Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, December 21
Detroit, Mich.
12 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
5-6,0-0MAC
84
at
70
Detroit Mercy
0-11,0-0Horizon
1
2
3
4
F
Eastern Mich.
26
19
23
16
84
Detroit Mercy
14
12
20
24
70
Women's Hoops Defeats Detroit Mercy For Third Consecutive Win
12/21/2019 2:32:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Redshirt junior Areanna Combs scored 22; recorded fifth straight double-digit effort
Postgame Recap Video.
DETROIT, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Not even a Titan's shield could have stopped the onslaught of offense that the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team displayed in its game against the University of Detroit Mercy Saturday, Dec. 21. The Eagles cruised to an 84-70 victory inside historic Calihan Hall to earn their third consecutive victory.
Eastern (5-6) was led once again by redshirt junior Areanna Combs (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Oklahoma State)), who notched a team-best 22 points on 7-of-13 shooting while dishing out a career-high seven helpers against Detroit Mercy (0-11). Junior Courtnie Lewis (Belton, Mo.-Belton) added 15 points off the bench, including a season-high four three-pointers, while adding a pair of rebounds and steals. Additionally, sophomore Kiara Johnson (Buffalo, N.Y.-Cardinal O'Hara) added a season-best 14 bench points on 7-of-9 shooting while pulling down four boards and recording a career-best three blocks.
The Eagles shot an even 50 percent (33-of-66) from the floor, while holding the Titans to a 34.5 percent (19-of-55) field-goal efficiency. EMU dominated in the paint as they outscored the Titans down low, 44-18, while overmatching the hosts in fast-break points (36-18), assists (24-7), steals (10-4), and blocks (5-2).
The Eagles set the pace from their opening possession, as it took just 12 seconds for the Green and White to get on the board. After winning the opening tip, junior center Autumn Hudson (Richwood, Ohio-North Union) made quick work of the Titan defense, drawing a foul and flushing a layup to put the Eagles up, 2-0.
UDM took a two-point advantage with just over one minute gone by, but it was all Eastern after that, as the Eagles put together an 11-0 run in the middle of the first quarter. With the score knotted at nine, EMU got buckets from four different players during its run lasting nearly four-and-a-half minutes, including a four-point stretch from Combs.
After the explosive run, Eastern continued to dominate, eventually building a 14-point advantage later in the first. Although Detroit closed the gap to just nine, 28-19, with 6:58 remaining in the half, the Eagles proved too strong, fighting back to take a 45-26 lead into the break.
The Green and White started the second half on a string note, scoring six straight points to open up a 51-26 cushion with 8:08 to go in the third quarter. Ahead 53-35, a Combs triple capped a 7-0 run and gave the Eagles a commanding 60-35 lead with 4:38 left in the same frame.
EMU led by as many as 26 against its intrastate rivals, and 11 of the 12 Eagles to see game action notched at least one point. UDM concluded the game on an 8-1 run, but the Eagles won by 14 points to claim their sixth win in their last seven meetings against the Titans.
Eastern will enjoy a short holiday break before entering Mid-American Conference play. The team will face Bowling Green, Jan. 4, at 2:30 p.m. inside the Convocation Center to begin its quest for the MAC crown.
DETROIT, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Not even a Titan's shield could have stopped the onslaught of offense that the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team displayed in its game against the University of Detroit Mercy Saturday, Dec. 21. The Eagles cruised to an 84-70 victory inside historic Calihan Hall to earn their third consecutive victory.
Eastern (5-6) was led once again by redshirt junior Areanna Combs (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Oklahoma State)), who notched a team-best 22 points on 7-of-13 shooting while dishing out a career-high seven helpers against Detroit Mercy (0-11). Junior Courtnie Lewis (Belton, Mo.-Belton) added 15 points off the bench, including a season-high four three-pointers, while adding a pair of rebounds and steals. Additionally, sophomore Kiara Johnson (Buffalo, N.Y.-Cardinal O'Hara) added a season-best 14 bench points on 7-of-9 shooting while pulling down four boards and recording a career-best three blocks.
The Eagles shot an even 50 percent (33-of-66) from the floor, while holding the Titans to a 34.5 percent (19-of-55) field-goal efficiency. EMU dominated in the paint as they outscored the Titans down low, 44-18, while overmatching the hosts in fast-break points (36-18), assists (24-7), steals (10-4), and blocks (5-2).
The Eagles set the pace from their opening possession, as it took just 12 seconds for the Green and White to get on the board. After winning the opening tip, junior center Autumn Hudson (Richwood, Ohio-North Union) made quick work of the Titan defense, drawing a foul and flushing a layup to put the Eagles up, 2-0.
UDM took a two-point advantage with just over one minute gone by, but it was all Eastern after that, as the Eagles put together an 11-0 run in the middle of the first quarter. With the score knotted at nine, EMU got buckets from four different players during its run lasting nearly four-and-a-half minutes, including a four-point stretch from Combs.
After the explosive run, Eastern continued to dominate, eventually building a 14-point advantage later in the first. Although Detroit closed the gap to just nine, 28-19, with 6:58 remaining in the half, the Eagles proved too strong, fighting back to take a 45-26 lead into the break.
The Green and White started the second half on a string note, scoring six straight points to open up a 51-26 cushion with 8:08 to go in the third quarter. Ahead 53-35, a Combs triple capped a 7-0 run and gave the Eagles a commanding 60-35 lead with 4:38 left in the same frame.
EMU led by as many as 26 against its intrastate rivals, and 11 of the 12 Eagles to see game action notched at least one point. UDM concluded the game on an 8-1 run, but the Eagles won by 14 points to claim their sixth win in their last seven meetings against the Titans.
Eastern will enjoy a short holiday break before entering Mid-American Conference play. The team will face Bowling Green, Jan. 4, at 2:30 p.m. inside the Convocation Center to begin its quest for the MAC crown.
Team Stats
EMU
UDM
FG%
.500
.345
3FG%
.444
.320
FT%
.588
.750
RB
35
38
TO
17
19
STL
10
4
Game Leaders
Pts
22
FGM
7
3FGM
1
FTM
7
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
14
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
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