GAME FACTS – The Emory men's basketball team opens University Athletic Association play on Saturday (Jan. 11) when it plays host to the University of Rochester. The Woodruff PE Center on the Emory campus will serve as the venue of the 65th meeting between the Eagles and Yellowjackets and tip is slated for 4:00 pm.
Both a video stream and live stats will be provided with Mark Harmon serving as the play-by-play announcer for the webcast. The links for stats and video are as follows.
Live Stats
https://emoryathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2019-20/boxscores/20200111_up8s.xml
Video Stream
https://emoryathletics.com/sports/mbkb/live
THE COACHES – Jason Zimmerman (Davidson, 1994) is in his 13th year of patrolling the Emory sideline. Named head coach in April of 2007, Zimmerman came to Emory after serving as an assistant coach at the University of Evansville (2003-04 through 2006-07). Prior to his stint with the Aces, Zimmerman was an assistant at Davidson College for seven years (1996-97 through 2002-03).
During his tenure with the Eagles, he ranks as the program's winningest coach, compiling a
school and career record of 224-104. In games played at the Woodruff PE Center, Zimmerman posts a 129-30 ledger and claims a 95-74 mark in road/neutral settings.
He has guided Emory to 10 straight winning seasons and seven consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019), tying the longest streak in the history of the University Athletic Association.
After going 17-33 his first two years at Emory, Zimmerman has compiled a won-lost slate of 207-71 (.746) since the 2009-10 season. He posts a 14-10 won-lost effort against Rochester.
Luke Flockerzi is in his 10th year at the helm of the Rochester program and has notched a school record of 168-79. During his run at UT, Flockerzi has totaled four seasons of 20 or more wins and four trips to the NCAA D-III Tournament. In 13 campaigns as a head coach, which includes a three-year stay at Skidmore College (2007-08 through 2009-10), Flockerzi holds a career ledger of 198-125.
2019-20 RECORDS – Emory, ranked No. 6 in this week's D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll, closed out the non-conference portion of the schedule with a 10-1 record. The Eagles saw a 10-game win streak snapped on Dec. 30 when they came out on the short end of a 70-69 verdict to then No. 21 Guilford. Juniors Matthew Schner and Romin Williams led the team's scoring attack with 16 points apiece while classmate Lawrence Rowley paced the club with nine rebounds. Emory is 5-1 on its home floor this season, 5-0 in away/neutral contests.
Rochester invades the Woodpec with a 9-2 slate. The Yellowjackets are coming off a 76-57 win at home over RIT on Tuesday. UR, 8-0 at home and 1-2 in road affairs, is receiving votes in the D3hoops.com Poll.
SERIES RECORDS – In a series that dates from January of 1988, Rochester holds an all-time record of 36-28 against Emory, though the Eagles have captured eight of the last 10 meetings. The teams split last year's two games with the Yellowjackets winning on their home floor, 87-76, and Emory posting a 92-82 triumph at the Woodpec in the regular-season finale that secured the UAA title. The Eagles stand 21-11 against Rochester on their home floor and have been victorious in the last nine games played in Atlanta.
EMORY PUTTING UP THE POINTS – The Emory attack is generating 91.1 points per game with that average topping all University Athletic Association teams while ranking 10th in the D-III ranks (through Jan. 6). The Eagles toss in 82.8 points over their six home dates and 101.0 in five away/neutral affairs.
In breaking down scoring by halves, Emory is putting up 44 points during the opening 20 minutes of play and 47.1 in the second half. The Eagles have totaled 50 or more points in seven halves of action.
EMORY TOUGH ON THE GLASS – While the explosive Emory offense is well documented, the Eagles have been solid in the rebounding department, enjoying an edge in that category on nine occasions including five outings by 10 or more boards, most recently a 53-37 bulge against UW-Oshkosh (Dec. 29) in the opening game of the Emory Holiday Classic.
After 11 games, Emory holds a +10.6 rebound margin, good for the No. 2 spot in the league ladder and 8th among all D-III schools. The Eagles are pulling down an average of 14.1 rebounds on the offensive end of the floor, good for the No. 1 spot on the conference chart, which has aided them in registering 175 second-chance points (15.9 scppg). Through games played Jan. 6, a check at the UAA stats show that junior Lawrence Rowley sits No. 2 on the UAA ladder in rebound average (9.3 rpg) while Matthew Schner holds down the No. 10 slot (6.5 rpg).
THREE BALL A KEY WEAPON FOR EMORY – Emory's affinity for the trey ball has resulted in a conference-best 10.7 triples per game, with that mark ranking 25th nationally. The Eagles will head into the Rochester game with 10 or more treys to their credit in the last three and in a total of eight games this season. Back on Dec. 7 Emory drained a season-best 15 three-pointers against Piedmont, tying the program's eighth-highest game total.
The Eagles shot a solid 41.1 percent (23-of-56) from distance at the Holiday Classic, and their season mark of 39.3 percent (118-of-300) is second in the UAA and 29th in D-III. Emory has shot 40 percent or better from beyond the arc on five occasions this year.
Romin Williams is second among league performers with an average of 3.0 treys per contest while Matt Davet stands third with an effort of 2.9 per outing. Williams has multiple treys in nine games while Davet has three or more triples to his credit in seven outings. Matthew Schner finds himself in the No. 8 position on the conference chart at 2.4 three-pointers per game.
EMORY STRONG AT THE STRIPE – Emory sits atop the UAA chart and stands 26th nationally with a 77.0 percent showing (198-of-257) from the foul line. The Eagles have been successful on 70 percent from the stripe in eight games.
In its six home games, Emory has converted 70.7 (82-of-116) of its foul shots while draining 82.2 percent (116-of-141) in the five away/neutral contests.
The Eagles claim three of the conference's top-10 free throw shooters -- Matt Davet's standard of 84.1 percent (37-of-44) is fourth on the conference ladder while Romin Williams' 83.1 percent (54-of-65) mark is good for the No. 7 spot. Rounding out the trio is Matt Schner at 81.8 percent (36-of-44), good for eighth place.
MOVING UP THE LADDER – Romin Williams has 33 three-point field goals through 11 contests, upping his career total to 174 which is good for fifth place on the school's all-time ladder, just five shy of tying Alex Gulotta (2008-12) for the No. 4 position … Williams has cracked the school's all-time Top-20 in scoring with his 1,081 points placing him 14th on that list … Matt Davet has totaled 122 career three-point field goals and is tied with former sharpshooter Daniel Curtin (2006-10) for 16th on the Eagles' all-time ladder … In addition, Davet has logged a total of 851 points during his Emory tenure … Matt Schner has connected on 54.1 percent (66-of-122) of his field goal attempts, second on the squad and ninth among league cagers … Schner ranks as the program's career leader in field goal shooting at 57.1 percent (205-of-359) … Junior Nick Stuck stands 10th all-time at Emory with 214 assists.
ROWLEY SCORING AND BOARDING – Lawrence Rowley has been a consistent performer for the Eagles, scoring in double figures on nine occasions while snatching 10 or more rebounds in five outings. Through games played Jan. 6, Rowley, ranks 12th among UAA players and fourth on the team's score sheet with an average of 14.0 points per contest. His 9.3 per-game effort in rebounding is second in the conference, and he has finished as the Eagles' top performer on the glass in the last three and a total of six games this year. He has four double-doubles to his credit this season (nine in career), most recently an 11-point, career-high 10-rebound performance in the 87-80 win over UW-Oshkosh.
The 6-foot-5 Rowley stands as the squad's most accurate shooter, converting 60.4 percent (58-of-96) from the field, good for the No. 4 spot on the UAA leader board. He has been successful on 50 percent or better on his field goal attempts in all 11 games.
EMORY PICKED AS TEAM TO BEAT IN UAA – Emory was picked as the team to beat in the University Athletic Association in a preseason poll conducted by the league coaches, picking up seven of the eight first-place votes cast. Washington University nabbed the other first-place ballot and was picked for second. Brandeis and Chicago were slotted in third and fourth place, respectively.
WILIAMS TABBED AS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN -- Romin Williams was selected as a Preseason Honorable Mention All-American by D3hoops.com. Williams was the lone UAA player to be recognized by D3hoops.com. Chosen to all-region teams by both the National Association of Basketball Coaches and D3hoops.com a year ago, Williams ranked as the Eagles' top scorer on eight occasions and rang up 450 points, the fourth-highest total by an Emory sophomore.
NOTES & NUGGETS – Nick Stuck is third among UAA players and 15th in D-III in assists (6.4 apg) … Romin Williams and Matt Schner have scored in double figures in each of the Eagles' opening nine contests … When Romin Williams notched his 1,000th career point in the LaGrange game (Dec. 4), he became the second-fastest player in school history to reach that plateau (61 games), trailing only Jake Davis who accomplished it in 60 contests … Emory's school-record 124 points against Pfeiffer bettered the previous mark of 116 set twice – vs. Carnegie Mellon on Jan. 20, 2019, and Trinity University (TX) on Dec. 1, 2018 … Emory's back-to-back 62-point halves vs. Pfeiffer tied the fifth-highest point totals by a Zimmerman-coached Eagle squad.
DID YOU KNOW -- Since the 2010-11 season, Emory has the No. 1 record among UAA teams in overall (192-61) play and the second-best mark in league action (91-35) .… Washington University has the conference's second-best overall ledger (182-64) and the top slate in conference play (93-33) … That Emory has at least one three-point field goal in its last 582 games -- The last time the Eagles failed to convert from beyond the arc came on Feb. 14, 1997, vs. Washington University (0-of-6) … Emory was won 55 of its last 56 games when allowing 69 or fewer points (3-0 in '19-20, 5-0 in '18-19, 11-0 in '17-18, 7-1 in '16-17, 13-0 in '15-16, 16-0 in '14-15) … Emory posts a 39-5 ledger in games since the 2016-17 season when it has converted 10 or more three-pointers in a contest (7-1 in '19-20, 11-2 in '18-19, 11-0 in 2017-18, 10-2 in '16-17 … The Eagles have won 47 of their last 49 games at the Woodruff PE Center against non-league foes … Emory is 111-14 (.893) over its last 125 home contests … The Eagles have recorded 100 or more points 55 times in program history and own a 49-6 won-lost record in those affairs … During Jason Zimmerman's tenure as head coach, Emory has 24 contests of 100 or more points and stands 22-2 in such games … Since the 2012-13 season, the Eagles are 122-8 when outshooting the opposition from the floor (7-1 in '19-20, 16-1 in 2018-19, 16-1 in '17-18, 17-1 in '16-17, 12-3 in '15-16, 18-0 in '14-15) … During Jason Zimmerman's tenure as head coach, Emory stands 184-22 when leading at halftime (8-1 in '19-20, 20-2 in 2018-19, 19-1, in '17-18, 13-0 in '16-17; 18-3 in 2015-16).