Emory Women's Basketball Faces Road Test At Covenant College -- Makes Home Debut vs. LaGrange

GAME FACTS – The Emory University women's basketball team will face a pair of pre-Thanksgiving opponents when it ventures to Covenant College on Monday (Nov. 21) before making its 2011-12 home debut on Wednesday (Nov. 23) against LaGrange College.  The Barnes Physical Education Center on the Covenant College campus will serve as the site of the third-ever meeting between the Eagles and Lady Scots and tip is slated for 6:00 p.m.  The Woodruff PE Center is the setting for the 11^th contest between Emory and LaGrange and that start is also slated for 6:00 p.m.

THE COACHES – Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty (Tulane, '96) is in her ninth season at the helm of the program.  She assumed her current duties prior to the start of the 2003-04 campaign.  She is assisted by Katherine Menendez, Kim Coleman, Jessica Davis and Chelsea MacDonald.

In his second year as the head coach at Covenant College is Corey Mullins.  Prior to taking over the program for the 2010-11 campaign, Mullins spent a couple of years as the head  coach at Kentucky Christian University where he compiled a won-lost record of 36-29.

Mark Isenhour is in his fifth campaign in directing the fortunes of the LaGrange College program.  Heading into the contest against Emory, he has recorded a school and career mark of 65-38.  Last year, Isenhour guided the Panthers to a 20-5 slate, the most wins in school history.

Emory's Top Defensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty

2011-12 RECORDS – Emory heads into the week with a 0-1 record.  The Eagles opened their season last Tuesday with an 80-79 setback at Oglethorpe.  Emory had six players register double figures in scoring led by sophomore guard Selena Castillo who totaled a team-high 15 points followed by senior forward Becca Feldman who chipped in 14 points. 

Covenant College stands 1-1 following a 74-69 victory over Spelman College on Saturday.  The Lady Scots opened their season with a 76-60 setback to Berry College. Covenant's game against Emory will be the third in a season-opening four-game homestand.

LaGrange comes to Atlanta with a 1-1 record following its play at the Millsaps College Tipoff Tournament this past weekend.  The Panthers opened with a 94-87 overtime loss to Louisiana College before posting an 82-73 decision over Blue Mountain.

SERIES RECORDS –  Emory holds a 2-0 advantage in the all-time series with Covenant College.  The teams last met on Nov. 21, 2009, at the Woodruff PE Center with the Eagles coming away with a 73-61 victory.  Monday's game will mark Emory's first trip to Lookout Mountain, Tenn.

Emory stands 7-3 all-time against LaGrange, however the Panthers have won the last two encounters including last season's 84-83 decision at LaGrange.  Savannah Morgan topped the team's scoring effort in the game with 15 points while Misha Jackson pulled down 11 rebounds.  The Eagles have been victorious over LaGrange in four of five games played at the Woodruff PE Center.

EMORY AND HOME OPENERS – Emory claims an all-time mark of 18-5 in its home openers and has captured five of its last six contests.  Coach Thomaskutty claims a 6-2 record in home openers.

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Thomaskutty 

EMORY TRIO TO SERVE AS CAPTAINS – Coach Thomaskutty has announced that senior Melissa Koike (San Francisco, CA) along with juniors Danielle Landry (Vienna, VA) and Misha Jackson (Atlanta) will serve as captains for the 2011-12 season. 

NOTES – Castillo's team-high 15 points against Oglethorpe represented a career high and was her fourth double-figure scoring performance of her career …Misha Jackson's 10 boards was her fourth double-figure effort in that category as an Eagle … Becca Feldman's 14 points vs. Oglethorpe represented her 20^th double-figure scoring performance and her four three-point field goals upped her career total to 51, just one shy of tying Jenny Kraus (2005-09) for 13^th place all-time on the school's all-time list … The Eagles are 18-3 during Thomaskutty's tenure as head coach when scoring 80 or more points.