-10 overall record last season.  The Red Hawks finished with a 10-3 conference effort, good for second place in the NJAC North Division.

The University of the South is coming off a 9-15 record last season.  A member of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, the Tigers finished 3-11 in league affairs.   

SERIES RECORDS -  In  a series that dates from 1991, Emory claims a 3-1 all-time mark against Spelman.  The last meeting took place on Feb. 18, 1998, when the Eagles recorded a 59-38 win at home.  Each team owns a win on Emory's home court.

Emory and South began its series in 1988 and the Eagles have captured 25 of 34 contests between the schools.  In games played at Emory, the Eagles stand 13-4 against the Tigers.  Last season, Emory edged South by a 63-60 margin in a game played at the Woodruff PE Center. 

If Emory plays Montclair State, it will mark represent the first meeting on the hardwood between the programs.

SEASON & HOME OPENERS - Entering the Spelman game, Emory posts a 12-7 record in season-opening games while standing 15-4 in home openers.  During Thomaskutty's tenure, the Eagles show a 3-1 record in both their season and home openers.  Last year, Mary Smith totaled 20 points in sparking the Eagles to a 72-62 season-opening triumph  over Southwestern in a game played at Emory.  Friday's encounter against the Jaguars will represent the third straight year that the Eagles have opened their season at home.

Emory's Top Defensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

EMORY PLAYERS TO WATCH - The Eagles return 11 letterwinners, including four starters from last year's team.  Junior Lora Tuner (Florence, AL) is coming off a productive '06-07 season that saw her toss in a team-leading 13.1 points per game while snaring a team-best 6.5 rebounds per game.  The 5-foot-11 Turner, a second team All-UAA honoree, was the only Emory player to have started all 25 games, and scored in double figures on 20 occasions.  In addition, she either led or shared for the team's top mark in rebounding in 14 outings.

Junior Erica Kaplan (Commack, NY) looks for a carry-over from a strong second half of last year that helped her garner honorable mention All-UAA honors.  A starter in 22 of 24 games, she posted double-figure scoring games on 14 occasions including eight of her last 10 outings.  She was the club's top point producer in six games and finished with four contests of 20 or more points.  She ranked fourth in the UAA in free throw percentage in both overall (85.3%) and league affairs (89.6%).

SPELMAN PLAYERS TO WATCH --  Junior guard Ashley Covington paced the Jaguars in both scoring (13.6 ppg) and assists (3.1 apg) last season.  The 5-foot-2 Covington logged an average of 34.2 minute per outing and knocked down a team-high 39 three-point field goals. 

Senior forward April Thomas, 5-foot-10, is an imposing performer in the frontcourt and held down the No. 3 position on the team's scoresheet with an 8.6 points per-game average while grabbing a team-high 9.4 rebounds last season.

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

MONTCLAIR STATE PLAYERS TO WATCH --  The backcourt tandem of senior Jessica Garrabrant and sophomore Jackie Berry will aim to pick up the scoring slack after the Red Hawks lost their top two point producers from last season. Garrabrant, 5-foot-10, averaged 6.9 points and a team-leading 8.8 boards per outing while seeing an average of 26.6 minutes per stint.  Berry, 5-foot-6, finished with a 5.4 per-game scoring effort and was No. 2 on the club in steals (1.14 spg).

SOUTH PLAYERS TO WATCH - Sophomore guard Steffi Renninger, enjoyed a fine rookie season in '06-07 and paced the Tigers in scoring with a 14.0 points per-game average, good for a ninth-place tie among SCAC players. The 5-foot-8 Renninger was a dangerous long-range threat and drained 55 three-point field goals.

Senior Courtney Childress, 5-foot-10, made her mark on the boards finishing with a club-best 6.6 caroms per game, good for the No. 8 position on the SCAC chart