U-M to Hold Kids Day, Non-Conference Finale Monday
12/20/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 20, 2014
 | Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan |  | ||
| Kids Day, ZOOperstars!, Postgame Free Throws/Autographs | ||||
The University of Michigan women's basketball team (7-3) completes the non-conference portion of its schedule on Monday (Dec. 22), hosting Washtenaw County opponent Eastern Michigan (6-3). The game tips at noon as part of Kids Day with pregame activities taking place in the William Davidson Player Development Center and the concourse of Crisler Center. [ More Information | Tickets ]
• Michigan leads the all-time series against EMU, 16-9, and has won two in a row over the Eagles. This is the fifth straight season that the teams have faced off against each other.
• The Maize and Blue is currently ranked No. 19 in the latest edition of the NCAA RPI. U-M is the third-highest ranked Big Ten school.
• Sophomore Danielle Williams made the second start of her career and first of the season in Michigan's 79-43 win over Canisius on Friday (Dec. 19). She made the most of it, scoring six points and setting career highs in minutes (21), rebounds (7), assists (3) and steals (2). Williams' start came almost a year to the day after her first one, which was last season against Southern (Dec. 20, 2013).
• Head coach Kim Barnes Arico will be looking for her 50th win at Michigan in today's game. Barnes Arico is in her third season at Michigan and carries a 49-28 record. With a win, she will become the fifth coach in U-M history to win at least 50 games and the fastest coach to reach the mark.
• Michigan features four double figure scorers in Katelynn Flaherty (13.6 ppg), Cyesha Goree (13.3 ppg), Shannon Smith (12.0 ppg) and Siera Thompson (10.5 ppg). Michigan is 6-1 this season when at least three players score in double figures. Michigan has had seven different players this season record a double-figure scoring game.
• Michigan's guards have found success lately in hitting the glass, with Siera Thompson (8) and Danielle Williams (7) each setting new career highs in rebounds against Canisius. Shannon Smith (10) also set a new career best in rebounds earlier this season against Wake Forest (Dec. 3). U-M has a +6.9 rebounding margin, which ranks fourth in the Big Ten.
• Through 10 games, the Wolverines have already featured three different starting lineups. Siera Thompson, Nicole Elmblad, Cyesha Goree and Shannon Smith have each started all 10 games, with Madison Ristovski, Katelynn Flaherty and Danielle Williams each earning starts this season. Following is a breakdown of Michigan's record with each lineup:
Smith-Goree-Thompson-Elmblad-Flaherty: 2-1
Smith-Goree-Thompson-Elmblad-Ristovski: 4-2
Smith-Goree-Thompson-Elmblad-Williams: 1-0
• Sophomore Siera Thompson leads the Big Ten and is fifth nationally with a .960 free throw percentage. She is 24-for-25 from the line this season and has made 24 straight free throws after missing her very first free throw of the season. For her career, Thompson has made 110-for 121 shots at the line for a .909 percentage.
• Senior Cyesha Goree has recorded back-to-back double-doubles entering today's game. She has six on the season and is averaging 13.3 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. She is fourth in the Big Ten in rebounding and leads the conference in offensive rebounds (4.3/game).
