Women's Hoops Readies for Trip to Longwood

Women's Basketball at Longwood
Date	Saturday, Dec. 15 \| 1 p.m.
Venue	Farmville, Va. \| Willett Hall (1,900)
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN+
Twitter	@EMU WBB \| @EMUAthletics

FARMVILLE, Va. (EMUEagles.com) - With final exams wrapping up, the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team will continue its four-game roadtrip at Longwood University, Dec. 15. Tipoff between the Eagles and Lancers is scheduled for 1 p.m. inside Willett Hall.
Eastern Michigan (5-2) is looking for its third straight victory after overpowering Purdue Fort Wayne, 87-72, on the road, Dec. 8. Longwood has lost three in-a-row, most recently a 74-42 loss at Norfolk State University, Dec. 12.
   The Eastern Michigan-Longwood tilt will be broadcast on ESPN+. Additionally, the game will be tweeted from the team's Twitter account, @EMUWBB.

WE GOT BUCKETS: Eastern Michigan turned in one of its best offensive performances in the Fred Castro era at Purdue Fort Wayne, Dec. 8. The Eagles overpowered the Mastodons, 87-72, the most points EMU has scored since a 97-92 overtime setback at Buffalo, Jan. 27, 2018. Moreover, it is the most Eastern has scored in a regulation game since flying by Akron, 95-66, inside the Convocation Center March 12, 2015.

THREE-POINT PARTY: The Green and White converted 12 three-pointers in its win at Purdue Fort Wayne, Dec. 8. Courtnie Lewis hit a season-best six, while Natalia Pineda converted four shots from the long line and Danielle Minott added two. Eastern's dozen triples were not only the most this season, they were the most since the Eagles knocked down 15 versus Akron at Quicken Loans Arena, March 12, 2015.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Eastern Michigan posted one if its most efficient offensive showings under Fred Castro at Purdue Fort Wayne, Dec. 8. EMU shot a blistering 55.6 percent from the floor and 54.5 percent from the long line in its win, while also turning in a season-best free throw percentage (75.0). Eastern's overall field goal percentage was the best since its knocked down 38-of-61 shots, good for a 62.3 clip, against Ohio, Jan. 26, 2011. Meanwhile, the Eagles' efficiency from beyond the arc was their best since going 11-of-20 from distance at Toledo, Feb. 21, 2018.

SHARING THE SUGAR: Eastern was credited with 20 assists on its 30 made baskets in its win at Purdue Fort Wayne, Dec. 8. The 20 dimes were the most by the Eagles since tallying 21 against Florida A&M, Nov. 10, 2017. Additionally, it was just the sixth time since the start of the 2014-15 season that EMU has posted 20-or-more assists in a game.

FIVE IN DOUBLE FIGURES: For the first time in three years, Eastern Michigan saw five players reach double figures in its win at Purdue Fort Wayne, Dec. 8. Sophomore Courtnie Lewis led the way with a game-high 28 points and redshirt senior Danielle Minott added 17 points. Freshman Natalia Pineda added a career-best 12 points, while redshirt sophomore Corrione Cardwell and redshirt senior Lorraine Enabulele chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively.
   The last time EMU accomplished the feat was at Madonna University, Dec. 18, 2015. In that 104-45 drubbing of the Crusaders, seven Eagles posted double digit scoring efforts. Meanwhile, the last time Eastern had five double digit scorers against a NCAA Division I team was in the MAC Tournament Quarterfinals against Akron, March 12, 2015.

DROPPING DIMES: Redshirt senior Danielle Minott and freshman Jenna Annecchiarico combined for 13 assists for the second time this season to lead EMU past Purdue Fort Wayne, Dec. 8. Minott tallied six assists, while Annecchiarico dished out a career-best seven. The duo is first pair to record six-or-more assists in the same game twice this season since Cha Sweeney and Janay Morton did so during the 2015-16 season.
   Moreover, the duo's 13 assists are more than Eastern recorded in 24 games last season.

COURT'S COURT: Sophomore Courtnie Lewis returned to form in Eastern Michigan's win at Purdue Fort Wayne, Dec. 8, going off for a season-high 28 points. Lewis finished the game 9-of-14 from the floor, six of which were triples, while going a perfect 4-for-4 at the line. She had been just 6 for her last 36 from the floor (16.7 percent) in the three games prior. Lewis' 28 points were the second-most by an Eagle this season and one point off her career-high.

AGAINST 'EM ALL-TIME: Eastern and Longwood have only squared off one time in their repsective histories, with the lone meeting coming inside the Convocation Center last season. The Eagles were too much for the Lancers to handle, as EMU topped LU, 73-44, Dec. 20, 2017, to close out their non-conference slate.
   Courtnie Lewis led all scorers with a career-high 29 points and nine rebounds, while Juanita Agosto added a personal-best 11 points. Eastern dominated the paint, 40-20, and used its speed in transition to best Longwood, 18-2, in fastbreak points.

VIRGINIA VENTURES: Saturday will be the fourth time Eastern has squared off against a Virginia-based institution, and the Eagles' first trip to state. The Green and White are 2-1 against the Old Dominion State all-time, having beaten Norfolk State (87-57) in 1998, before falling to James Madison (80-76) during the 2008 campaign, and besting Longwood, 73-44, last year.

BATTLING THE BIG SOUTH: Longwood is the lone Big South Conference opponent Eastern Michigan has faced in its 42-year history. EMU is 1-0 against the Charlotte, N.C.-based league all-time.

A WIN WOULD...: With a win, the Eagles would have its first three-game win streak since Eastern won three in-a-row, Jan. 13-20, 2018. EMU bested Miami on the road, 74-59, before taking down Western Michigan, 69-67, in overtime and Northern Illinois, 83-76. Furthermore, it would give EMU its most non-conference wins under Fred Castro, besting the 2016-17 team's total of five.

HELPING HAND: Freshman Jenna Annecchiarico has shown why she came in as such a highly touted recruit through her first few games as an Eagle. In fact, Annecchiarico has embraced the role of floor general to the tune of 4.3 assists per game, the sixth-best mark in the MAC. Moreover, the Baldwin, N.Y. native has turned the ball over just eight times, making her one of the top point guards in the conference. Annecchiarico leads the conference, while ranking sixth nationally, with a 3.8 assist to turnover ratio. She is the only freshman to boast an assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.9-or-better, and is the only freshman in the top-30 of the NCAA.

GETTING AFTER IT ON DEFENSE: Eastern Michigan's high intensity defense has caused opponents fits this season as the Eagles have forced the opposition into 20+ turnovers three times, while picking their pockets 10+ times in four of their seven games. EMU's 9.3 steals per game are the hird-most in the MAC, as well as the 91st-best nationally. Meanwhile, Eastern is turning opponents over 19 times per game, the hird-highest mark in the conference and the 87th-best in the country.

ON THE HORIZON: The Eagles finish up their four-game trek at the 2018 West Palm Invitational. EMU kicks off the tournament against UNC Greensboro, Dec. 20, at 4:45 p.m. before taking on Butler, Dec. 21, at 1 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Juanita Agosto

Jenna Annecchiarico

Corrione Cardwell

Lorraine Enabulele

Courtnie Lewis

Danielle Minott

Natalia Pineda

Eastern Michigan Athletics