GAME FACTS – The Emory women's basketball team looks to get back into the win column this weekend when it faces a pair of University Athletic Association road contests.   On Friday (Feb. 14), the Eagles battle Carnegie Mellon at the Tartans' Skibo Gymnasium in a 6:00 pm tip before meeting Case Western Reserve on Sunday at the Horsburgh Gymnasium in a scheduled 2:00 pm start. 

THE COACHES – Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty (Tulane, '96) is in her 11th season in charge of the Eagles.  She assumed her current duties prior to the start of the 2003-04 campaign and owns a school and career mark of 146-127.  Thomaskutty has guided the Eagles to three consecutive winning campaigns, the program's longest streak since an eight-year run starting in 1992-93 through 1999-2000

In 2012-13, Thomaskutty directed the program to an overall record of 24-4, and its first-ever UAA title (12-2).  Emory earned the school's first bid to the NCAA Tournament since 1997, advancing to the third round.  For her efforts, Thomaskutty and her staff were recognized as the UAA Coaches of the Year. In addition, she was recognized by D3hoops.com as the South Region Coach of the Year.  

Jennifer Reimer (Lycoming, '94) is in her seventh season at the helm of the Case Western Reserve program.  Reimer has guided the Spartans to five winning seasons and last year's 16 victories represented the highest total for the program since 2001-02.  In 17 years as a head coach, Reimer begins the weekend with a career mark of 244-184.

2013-14 RECORDS – Emory will meet Carnegie Mellon with an overall record of 15-5, including a 4-5 slate in UAA action.    The Eagles have dropped five of their last six contests including last weekend's decisions at Chicago (85-76) and No. 2-ranked Washington University (91-55). 

Emory is 8-1 in home games and 7-4 in road/neutral contests. 

Carnegie Mellon hosts Emory with an overall ledger of 11-9, 2-7 in the league.  The Tartans have suffered defeats in five of their past six outings and are coming off road setbacks to New York University (85-81) and Brandeis (56-56).  CMU is 6-3 on games contested on its home floor.

Case Western will entertain Rochester on Friday aiming to end an eight-game losing streak that has dropped its overall record to 7-13, 1-8 in the UAA.  The Spartans lost at Brandeis (71-58) and NYU (72-56) last weekend.

SERIES RECORDS – Emory claims a 33-17 edge in the series with Carnegie Mellon that saw the first game played in December of 1988.  Emory has won the last seven meetings against the Tartans including a 70-68 overtime verdict earlier this year (Jan. 17) in Atlanta.  The Eagles have won 14 of the 25 games that have been played on CMU's home floor. 

Case Western checks in with a 23-18 all-time mark against Emory with the series having its origins in December of 1988.   The Eagles have won the last three encounters including a 76-52 triumph back on Jan. 19) in Atlanta.  CWRU is 14-7 vs. Emory on its home floor.

KANIUT PICKS UP OFFENSIVE PACE – Freshman Shellie Kaniut (Vienna, VA) led the team's scoring efforts in the Chicago and Wash U games last weekend, totaling a season-high 15 points against the Maroons before finishing with 12 points vs. WU.   Kaniut shot 45 percent (9-of-20) from the floor in the two contests and connected on eight-of-10 free throw opportunities.

Kaniut has led the team's scoring efforts on four occasions this year and has chalked up seven double-figure scoring efforts. 

WHITMER CONTINUES INSPIRED PLAY – Senior Gabi Whitmer continues her solid play during the conference portion of the schedule, averaging 11.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in this past weekend's games.  In her seventh start of the campaign, Whitmer recorded her second double-double of the season with 14 points (second highest career total) and a game-high tying 11 rebounds against Chicago.  She sank seven of her 11 field goal attempts against the Maroons en route to notching her third double-figure scoring effort of the season.   Whitmer followed that contest by totaling eight points and four rebounds vs. WU in 16 minutes of action.  She sank a pair of three-point field goals against the Bears, marking her first career triples in an Emory uniform.

Whitmer's 11 caroms against Chicago was the second-highest total by an Eagle this season, and she will enter the weekend with a 4.9 per-game average in rebounding in overall play, good for the No. 2 spot on the club.  She leads the squad in rebounding with a 6.1 per-game showing,  good for the No. 12 spot among UAA players.   Whitmer is the league leader in offensive rebounds per game (3.9 orpg) in conference games. 

LILLY'S CAREER COMES TO AN END – Hannah Lilly saw her season and career come to an untimely end when she suffered a knee injury in the second half of the Wash U game played at Emory on Feb. 9.   Lilly had scored at a 13.5 per-game clip this year with that mark good for the No. 7 position on the league ladder. 

A double-figure scorer in 70 career contests, Lilly holds down fourth place on Emory's all-time scoring list with 1,302 points.  Her 46 treys this year  boosted her career total to 221, good for the No. 2 position on the school's all-time list behind only Mandy Jackson's ('91-95) top mark of 243.  She was a First Team All-UAA selection as a sophomore and junior after garnering second-team recognition her freshman year.  In addition, she was a Honorable Mention All-American in 2011-12. 

CASTILLO TOPS UAA IN STEALS – Senior Selena Castillo (Tampa, FL) registered a team-high tying three steals in the Wash U game last Sunday and continues to lead the UAA while ranking 25^th among D-III players in that category with a 3.3 per-game average with that mark currently good for the No. 1 spot on the Eagles' seasonal chart.  

Castillo starts play this weekend with 12 outings of three or more thefts this year, and her 66 steals are fourth on the Eagles' yearly ladder while her 212 career thefts are third all-time at the school.  Holding down the No. 2 spot on that list is Mandy Jackson (1991-95) with 217 while Amy Carter (1993-97) holds the all-time mark with 228.  

MORGAN DIRECTS EMORY ATTACK--  Heading into the Carnegie Mellon contest, Savannah Morgan  continues to pace the squad in both scoring and assists. Morgan's 14.5 points-per-game average in overall play ties for third among UAA players, while her 5.3 assists average is good for the top spot on the league ladder and 28^th nationally in NCAA stats released on Monday (Feb. 10).  

Morgan doled out seven assists in the Chicago game last weekend, her sixth outing of seven and 10^th of six or more assists this season.  She has totaled 106 assists thus far in 2013-14, good for 11^th place on Emory's seasonal chart.

Morgan is among the conference's top 10 performers in a total of eight categories including free throw percentage (7^th, .750), steals (3^rd, 2.5 spg), three-point field goal percentage (7^th, .368), assist/turnover ratio (1st, 2.5, 15^st nationally), minutes (2^nd, 31.7 mpg) and three pointers per game (t-8^th, 1.3 tpg).

Morgan has come up with 16 double-figure scoring performances and has five outings of 20 or more points this year.  She has led the Eagles in scoring in seven games this season.

Career-wise, Morgan ranks ninth in career scoring at Emory with 1,068 points.  She stands as the school's all-time leader with 497 assists and is fourth in career steals with 191.  

STEALS LEADING TO POINTS –  Emory rang up 25 steals last weekend, 16 against Chicago and nine against Wash U.  The Eagles have come up with 10 or more steals in 17 games this year, and they lead the UAA and rank eighth nationally in that category with a 14.3 per-game average.   Emory boasts three of the UAA's top seven performers in steals led by Selena Castillo's league-leading mark of 3.3  Savannah Morgan holds down No. 3 position with a 2.5 per-game average while sophomore Khadijah Sayyid is fourth (2.3 spg).  

Emory's 25 thefts in the two games helped account for 52 opponent turnovers, which in turn led to Emory generating 42 points.  After 20 outings, Emory enjoys a 516-213 advantage in the points off turnovers category (25.8 ppg vs. 10.6 ppg).  

MORGAN REACHES 1,000 POINT PLATEAU – Savannah Morgan became the ninth player in program history to reach the 1,000-point plateau when she finished with 14 points in the Brandeis contest (Jan. 26).  Morgan posted 11 points in the NYU contest that brought her to within three points heading into the Brandeis game. She chalked up point 1,001 on her second bucket of the game that came with 14:53 left in the first half.

NOTES –  Emory has led by double figures at halftime this year on eight occasions … The Eagles have held the opposition to 20 or fewer points in six halves this season … Savannah Morgan's four steals against Chicago represented her 13^th game of the year with multiple thefts … Khadijah Sayyid recorded seven steals against Chicago, her second-highest career total and 10^th multiple-theft game of this year … As a team, Emory has 286 steals which ranks as the program's fourth-highest seasonal total … Emory tops the UAA and is No. 2 nationally in turnover margin (12.3) … Senior Marissa Resnick knocked down a career-high tying three three-point field goals in the Wash U game last Sunday and finished with nine points, her second-highest total of the year …  Emory has outshot the opposition from three-point range in six of nine league contests and stands 3rd in the UAA in three-point field goal percentage defense, allowing,  surrendering 29.9 percent (41-of-137) from beyond the arc … The Eagles' 10 three pointers vs. Case (Jan. 19) was the third time they finished in double figures in that category while the 55.6 percent (10-of-18) showing from distance was a season high … Emory finished the Chicago game with a 44-35 edge in rebounding, snapping a five-game streak where the opposition had enjoyed an edge in that category … Emory grabbed a season-high 27 offensive rebounds against UC, its fourth game of the year with 20 or more boards on that end of the floor …  Emory has grabbed 12 or more offensive boards in 18 games … The Eagles are outpointing the opposition by a 74.2-62.8 margin in the nine games that have been played at the Woodruff PE Center … In road/neutral venues, the Eagles hold a 71.5-61.5 per-game scoring advantage …  The Eagles have turned the ball over fewer times than their opposition in all 20 games … Emory has nine double-digit victories to its credit and its +10.7 scoring margin is fourth in the conference and 42^nd nationally … The Eagles are snaring 16.3 offensive caroms per contest vs. 11.2 for opponents … Opponents have attempted more free throws than Emory in 15 games this year … The Eagles have outscored the opposition in 24 of 40 halves … Emory has won 16 of its last 17 and 32 of its last 36 home games … Emory is averaging 35.5 points during the first half of play (28.7 for the opposition) and 36.8 over the final 20 minutes of action (32.9 for the opposition) … The Eagles have won their last 14 and are 38-4 during Thomaskutty's tenure as head coach when scoring 80 or more points (4-0 in 2013-14, 7-0 in 2012-13 … Emory has trailed at halftime on three occasions this year (36-31 vs. Salem, 37-30 vs. Maryville and 38-28 vs. Piedmont) but have bounced back to win …  Emory's come-from-behind win at Piedmont on Dec. 31 represented the first time since Jan. 24, 2010, that an Eagle team had rallied to win after facing a double-digit halftime deficit.  Emory trailed Piedmont by a 38-28 margin before earning a 73-70 victory.  In the 2010 game at Brandeis, the Eagles trailed by a 35-24 margin at the break before finishing with a 73-65 decision … Emory set a school record with 14 three-point field goals in the LaGrange contest (Nov. 26), topping the 13 triples the Eagles converted against Brandeis on Jan. 15, 2012.