Eastern Michigan Athletics
Tuesday, December 10
Convocation Center
2 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
3-6
64
vs
40
.png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
Purdue Fort Wayne
3-8
1
2
3
4
F
Purdue Fort Wayne
13
3
6
18
40
Eastern Michigan
15
16
22
11
64
Women's Basketball Tramples Mastodons, 64-40
12/10/2019 4:28:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Eagles pulled away from Purdue Fort Wayne with a 30-4 run
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team got back in the win column with a convincing 64-40 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne Tuesday, Dec. 10, inside the Convocation Center. The Eagles (3-6) held an opponent to 40 or fewer points for the second time this season and fifth time in the Fred Castro era.
Making her Convocation Center debut, redshirt junior Areanna Combs (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Oklahoma State)) was among three Eagles to reach double-digits on the scoresheet, as she led the Green and White with 17 points while contributing four rebounds, three steals, and a pair of blocks. Sophomore Kiara Johnson (Buffalo, N.Y.-Cardinal O'Hara) matched a season-high with 13 points off the bench on 6-of-7 shooting, and posted four boards and a team-best two blocks. Meanwhile, freshman Aaliyah Stanley (Boynton Beach, Fla.-Oxbridge Academy) also tallied 13 points and set a career-high with a team-best eight rebounds, while redshirt sophomore RayJon Harris (Euclid, Ohio-Euclid) tied her individual mark with eight bench points on 3-of-3 shooting to go with four boards, a block, and a steal.
The Eagles finished 45 percent (27-of-60) from the field, while their stingy defense held PFW (3-8) to a woeful 23.3 (14-of-60) field-goal percentage. EMU annihilated the Mastodons in points in the paint, 42-6, and bested its Summit League opposition in rebounds (50-37), bench points (30-13), fast-break points (12-0), points off turnovers (15-7), and steals (13-6).
Combs scored all of EMU's first six points to put the Green and White in front, 6-5, with 7:11 to go in a back-and-forth opening quarter. The Mastodons rallied to seize a 13-9 advantage with 4:07 left in the first frame, but the hosts finished the quarter on a 6-0 run to reclaim the lead, 15-13.
After Combs added another layup to give the Eagles a 17-13 edge with 8:35 left in the second, PFW junior Michelle Nicholls knocked down a triple to make it a one-point game with 7:27 to go in the frame. EMU then pulled away from the Mastodons by scoring the final 14 points of the first half to take a 31-14 lead into the locker room.
After outscoring PFW by a 16-3 margin during the second quarter, the Eagles continued to pour it on to begin the second half as they opened up a commanding 47-20 lead with exactly one minute remaining in the third period. In total, the Green a and White put the game beyond reach with a 30-4 run lasting more than 16 minutes.
Stanley converted on a four-point play after drawing contact on a corner three, while Johnson added a layup to put EMU ahead, 53-22, at the end of the third quarter. The Eagles led by as many as 35 during the final frame, and emptied their bench in the waning moments as they earned a 64-40 win against the Mastodons.
Eastern heads back on the road after finals for a midweek game at Illinois-Chicago Wednesday, Dec. 18. The game is slated for 7 p.m. CT (8 p.m. ET) inside UIC's Credit Union 1 Arena.
Making her Convocation Center debut, redshirt junior Areanna Combs (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Oklahoma State)) was among three Eagles to reach double-digits on the scoresheet, as she led the Green and White with 17 points while contributing four rebounds, three steals, and a pair of blocks. Sophomore Kiara Johnson (Buffalo, N.Y.-Cardinal O'Hara) matched a season-high with 13 points off the bench on 6-of-7 shooting, and posted four boards and a team-best two blocks. Meanwhile, freshman Aaliyah Stanley (Boynton Beach, Fla.-Oxbridge Academy) also tallied 13 points and set a career-high with a team-best eight rebounds, while redshirt sophomore RayJon Harris (Euclid, Ohio-Euclid) tied her individual mark with eight bench points on 3-of-3 shooting to go with four boards, a block, and a steal.
The Eagles finished 45 percent (27-of-60) from the field, while their stingy defense held PFW (3-8) to a woeful 23.3 (14-of-60) field-goal percentage. EMU annihilated the Mastodons in points in the paint, 42-6, and bested its Summit League opposition in rebounds (50-37), bench points (30-13), fast-break points (12-0), points off turnovers (15-7), and steals (13-6).
Combs scored all of EMU's first six points to put the Green and White in front, 6-5, with 7:11 to go in a back-and-forth opening quarter. The Mastodons rallied to seize a 13-9 advantage with 4:07 left in the first frame, but the hosts finished the quarter on a 6-0 run to reclaim the lead, 15-13.
After Combs added another layup to give the Eagles a 17-13 edge with 8:35 left in the second, PFW junior Michelle Nicholls knocked down a triple to make it a one-point game with 7:27 to go in the frame. EMU then pulled away from the Mastodons by scoring the final 14 points of the first half to take a 31-14 lead into the locker room.
After outscoring PFW by a 16-3 margin during the second quarter, the Eagles continued to pour it on to begin the second half as they opened up a commanding 47-20 lead with exactly one minute remaining in the third period. In total, the Green a and White put the game beyond reach with a 30-4 run lasting more than 16 minutes.
Stanley converted on a four-point play after drawing contact on a corner three, while Johnson added a layup to put EMU ahead, 53-22, at the end of the third quarter. The Eagles led by as many as 35 during the final frame, and emptied their bench in the waning moments as they earned a 64-40 win against the Mastodons.
Eastern heads back on the road after finals for a midweek game at Illinois-Chicago Wednesday, Dec. 18. The game is slated for 7 p.m. CT (8 p.m. ET) inside UIC's Credit Union 1 Arena.
Team Stats
PFW
EMU
FG%
.233
.450
3FG%
.409
.154
FT%
.375
.471
RB
37
50
TO
19
16
STL
6
13
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
17
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballWomen's Basketball Practice Highlights Week of Aug. 4, 2025
Sunday, August 10
Inaugural Bowling with the Eagles Event
Friday, August 08
Women's Basketball Practice Highlights Week of July 28, 2025
Friday, August 08
2025 Women's Basketball Alumni Panel
Wednesday, July 30