Emory Men's Basketball Hits The Road For UAA Action

GAME FACTS - After notching a win in its final non-conference game of the regular season last week, the Emory men's basketball team returns to University Athletic Association play when it faces road tests at New York University and Brandeis University.  On Friday (Jan. 22), The Jerome S. Coles Center on the NYU campus will serve as the venue for the 46^th meeting the Eagles and Violets and tip is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Red Auerbach Arena on the Brandeis campus will be the site of the 45^th battle between the two schools on Sunday with that contest starting at noon.

THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is third-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson, '94)  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).

In his 22nd season as the head coach at New York University is Joe Nesci (Brooklyn College, 1979).  During his tenure with the Violets, he has recorded a school and career won-lost mark of 380-179.

Brian Meehan (Clark University, 1986) is in his seventh campaign of directing the fortunes of the Brandeis program.  Heading into a Friday night match-up against Rochester, Meehan had compiled a school ledger of 107-64.  In 14 years as a head coach, which includes a seven-year stint at Salem State, Meehan owns a career slate of 267-103.  

2009-10 RECORDS - Emory takes an overall record of 10-4 (2-1 UAA) into the Friday night affair at NYU.   In their last outing, the Eagles won at Piedmont College by a 70-60 count that extended their win streak to three games.   The team's won-lost effort represents the program's best 14-game start since the 1997-98 campaign when that club also posted a similar record.  So far this season the Eagles stand 5-2 in home games as well as road/neutral contests.

NYU will host Emory with an overall mark of 10-4 that includes a 1-2 effort in conference affairs.  Last weekend, the Violets came out on the short end of a pair of road contests, 65-58 at the University of Chicago and 60-57 at Washington University.

Brandeis, ranked No. 15 among Division III teams by D3hoops.com, takes an overall record of 11-2 (2-1 UAA) into the weekend.  The Judges, winners of their last three games, captured a pair of league encounters last weekend, 58-55 in overtime at Washington University and 75-69 at Chicago.  

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Zimmerman    

SERIES RECORDS -  NYU holds a 30-15 advantage in the all-time series with Emory.  The teams split last year's series with the Violets claiming a 57-55 win at the Woodruff PE Center before the Eagles bounced back to come away with an 80-79 overtime decision at NYU.  The Violets have won 16 of 23 contests played on their home floor.

Brandeis claims an all-time record of 25-19 against Emory.  The Judges have won the last 12 meetings between the schools including last year's 76-63 (at Emory) and 65-54 (at Brandeis) verdicts.

EMORY OFFENSE PUTTING UP NUMBERS - Through 14 games, the Eagles have scored 85 or more points on eight occasions compared to a total of five times for the entire 2008-09 campaign. 

Through games played Jan. 17, Emory holds down the No. 1 spot among University Athletic Association teams with an 82.0 points per game average.  The Eagles have posted 90 or more points on five occasions and also top the conference in three-point field goal percentage (.429) while ranking second in field goal percentage (.492).

CLAUNCH FIGURES PROMINENTLY IN UAA RANKINGS - Sophomore guard Austin Claunch has enjoyed a fine season thus far and heads into the upcoming weekend ranked among the top 10 performers in the UAA in six different categories. 

Claunch's team-high 12.9 points per-game average is good for the No. 9 spot on the league's chart and he holds down the No. 2 spot in both assists (6.1 apg) and free throw percentage (.848).  Other categories where he ranks include steals (5^th, 2.spg), three-point field goal percentage (t-8^th, .400) and assist/turnover ratio (5^th, 2.2).

EMORY SPREADS SCORING AROUND - Through 14 games, Emory has had five or more players score 10 or more points in six contests, a dramatic jump from last year's total of one time.  The Eagles have had six double-figure scorers in two games this year (Nov. 29, vs. LaGrange & Dec. 7 vs. Oglethorpe), the first time since the 2003-04 season that they had a pair of games with six players finishing with 10 or more points.

EMORY MAKES THE MOST OF CHARITY STRIPE ATTEMPTS --  While it was awarded just 11 opportunities from the foul line in the Piedmont contest, its second-lowest total of the year, the Eagles were sharp with their nine conversions giving them an 81.8 percent mark from the charity stripe, their fifth straight game of 75 percent or better.

After shooting 66.4 percent from the foul line (85-of-128) in its first six games, Emory has been successful on 80.3 percent (131-of-163) from the stripe in the last eight contests.  The Eagles have sank 70 percent  or better of their free throw tries in seven of the past eight outings and are
No. 2 among UAA teams in that category (.742).

THREE-POINT SHOT AN EMORY WEAPON --  Emory knocked down nine three-point field goals against Piedmont, its third straight game of nine treys.  A look at the UAA statistics through Jan. 17 sees the Eagles in the No. 1 spot with a 42.9 percent mark from beyond the arc.  Emory has hit on 40 percent or better from three-point range in six of its last eight outings.

The Eagles have seven or more treys in 10 contests and have a pair of outings of 10 or more including 15 from beyond the arc, the second-highest game total in school history, against Oglethorpe on Dec. 7. 

PLAYERS MOVING UP EMORY CAREER CHARTS - After 14 games, a pair of Emory players are moving up the school's career listings in various categories.  Daniel Curtin stands in the 10^th position with 111 three-point field goals and is seven shy of tying Blake Hollander (1994-98) for ninth place on that list.   In addition, his career effort of 37.5 percent (111-of-296) in three-point shooting is good for the No. 7 spot.

Anthony Fernandez has 346 career rebounds to his credit, good for 18^th position on the school's all-time list.  Scoring-wise, Fernandez stands 18^th with 823 points, 25 shy of tying Neil Bhutta (1997-2000) for the 17^th spot.

NOTES - Freshman Michael Friedberg led the Eagles in rebounding for the first time when he pulled down a season-high seven rebounds against Piedmont ...  In his last three games, Freidberg is averaging 7.6 points and 4.3 rebounds ... Sophomore Alex Gulotta tied his career high with 15 points against Piedmont, his second double-figure scoring performance of the campaign ... Emory has been taking care of the ball better over the last four contests, averaging 10.7 miscues in that stretch compared to its season average of 13.2 ... The Eagles post an 8-1 won-lost slate under Zimmerman when sinking 25 or more free throws ... Emory has shot 50 percent or better from the field in six games this year and stands 6-0 in those contests ... The Eagles have enjoyed an edge in rebounding on eight occasions and show a 7-1 ledger in those affairs ... Emory has attempted more free throws than the opposition in eight games ... Sophomore Corey Spraggins is fifth in the UAA with a 54.1 field goal percentage mark (46-of-85) and has shot 50 percent or better from the field in nine outings ... In games it has won, Emory is averaging 86.4 points and shooting 51.4 percent from the field ...  In games they have lost, the Eagles are scoring 71.0 points and shooting 43.8 percent from the field ... Austin Claunch enters the upcoming weekend not having missed a free throw in the month of January, sinking all 20 of his opportunities ... Claunch has made his last 22 attempts dating from the second half of the Hanover game on Dec. 19 ... Daniel Curtin saw streak of making three-point field goals come to an end at eight games against Piedmont ...  Curtin still paces all UAA players with a 50.9 percent mark (28-of-55) from beyond the arc in overall play.