November 11, 2009

Emory Women's Basketball Opens 2009-10 Season

GAME FACTS - The Emory University women's basketball team will open the program's 22nd season of intercollegiate play on Sunday (Nov. 15) when it plays host to LaGrange College.  Action at the Woodruff PE Center will get underway at 2:00 p.m.  Following Sunday's battle, the Eagles will venture to crosstown foe Oglethorpe University for a 7:30 p.m. contest.

The Emory vs. LaGrange game will be webcast. To access the webcast, go to www.emoryathletics.com.

NOTE -- Due to scheduled techincal maintenance by the University beginning on Saturday and continuing through the weekend, there will be no LiveStats available for the Emory-LaGrange game

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty (Tulane, '96) begins her seventh season at the helm of the program.  She assumed her current duties prior to the start of the 2003-04 campaign. 

In his third year as head coach at LaGrange College is Mark Isenhour (LaGrange, '04).  Entering the 2009-10 campaign, Isenhour has a school and career record of 25-25, including a 14-10 effort last year.

Ron Sattele begins his sixth year as head coach at Oglethorpe.  Sattele is no stranger to success, compiling an impressive 105-45 won-lost slate. Last year, he guided the Stormy Petrels to an overall mark of 27-4 that included a spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament Sweet 16.

Emory's Top Defensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

Date Opponent Pts. Allowed Result
2/6/05 Carnegie Mellon (A) 34 W, 49-34
11/28/05 LaGrange (H) 42 W, 83-42
2/17/06 Carnegie Mellon (H) 43 W, 84-43
1/2/06 Univ. of Dallas (H) 43 W, 67-43
1/25/04 Carnegie Mellon (H) 43 W, 69-43
11/28/07 LaGrange (H) 44 W, 79-44
1/5/09 Agnes Scott (H) 45 W, 85-45
11/16/07 Sewanee (H) 46 W, 71-46
2/22/08 Carnegie Mellon (A) 46 W, 69-46
12/11/06 Agnes Scott (H) 46 W, 54-46
2/20/04 Carnegie Mellon (A) 47 W, 60-47
1/28/05 Carnegie Mellon (H) 49 W, 76-49
12/9/03 Univ. of the South (H) 49 W, 53-49
1/12/09 Piedmont (H) 50 W, 77-50
11/30/03 Centre (N) 50 W, 53-50
11/21/08 N. Carolina Wesleyan 51 W, 76-51
11/19/06 Meredith (H) 52 W, 69-52
2/3/06 Brandeis (H) 52 W, 62-52
1/22/06 Carnegie Mellon (A) 52 W, 72-52
1/3/09 Huntingdon (H) 53 W, 86-53
11/27/05 Spring Hill (H) 53 W, 54-53
12/7/05 Sewanee (A) 53

L, 43-53

2008-09 RECORDS - Emory finished with its second straight winning season last year, concluding the campaign with a 13-12 record.  It represented the first time since the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons that the Eagles had put together back-to-back winning records.  Emory returns nine letterwinners from a year ago including starters in seniors Whitney Martin and Mary Smith.

The Panthers of LaGrange hope to build upon last year's 14-10 record that included a 6-6 showing in the Great South Athletic Conference.  Four returning starters highlight this year's roster for the Panthers including the top scorer, Valaree Williams (14.6 ppg) and rebounder, Cameren Farr (8.1 rpg).  

Oglethorpe's 27-4 record last year tied the school record for most wins in a season and the program ended the year ranked No. 9 in the nation.  Oglethorpe does lose considerable firepower from last season with 95 percent of the team's point production gone following the graduation of a pair of All-Americans as well as a trio of all-SCAC performers.

SERIES RECORDS - In a series that dates from December, 2001, Emory holds an all-time mark of 7-1 against LaGrange.  The Eagles have won the last five meetings between the schools including an 80-67 decision at LaGrange last year.  Emory posts a 4-0 effort against LaGrange in games played on its home floor.

Emory claims a 25-6 advantage in the all-time series with Oglethorpe with the first affair being played in January of 1992.  Last season Emory snapped a three-game losing streak to Oglethorpe when it captured an 84-85 decision over the then No. 2-ranked Stormy Petrels at the Woodruff PE Center.  Six of the last 10 games between the schools have been decided by six or fewer points.

EMORY AND SEASON/HOME OPENERS -- Sunday's game against LaGrange will mark the fifth straight year that the Eagles have opened their season at the Woodruff PE Center.  Emory has won its last four season openers and shows a record of 14-7 (5-1 under Thomaskutty) in such contests.  In home openers, The Eagles stand 17-4 (5-1 under Thomaskutty). 

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty 

Date Opponent Pts. Scored Result
11/16/07 Spelman 93 W, 93-55
11/22/08 Baruch 88 W, 88-80
1/3/09 Huntingdon 86 W, 86-53
1/5/09 Agnes Scott 85 W, 85-45
12/2/08 Oglethorpe 85 W, 85-84
12/1/04 Oglethorpe 85 W, 85-84
12/3/03 at Oglethorpe 85 W, 85-68
2/17/06 Carnegie Mellon 84 W, 84-43
11/28/04 LaGrange 83 W, 83-42
2/8/09 Carnegie Mellon 80 W, 80-65
11/18/08 at LaGrange 80 W, 80-67
2/1/08 NYU 80 W, 80-60
1/2/08 Agnes Scott 80 W, 80-67
12/11/07 at Sewanee 79 W, 79-67
11/28/07 LaGrange 79 W, 79-44
1/30/09 Carnegie Mellon 78 W, 78-73
12/6/07 at Oglethorpe 78 L, 78-87
2/22/05 Piedmont (ot) 78 L, 78-86
1/12/09 Piedmont 77 W, 77-50
2/4/07 Carnegie Mellon 77 W, 77-55
12/30/08 Birmingham Southern 76 L, 76-93
11/21/08 N. Carolina Wesleyan 76 W, 76-51
12/9/06 Tennessee Temple 76 L, 76-81
12/6/05 at Sewanee 76 W, 76-71
1/28/05 Carnegie Mellon 76 W, 76-49
2/24/04 at LaGrange 76 W, 76-63
2/8/08 Brandeis 75 W, 75-63
1/27/08 Carnegie Mellon 75 W, 75-54
1/6/07 at Case 75 W, 75-72
11/21/06 at Piedmont 75 W, 75-70
1/27/06 at NYU 75 W, 75-72
2/17/04 Oglethorpe 75 L, 75-77

 

EMORY DUO TO SERVE AS CAPTAINS - Coach Thomaskutty has announced that seniors Whitney Martin (Barrington, IL) and Keenan Whitesides (Wilmington, NC) will serve as captains of 2009-10 Emory squad.

NOTES - Heading into the 2009-10 campaign, Martin and classmate Mary Smith (Houston, TX) own the most experience on this year's squad . Smith has appeared in 74 games, 22 as a starter, in her three years while Martin has drawn starting assignments in 31 of 71 outings.  The 6-foot Martin averaged 5.7 points and was second on the squad with a 6.2 per-game effort in rebounding.  In addition, she paced the team with 30 blocked shots and begins the new season in the No. 3 spot on Emory's all-time list with 63 rejections. Smith was in the starting lineup in 11 games last season and tossed in 5.3 points per stint ... The Eagles are 13-0 during Thomaskutty's tenure as head coach when scoring 80 or more points ... Emory has an overall record of 11-2 in its last 13 November games.