YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team will look for consecutive victories for the first time since November when it hosts the University at Buffalo Wednesday, Feb. 2. Tipoff for the Mid-American Conference clash is set for 7 p.m. inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
The Eagles (5-11, 2-7 MAC) are looking to build off an impressive, 80-69 victory over Miami University, Jan. 29. Buffalo (12-7, 6-3 MAC) is looking to start a winning streak of its own after most recently defeating Northern Illinois, 68-61, on the same day.
The game will be televised on ESPN3 where Ryan Wooley (play-by-play) and Lexi Ayala (analyst) will have the call. The game will be aired on WEMU 89.1 FM and on the Varsity Network app as well, with Tom Helmer providing the audio. Additionally, the team’s official Twitter account, @EMUWBB, will provide live updates throughout the contest.
ALONE AT THE TOP: Redshirt sophomore Ce’Nara Skanes notched a double-double against Miami, Jan. 29, with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Skanes’ effort was the 18th of her career, the most by any Eagle in program history. In just her second active season for the Green and White, she surpassed former Eagles Sarah VanMetre (2003-07) and Oliva Fouty (2010-14), who each posted 17 double-double performances.
TRYING TO SAY “BYE, FELISHA”: Sixth year Head Coach Fred Castro has defeated every team in the Mid-American Conference during his tenure at EMU – except Buffalo.
Castro is 0-5 against the Bulls, with each game being decided by seven points-or-less, and two going to overtime.
ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS: Areanna Combs hit 19 free throws at Miami, Jan. 29. That is a career-best effort for the redshirt senior, and the second-most makes in the NCAA this season. Her 19 free throw makes ranks No. 1 all-time in a single game at EMU. Combs passed EMU great Tavelyn James on the list, who hit 15 from the charity stripe in a 82-74 win over Miami in the first round of the MAC Tournament, March 5, 2011.
WEARS 10, SCORES 20: Redshirt senior guard Areanna Combs is in the midst of a career-best scoring stretch. The Oklahoma City native notched 29 points on 5-of-19 shooting against Miami, Jan. 29. The effort was her sixth of 20+ points this season, and her fourth consecutive game reaching the mark. Her current streak of 20-point efforts ties a career-best, and is the first stretch of the sort for Combs since she scored 20+ in four games between March 4-11, 2020.
Combs has scored 61 points over her last two outings, the most in a two-game stretch during her career. She has scored 20+ points in 42 percent of her games with EMU (25-of-60).
GREAT FROM THE LINE: Eastern hit 29 free throws in its game at Miami. That is a season-best for the Green and White. The Eagles previously recorded highs of 18 made three throws in three prior contests.
WINNING BIG: Eastern’s 11-point margin over victory (80-69) over Miami, Jan. 29, is the second largest for the team over a Division I opponent this season (+20 vs. Central Michigan, Jan. 8).
CLOSING TIME: Eastern scored 29 points in the final quarter of its 80-69 win at Miami, Jan. 29. The Eagles sank 12 shots from the line, seven from the field, and three from deep. The Green and White’s 29 points in the final quarter is a season-high against a Division I opponent, with their previous best being a 27-point effort versus Ball State, Jan. 12.
Eastern has outscored its opposition in the final period seven times this season (excluding non-DI games), but is 3-4 in those games. Moreover, the team is 1-7 when failing to score more than its opponent in the fourth quarter.
SWIPE SISTERS: Junior Natalia Pineda and freshman Lachelle Austin came away with four swipes each against Miami, Jan. 29. Four steals ties Pineda’s career-high and is a personal-best for Austin. The Eagles recorded 14 total steals against MU, the most by the team against a Division I opponent this season. Furthermore, the number ties for the second-most the RedHawks have given up in their 2021-22 campaign.
Pineda has recorded four steals in consecutive games and three times this season. Coming into the 2021-22 campaign, the junior had only hit the number once (vs. Ball State, March 9, 2019). Additionally, eight steals across two outings is the most by the guard in that span.
HOT START AT MIAMI: EMU gave up just nine first quarter points to the RedHawks, Jan. 29, the least given up by the Eagles in an opening frame against a Division I opponent this season.
EMU held a 17-9 lead after one quarter of play. The eight-point advantage after the first quarter is the third-largest first-frame advantage for the team this season against a Division I opponent (12 vs. CMU, Jan. 8; 10 vs. Binghamton, Dec. 10.
DEFENSE DID WORK: The Eagles took a 35-28 lead into the halftime break at Miami. The 28 points allowed is the second-lowest total in the first half of a game for Eastern Michigan against a Divison I opponent this season. The Eagles’ best mark came against Binghamton. The Bearcats scored just 27 first-half points against EMU, Dec. 10).
HEATING UP IN THE FIRST HALF: Eastern’s 35 first-half points at Miami, Jan. 29, are tied for its second-most on the road this season. The Eagles scored a season-best 40 points in the first half at Kent State, Jan. 15. EMU has scored 30+ points in the first half of a game 12 times this season, including in eight of its last 10 contests.
RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE: Redshirt senior Areanna Combs scored 17 points in the first half at Miami, a number which ties her season-best for points in a half. She scored the same number in the first half of EMU’s game at Akron, Jan. 26. Her 17 single-half points (accomplished twice) is the best of any player on the team this season.
BIG TIME BLOCKS: EMU has out-blocked its opposition, 28-14, in Mid-American Conference play. The stretch is highlighted by a season-best (tied) six swats against Northern Illinois, Jan. 22. Additionally, there have been five league contests in which Eastern has recorded a block while not having one of its own rejected.
WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE: EMU won the turnover battle at Miami, Jan. 29, forcing 20 giveaways while recording 13 of its own. The game marked the ninth time this season that EMU has led the turnover battle and the sixth time the Eagles have won that battle in MAC play. The Green and White have forced their opponents into committing 20+ turnovers five times this season.
ON THE BOARDS: EMU has left a mark on the offensive glass this season. Last week against Akron, Jan. 26, EMU hauled in 45.9% (17-of-37) of its total rebounds on the offensive side of the ball. EMU has gotten 30 percent-or-more of its rebounding production from the offensive end of the floor nine times during the 2021-22 campaign. The Green and White rank sixth in the MAC with an 11.9 ORPG average.
SKANES’ SWATS: Redshirt sophomore Ce’Nara Skanes has elevated her game near the basket in her last five outings, with nine blocks in the span. Most recently, the forward recorded one rejection at Miami, Jan. 29. Additionally, the Oklahoma City native tied her season-best with three rejections versus Northern Illinois, Jan. 22.
Skanes currently ranks third in the Mid-American Conference in blocks per game (1.3) and fourth in total blocks (22).
BIG TIME BUCKETS: EMU averages 70.5 points per game, the fifth-best average in the Mid-American Conference. The Eagles have scored 70+ points in seven contests this season. Last season, EMU eclipsed 70 points just twice.
STRIPE LIFE: Redshirt senior Areanna Combs has been solid from the charity stripe this season, sinking 93-of-118 (.788) of her attempts. Her percentage from the line ranks 12th in the conference while her 93 makes is the most in the league. Combs had no trouble at the free throw line versus Miami, Jan. 29, as she set career-highs in makes (19) and attempts (24). Additionally, 24 makes is the most by any Division I player this season, while her 19 attempts rank second.
Meanwhile, redshirt sophomore Ce’Nara Skanes has sunk 14-of-16 (.875) attempts over the last three games, highlighted by a career-best six makes against Akron, Jan. 26.
COURTNIE AND COMBS CLIMBING: Senior Courtnie Lewis, a veteran for the Eagles and 1,000-point club member, is moving up the all-time point list at EMU. Lewis boasts 1,143 career points, sitting 19th all-time behind former Eagle Reeshema Wood (1989-93) who tallied 1,158 points.
Meanwhile, redshirt senior Areanna Combs, who recently joined the 1,000-point club, sits at 21st in the record book, with 1,118 points in her three seasons donning the Green and White. The guard is averaging 18.6 ppg this season, which puts her on track to crack the top-15 in EMU’s scoring laurels by the end of the 2021-22 regular season.
EMU great Tavelyn James (2008-12) owns the top spot in program history, having accumulated 2,470 career points.
THE FIRST 20 MATTERS: All five of Eastern’s wins have seen the Eagles take a lead into the intermission, while each of the squad’s 11 setbacks has included a halftime deficit.
The trend continued as the Green and White held a 35-28 advantage over Miami at the half and came away with a win, 80-69, Jan. 29.
EMU is 41-15 in games in which it held a halftime lead since the onset of the 2016-17 season, and 17-80 in games where it has trailed at the break in that same span.
PLAYING DISCIPLINED: Eastern has been one of the most disciplined teams in the conference in the early portion of the 2021-22 season. Currently, the Eagles are seventh in the MAC in fewest fouls (283). Additionally, EMU has been tremendous at taking care of the basketball, ranking third in the league and 29th nationally in fewest turnovers (232).
LIKE BONNIE AND CLYDE: The Green and White are sixth in the league, averaging 8.9 steals per contest. That number ties for the second-best mark under Fred Castro (2016-Pres.). The 2017-18 EMU squad racked up 9.7 steals per contest.
HIGH PERCENTAGE SHOTS: The Eagles have hit 42.0 percent (403-of-960) of their shots from the field this season, good for seventh in the league. EMU’s current best mark under Head Coach Fred Castro came in the 2017-18 campaign when the Green and White shot 40.1 percent from the floor for the season.
DEEP THOUGHTS: EMU boasts a three-point percentage of 32.1 (98-for-305) in 16 games this season. In the same stretch last year, the Eagles were hitting 27.8 percent (84-for-302). The 32.1 percent mark from beyond-the-arc ranks seventh in the Mid-American Conference.
There were only two games last season where the Green and White shot 35 percent-or-better from deep (at Southeast Missouri State, 40.0%, Dec. 6, 2020; vs. Toledo, 39.3%, Feb. 21). So far this season, Eastern has sunk 35 percent-or-better in the category in seven of 15 games.
DEATH, TAXES, DOUBLE DIGITS: If one thing is as certain as can be, it’s that Areanna Combs will score 10+ points. Including her 15 performances of the nature this season, Combs has now recorded double-digit scoring efforts in 57 of her 60 career games with the Green and White (95.0%). That number is the highest percentage in the Mid-American Conference.
COOKIES: Redshirt senior Areanna Combs ranks third in the MAC in total steals (43) and fourth in the league in steals per game (2.5). Combs set a career-high with 10 steals against Grace Christian, Nov. 18, to help her achieve her first ever triple-double (12 points, 11 assists, 10 steals). Most recently, Combs swiped three balls versus Miami, Jan. 29, her sixth outing this season with three-or-more in a game.
SKILLED SKANES: Redshirt sophomore Ce’Nara Skanes has been skilled around the basket this season for the Eagles, leading the Mid-American Conference in field goal percentage at 53.0 percent. Her efficiency this year surpasses her work last year, finishing the 2020-2021 season shooting 49.4 percent (119-of-241) from the floor. Skanes has shot 50 percent-or-better from the floor in 10 outings so far this season. Moreover, the center scored 21 points against the RedHawks, making eight shots from the field and five from the line.
CAN’T LET THEM SCORE 70: Although many factors contribute to the end result of a game, one thing is for certain; 70 is kryptonite for Eastern Michigan. Last season, the team went 0-4 when allowing 70 points in a game. The team is 0-7 in 2021-22. Moreover, EMU is 8-63 when allowing 70+ points since the start of the 2016-17 season.
BLOCK PART(E): EMU is second in the Mid-American Conference in blocks per game (3.69). Redshirt sophomore Ce’Nara Skanes leads the team with 22 rejections and is fourth in the MAC with 1.3 blocks per contest while freshman Treasure Thompson sits seventh in the league with 0.9 bpg (15 total).
The Eagles have recorded at least five blocks in five contests this season. In the 2020-21 campaign, Eastern only recorded five-or-more blocks in a game three times.
WELCOME TO THE 1K CLUB: Redshirt senior Areanna Combs made history Saturday, Jan. 15, when she notched 13 points to become Eastern Michigan’s 24th 1,000-point scorer. Combs, who has been on court with the Eagles since the 2019-20 season, needed just 55 games to hit the total, an average of more than 18 ppg.
Combs joins teammate Courtnie Lewis as the only active players to have hit the milestone.
TWO GRAND TEAMMATES: Upperclassmen Courtnie Lewis (1,143) and Areanna Combs (1,118) are the first Eagle teammates to share the court as 1,000-point scorers since the 2016 season, when Cha Sweeney (2013-16) and Janay Morton (2013-16) had both hit the milestone.
BACK IN #MACTION: The Green and White’s 2021-22 campaign marks the 41st season EMU will compete as a member of the MAC. Playing a league schedule since the 1981-82 campaign, EMU has compiled a 297-380 record against conference opponents all-time.
RING CHASING: Eastern is in search of its first conference championship since 2012. That year, the Eagles captured both the MAC West and MAC Tournament titles.
As a program, EMU has claimed four division crowns (2004, 2006, 2008, 2012) and two tournament championships (2004, 2012).
ALL-TIME VERSUS BUFFALO: Wednesday’s game is the 29th meeting between Eastern Michigan and Buffalo. Eastern leads the all-time series, 15-13, but have dropped its last five games. Buffalo is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings.
LAST TIME AGAINST THE BULLS: Despite a 55-point second-half performance, Eastern Michigan fell to the Bulls at home, 73-68, Jan. 6, 2021. Ce’Nara Skanes paced the Eagles with 24 points, while Areanna Combs chipped in with 19 points and five assists. On the defensive end, Skanes recorded eight rebounds and two blocks in the loss.
SCOUTING BUFFALO: Buffalo currently sits third in the Mid-American Conference Standings, boasting a 6-3 record in league play. UB has been solid on both sides of the ball so far this season, ranking first in blocked shots per game (4.58) and second in offensive points per game (75.2). Buffalo’s Dyaisha Fair is averaging 21.8 ppg, the second-best mark in the league. Meanwhile, teammate Summer Hemphill tops the league with 27 total blocks.
ON THE HORIZON: Following the game against Buffalo, Eastern will remain at home to host Kent State, Saturday, Feb. 5. The weekend showdown inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center is set for 2 p.m.
CHASING 200: The EMU women’s basketball program has racked up 198 total wins inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center (renamed Dec. 11, 2021) since it opened for play in the 1998-1999 season. The Eagles have averaged just over six wins at home each season since 2016-17.
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