Eagles Begin Four-Game Roadtrip Against Mastodons

Women's Basketball at Purdue Fort Wayne
Date	Saturday, Dec. 8 \| 2 p.m.
Venue	Fort Wayne, Ind. \| Gates Sports Center (1,800)
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	M astodon All-Access ($$)
Listen	WEMU 89.1 FM
Twitter	@EMU WBB \| @EMUAthletics

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team begins its four-game, 24-day road swing with a trip to Gates Sports Center for a clash with Purdue Fort Wayne Saturday, Dec. 8. Tipoff between the Eagles and Mastodons in slated for 2 p.m.
Eastern Michigan heads into the game with a 4-2 record on the season, most recently knocking off the University of Detroit Mercy, 60-53, Dec. 5. Meanwhile, the Mastodons (3-6) will return to action after a week-long break with hopes of snapping a three-game skid following a 70-48 setback at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Dec. 1.
   Chad Bush will call the action on the court on WEMU 89.1 FM for those unable to attend, while the game will also be available on Mastodon All-Access for $6. Additionally, the game will be tweeted from the team's Twitter account, @EMUWBB.

LO OWNS THE GLASS: Redshirt senior Lorraine Enabulele owned the boards in Eastern's win over Detroit Mercy, Dec. 5, as EMU out-rebounded UDM, 45-32. Enabulele grabbed a career-best 17 rebounds, the sixth-most in Convocation Center history, to lead the way for the Eagles. Her 17 caroms were the most by an Eagle since Phillis Webb snagged 17 against Air Force, Dec. 21, 2016.

FINDING HER STRIDE: Freshman Jenna Annecchiarico seems to have found her stride offensively over the past two games. After going 2-of-24 from the floor and 0-of-16 from three-point range in EMU's first four games, Annechiarico has turned things around. In her last two outings, the Baldwin, N.Y. native is shooting 45 percent from the floor and has knocked down five triples, while averaging 13.5 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.5 steals per game.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE, NOT THE TIM HORTON'S KIND: With an 11-point, 17-rebound performance against Detroit Mercy, Dec. 5, redshirt senior Lorraine Enabulele picked up the first double-double of her career. Enabulele is one of four Eagles on the current roster with a double-double to their credit, alongside Danielle Minott, Courtnie Lewis, and Emoni Jackson who have two each.

ALL-TIME AGAINST 'EM: Eastern Michigan and Purdue Fort Wayne have only met one time prior to this weekend's meeting. The lone game between the two happened more than 15 years ago as Eastern cruised to a 76-60 victory.
   Due to scheduling conflicts at both teams' home arenas, the game was played at Fenton High School in Fenton, Mich. Eastern was led by Dru Bishop, who scored 17 points, while adding seven rebounds, six steals, and four assists. Abby Wiseman added a game-high 19 points and Kris Lindsey chipped in 12 to round out Eastern's double-digit scorers.

EASTERN VS. SUMMIT LEAGUE: Eastern Michigan has played against members of the Summit League eight times in its 42-year history. The Eagles have compiled a 3-5 record against the Elmhurst, Ill.-based league, playing five of its nine members.
   EMU's last meeting with a Summit League opponent came as part of the LMU Thanksgiving Classic last season, where Eastern squared off with Denver, Nov. 24, 2017. Danielle Minott filled up the stat sheet with 10 rebounds, nine points, five steals, four assists, and a block to pace the Eagles, but the Green and White fell short, 60-54.

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 3.8 assists per game, the ninth-best mark in the MAC. Moreover, the Baldwin, N.Y. native has turned the ball over just six times, making her one of the top point guards in the conference. Annecchiarico leads the conference, while ranking fourth nationally, with a 4.6 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 three of their six games. EMU's 9.3 steals per game are the third-most in the MAC, as well as the 91st-best nationally. Meanwhile, Eastern is turning opponents over 19.67 times per game, the third-highest mark in the conference and the 73rd-best in the country.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan continues its roadtrip following a week-long break with a trip to Farmville, Va., where the Eagles will tangle with the Lancers of Longwood University, Dec. 15. The game is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+.

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Players Mentioned

Jenna Annecchiarico

Lorraine Enabulele

Emoni Jackson

Courtnie Lewis

Danielle Minott

Eastern Michigan Athletics