East Michigan News

Eastern Michigan University's women's basketball team is set to begin its 2024-25 season on Monday, November 4, against Texas State University. The game will take place at the George Gervin GameAbove Center with a tip-off scheduled for 6:30 p.m. This marks the debut of Sahar Nusseibeh as head coach of the Eagles.

The matchup is part of the Mid-American Conference/Sun Belt Conference Challenge, which features two games between these conferences each season. The second game for Eastern Michigan in this challenge is scheduled for February 8, 2025.

Fans can watch the game live on ESPN+, with Ryan Wooley and Reggie Butler providing commentary. Updates will also be available through EMU's official Twitter accounts.

"The second edition of the MAC/SBC Challenge will kick off Monday," notes an announcement from EMUEagles.com. Last year, Eastern Michigan's women split their games in this event, securing a home victory over South Alabama after an away loss to Georgia Southern.

This season opener also introduces new uniforms for the Eagles, featuring "Ypsilanti" in script font as part of a new branding identity celebrating Eastern Michigan's connection to its hometown.

Sahar Nusseibeh steps into her role at EMU following three years as head coach at Canisius. She has previously served as an assistant coach within the MAC and brings experience from various coaching roles across different programs.

The Eagles have historically performed well in debut games under new head coaches, holding a record of 5-3 in such matchups. Their overall record in season openers stands at 32-16.

In terms of roster changes, seven players return from last year's team alongside eight newcomers, including six transfers—five of whom followed Nusseibeh from Canisius—and two freshmen recruits.

Looking back at last season, Eastern Michigan finished with a record of 7-22 overall and placed 12th in the MAC standings. They aim to improve under Nusseibeh's leadership and secure a spot in the upcoming MAC Basketball Tournament by finishing among the top eight teams.

Following Monday's game against Texas State, Eastern Michigan will host Alabama A&M University on November 9 as part of a doubleheader event that includes a volleyball match later that day.

For ongoing updates throughout the season, fans are encouraged to follow @EMUWBB and @EMUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.