GAME NOTES

CHENEY, Wash. – After facing each other four times last season, the rivalry continues as the Eastern Washington women's basketball team hosts the Idaho Vandals on Friday, Jan. 12 with tip-off set for 5:05 p.m.
 
The game is a part of a doubleheader with the EWU and Idaho men's teams which will begin 30 minutes after the end of the women's game. One ticket gets fans admission to both games, which will also be broadcast live regionally on SWX.
 
Last season, both teams picked up victories on their own home courts. Eastern 
Washington then knocked Idaho out of the Big Sky Conference Tournament before the Vandals returned the favor and knocked them out of the second round of the Women's Basketball Invitational at Reese Court. The Eagles boast a 164-112 all-time Big Sky record at Reese Court and are 24-6 since the 2014-15 season.
 
Eastern is currently ahead of Idaho in the conference standings with a 7-9 record overall. Both sit at 2-2 in BSC play, with EWU ranked sixth in the conference and the Vandals seventh. Idaho was tabbed to finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Big Sky preseason coaches and media polls while Eastern was selected sixth and seventh. In the latest NCAA RPI, Idaho checks in at 177 while EWU sits at 214.
 
The Big Sky's current leading scorer, Mikayla Ferenz, will come to Reese Court averaging 23.2 points per game. Eastern's own Preseason Big Sky MVP, Delaney Hodgins, is averaging 19.8 points per game which is fourth in the conference. Eastern Washington averages 62.2 points per game and 34.8 rebounds, while the Vandals score 71.6 points a contest and pull down 36.5 boards.
 
MORE ABOUT THE EAGLES: The Eagles are 7-9 overall and are 2-2 in conference play. Eastern's defense has been pestering this season as they rank in the top-100 across Division I in blocks (40th, 76), blocks per game (48th, 4.8), steals (23rd, 176) and steals per game (33rd, 11.0) as well as forced turnovers (96th, 18.25). As a team, they've had over five blocks in eight games this season and have compiled steals into the double digits in all but four contests. 
 
Violet Kapri Morrow is the other Eagle averaging double figures with 11.7, she is currently on a two-game double-digit scoring streak. Sophomore Symone Starks has scored in double figures in four out of the last five games and ranks 10th in the nation, and first in the BSC, in steals (55) and steals per game (3.44). 
 
SERIES HISTORY: EWU leads trails the all-time series, 31-34, but have won six out of the last 10 meetings. At Reese Court, the Eagles have an 18-13 edge over the Vandals. Last season, each team picked up a victory on their own home court and met again in the Big Sky Conference Tournament. Eastern bumped Idaho out of the championship with a 73-64 victory to advance to the semifinals. On March 20, the Vandals came to Reese Court and got their revenge with a 74-67 victory in the semifinals of the WBI.
 
LAST TIME OUT: After a rough 60-75 loss at Portland State, the Eagles bounced back and defeated Sacramento State 83-72 on Saturday. The Eagles shot a season-high 49.2 percent from the field and had four score in double figures. Delaney Hodgins moved into second place on EWU's all-time career scoring list with a 27-point effort, her eighth 20-plus point performance of the season. She now has 1,745 points and is just 91 away from breaking her older sister Hayley Hodgins' career record of 1,865.
 
Symone Starks had 15 points, along with Violet Kapri Morrow who added 15 for her second straight double digit game. Brittany Klaman scored a career-best 12 points after making three three-point field goals. As a team, the Eagles shot over 49 percent for the first time this season while limiting the Hornets to 39 percent. Thirteen of Sacramento State's 22 field goals came from behind the arc as they shot 39 percent. Eastern made seven three-point field goals.
 
For the second straight game, EWU won the turnover battle 14-20 and scored 21 points off of them. Both teams tied with 34 rebounds and Eastern's bench outscored the Hornets bench 10-6. The Hornets were 15-for-16 from the line while EWU was 14-18.
 
SOARING TO THE TOP: Through 114 career games, in which she has started every single one, Hodgins has totaled 1,745 points for a 15.3 points per game average. On Saturday, Jan. 6 at Sacramento State, she put up 27 points, just two shy of her career high, to move to second-place on Eastern's all-time career scoring list with 1,745 points. She passes Brenda Souther (1984-87) who had 1,733. She now just needs 121 more points to break her older sister Hayley Hodgins' record of 1,865.
 
NEXT TIME UP: The game against Idaho opens a three-game home stand for the Eagles. On Thursday, Jan. 18, Eastern welcomes Northern Arizona to town for a 6:05 p.m. tip. EWU then plays host to Southern Utah on Saturday, Jan. 20 for head coach Wendy Schuller's 500th career game at Eastern. Tip-off is set for 2:05 p.m. and all games can be watched for free on WatchBigSky.com or on Pluto TV Channel 234.