THE NEED TO KNOWS
NIU (18-8, 11-4 MAC) at Eastern Michigan (6-21, 1-14 MAC)
Ypsilanti, Mich. (Convocation Center)
Tipoff: Feb. 25, 2:30 p.m.
Video: ESPN3
Radio: WLBK 98.9 FM/1360 AM
Live Stats: EMUEagles.com
 
MATCHUP DETAILS
NIU trails Eastern Michigan in the all-time series, 34-12; trails in Ypsilanti, 18-4
 
FREE THROWS
• NIU is No. 4 in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 87.1 points per game, and have scored at least 90 points 10 times.
• Northern Illinois University has never swept the regular season series versus Eastern Michigan since the teams first met in 1981.
• NIU has won seven of its last eight on the road dating back to Dec. 20 at UMKC. The Huskies nine wins on the road are the most since winning 10 in 1993-94.
• The Huskies are the only team in the country with five players averaging 10-or-more points per game.
• After setting the single-season record for three-pointers versus Ball State last Saturday, Courtney Woods' 17-point night at Central Michigan moved her up to No. 4 in the all-time sophomore scoring annals at Northern Illinois University with 440 points this season (16.9/G).
• Ally Lehman picked up her second-straight MAC West Player of the Week award and fifth of the season on Tuesday. Lehman averaged 30 points and 8.5 rebounds to pick up her sixth career award, tying the all-time mark for the 7most player of the week awards in a career.
• NIU has overcome deficits of 10-points or larger four times this season and nine times in the last four years, the highest total by a four-year class at NIU in the last 12 years.
• With three regular season games remaining, the Huskies scoring average is currently the fourth-best in Mid-American Conference history and highest clip since Toledo averaged 83.6 in 1996-97.
 
NEW STANDARD IN SOPHOMORE SCORING
• Through 26 games, Courtney Woods has been amongst the Huskies top two scorers this season, currently averaging 16.9 points per game.
• With her 17 points at CMU, Woods improved her season point total to 440, cracking the Huskies top-four scoring mark by a sophomore, passing Cindy Connor's 425 points in 1990-91. Connor achieved the mark in 34 games.
• Woods is 108 points shy of Lisa Foss' record of 548 points in 28 games during the 1987-88 season.
 
PAYBACK IN THE POST
• In the first meeting with the Chippewas on Feb. 8, the Huskies finished -28 on the glass as Central Michigan outrebounded NIU, 58-30, with 21 offensive boards and 37 rebounds on the defensive glass.
• As a collective group, the Huskies equalized CMU's rebounding total last time out with 45 rebounds apiece. Northern Illinois was +10 on the offensive glass but were -10 on the other end of the floor.
• NIU also reduced the CMU's point total in the paint from 55 in the first meeting to 44 in Wednesday's showdown.
• Central Michigan boasts three starters over 6-0, led by Tinara Moore (6-3) and Jewel Cotton (6-2), to NIU's two. Kelly Smith is Huskies tallest starter at 6-1.
 
POUNDING THE PAINT WITH POTENCY
• For the first time in regulation this season, the NIU women's basketball team scored 60+ points in the paint as it accounted for 64 points versus CMU, almost 75 percent of the team's total points.
• Northern Illinois University also accounted for a +20 scoring margin in the paint, last doing so versus Illinois State on Nov. 26.
• The Huskies scored 60 points in the paint versus Milwaukee on Nov. 16 when they went to double-overtime and defeated the Panthers, 114-104.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
• Eastern Michigan is 1-14 in Mid-American Conference play with a 6-21 overall record, picking up its lone triumph on Jan. 25 versus Bowling Green, 81-74.
• The Eagles have dropped their last seven games but have battled in their last three games, falling by single digits versus Buffalo, at Western Michigan and at Toledo.
• Four different players, led by Sasha Dailey, are averaging 10-or-more points this season as Dailey is scoring 16.3 points per game. Phillis Webb is not far behind with 14.5 points per game while leading on the boards with 8.6 points per game.
• EMU has caused its opponents to commit 404 turnovers thus far.
• The Eagles are 4-8 at the Convocation Center in Ypsilanti.
 
THE HUSKIE AND EAGLE HISTORY LESSON
• Northern Illinois University and Eastern Michigan tipped off conference play on Dec. 31 in DeKalb and played a contentious first period until the Huskies asserted themselves in the second period to take a 15-point lead into the locker room, 41-26.
• NIU would go on to defeat the Eagles, 85-73, as Ally Lehman finished one assist shy of a triple-double with 11 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in 34 minutes.
• Kelly Smith led the Huskies offensively with 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting while EMU's Phillis Webb scored 30 points and pulled down 14 rebounds.
• In the last four years, NIU has opened the series with Eastern Michigan at home and is 3-1 in those contests while going 1-3 in Ypsilanti with its lone win occurring in the MAC Tournament First Round, an 81-76 overtime victory by NIU.
 
NEXT UP
• The Huskies will hold Senior Night ceremonies for Cassidy Glenn, Amber Gray and Ally Lehman as NIU hosts Toledo on Wednesday, March 1.
• Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. Central as the game will air live on American Sports Network and ESPN3.