January 12, 2011

GAME FACTS -  The Emory men’s basketball team continues University Athletic Association play this Friday (Jan. 14) and Sunday (Jan. 16) when it faces road contests at Washington University and the University of Chicago, respectively.  The UW Field House will serve as the site of the 47^th meeting between Wash U. and Emory and tip is slated for 8:00 p.m. (CDT).  The Ratner Center on the Chicago campus is the venue for the 48^th confrontation between the Eagles and Maroons and that game will get underway at noon (CDT).

THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is fourth-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).  Last season, Zimmerman directed the Eagles to an overall record of 15-10, the program’s first winning season since 2004-05.  In addition, Emory tied for third place in the University Athletic Association with a 7-7 slate, with its win total the most since 2000-01.  For his efforts, Zimmerman, along with assistants Chris Murphy and Ben Wright were named the UAA’s Co-Coaching Staff of the Year.

In his 30^th campaign of calling the shots for Washington University is Mark Edwards (Washington University, 1969).  Edwards will take a school and career slate of 535-244 into a Wednesday (Jan. 12) match-up with Webster University.  He has directed to the program to 15 NCAA Tournament appearances and has won a pair of national championships (2007-08 and 2008-09).
 
Mike McGrath (DePauw University, 1992) is in his 12th season as the head coach at Chicago. A three-time UAA Coach of the Year, McGrath heads into the weekend with a school and career record of 175-119. He has directed the Maroons to four conference crowns, most recently in 2007-08.

2010-11 RECORDS – Emory posts an overall record of 9-3 including a 0-1 mark in league play.  The Eagles opened the conference portion of their schedule with an 81-65 loss at Rochester last Saturday (Jan. 8).  Emory trailed by a seven-point margin with 17 minutes to go before s 10-0 run by the Yellowjackets put them up by a 17-point margin with 13 minutes remaining.  Freshman Jake Davis registered his second straight double-double with a team-high 18 points and 10 rebounds.  Junior Austin Claunch was the squad’s other double-digit scorer with 13 points. 

Heading into the Wednesday game against Webster University, Washington University stands 6-5 overall, 0-1 in the league.  The Bears dropped their conference opener last weekend at Chicago by a 79-77 score.  Wash U. is 4-0 this season in games played on its home floor.

Prior to a Friday game at home against Rochester, Chicago is 4-8 overall, 1-0 in the UAA.  The Maroons earned a win in their league opener last weekend,  topping Washington University, 79-77 at home.  UC junior Matt Johnson tallied 25 points to spearhead the win.

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Zimmerman  

SERIES RECORDS -  In a series that dates from January of 1988, Washington University holds an all-time mark of 38-8 against Emory.  The Bears have won the last nine meetings between the schools including last year’s 65-56 (at Emory) and 83-69 (at Saint Louis) decisions. 

Chicago leads in the all-time series against Emory by a 33-14 margin.  The team’s split a pair of contests last season with Emory ending an eight-game skid to the Maroons, 71-44, in Atlanta.  In the return engagement, UC came away with a 73-68 triumph.  The Maroons have captured 20 of 24 games against Emory played on their home floor.

DAVIS A KEY CONTRIBUTOR – Freshman Jake Davis continues to impress after making a fine UAA debut with his second straight double-double.  Davis put up a team-high 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the setback to Rochester and in the process became the first Emory cager since Spiros Ferderigos (Feb. 15-17, 2008) to record back-to-back double doubles. 

Davis has scored in double figures in his last eight outings, nine on the year, and has paced the club in scoring in the last three and in a total of five games this year.  The 6-foot-5 Davis has upped his scoring average to 13.6 points per game, good for fourth place on the team and 11^th in the UAA for games played through Jan. 11.  In addition, Davis finds himself in the No. 4 spot among UAA players with an 85.4 percent (41-of-48) performance from the foul line. In his last six games, he has been successful on 88.9 percent (24-of-27) of his tries from the charity stripe.

CLAUNCH TOPS UAA ASSISTS & STEALS CHART – Heading into the weekend junior, Austin Claunch ranks as the UAA leader in assists (6.4 apg) and is tied for the top spot in steals (1.9 spg).  Claunch, who holds down the No. 8 spot in assists among all Division III players, has either led or shared for the team lead in that department in all 12 contests and has six performances of seven or more assists. 

Claunch has turned in six games of two or more thefts and saw an eight-game steals streak come to an end last weekend at Rochester. 

Career-wise, Claunch has 291 career assists, good for fifth place on the school’s all-time list, and has moved into 15^th place on Emory’s career chart with 93 steals. 

GULOTTA’S 3-POINT FG STREAK CONTINUES – Junior Alex Gulotta’s streak of three-point field goals is now at 24 games.  Gulotta, whose 43 triples this season is 19^th on the Eagles’ seasonal list, owns the fifth longest streak three-point streak in school history. He is one shy of tying Kevin Felner (11/21/92 – 2/27/93) for the fourth-longest streak.

In UAA games played through Jan. 11, the 6-foot-1 Gulotta leads the UAA and is tied for ninth nationally in three-pointers per game (3.6 tpg) and is second with a 51.2 percent showing from beyond the arc, sinking 43-of-84 opportunities, good for fourth place on the national scene.   In Emory’s seven home games, he is shooting 50.0 percent (21-of-42) from distance while checking in with a solid 52.4 percent (22-of-42) effort in the team’s five games away from the Woodpec.

GREVEN LEADS UAA IN SCORING – Despite having a nine-game double-figure scoring streak snapped at Rochester, sophomore Alex Greven heads into the weekend as the team’s and UAA’s leading scorer with a 16.6 per-game average.  Greven has produced 10 outings of 10 or more points and has racked up four performances of 20 or more points. 

In addition to his scoring average, Greven holds down the No. 7 spot on the UAA ladder in free throw percentage (.827).

EMORY TOPS D-III TEAMS IN FREE THROW SHOOTING – In NCAA Division III statistics released for games played through Jan. 9, Emory holds down the No. 1 position in free throwing shooting with an effort of 80.7 percent (218-of-270).  The Eagles enter the Washington University game having shot 75.0 percent or better from the foul line in their last 10 outings.  Included in that stretch are three outings of 90 percent or higher and seven of 80 percent or better.  Emory is shooting 82.0 percent (141-of-172) from the stripe in its seven home games and 78.6 percent (77-of-98) in road/neutral contests. 

Emory has three of the league’s top 10 free throw shooters including Austin Claunch who ranks No. 2 in the loop and 34^th nationally with a showing of 88.0 percent (44-of-50).  Jake Davis (4^th, 85.4%) and Alex Greven (7^th, 82.7%) are the other Eagles to hold down top 10 slots in the UAA.

EMORY NOTES – Emory leads the UAA and is 31^st among Division III schools in scoring (82.8 ppg) … In addition to its No. 1 rank in free throw shooting, the Eagles are tied for 23^rd nationally in three-point field goals per game (8.9 tpg) … Emory has outshot six of its 12 foes from the floor this year … Emory has attempted more free throws than  the opposition in seven affairs … Gulotta has 105 career three-point field goals to his credit, good for 11^th place on the school’s all-time ladder … Junior Justin Resnick has three-point field goals in his last five games and is shooting 42.1 percent (8-of-19) from beyond the arc in that stretch.