Eagles Host the Mastodons for a Tuesday Matinee at the Convo

Women's Basketball vs. Purdue Fort Wayne
Date	Tuesday, Dec. 10 \| 2 p.m. ET
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Convocation Center
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN+
Twitter	@EMUW BB \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team returns home after a two-game road stint, as it takes on Purdue Fort Wayne Tuesday, Dec. 10. Tipoff from the Convocation Center is set for 2 p.m.
   Eastern (2-6) has dropped four consecutive contest most recently at Wichita State, 63-52, Dec. 7 . However, PFW (3-7) has lost three-straight and four of its last five matchups. The Mastodons posted a close 57-53 loss at SIUE, Dec. 4.
   The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ with Tom Helmer on play-by-play and Greg Steiner providing analysis. Fans can also follow live stats at EMUEagles.com/livestats, or get live updates from the team's Twitter, @EMUWBB.

PINEDA ON THE BOARDS: Sophomore guard Natalia Pineda led the Eagles and tied a season-high six rebounds at Wichita State, Dec. 7. The Miami, Fla. native ranks fourth on the team averaging 4.4 boards per game. She has only led EMU twice in rebounding in the career.

COMBS COMES IN HOT: After more than a year of waiting, redshirt junior Areanna Combs made her EMU debut against Binghamton, Dec. 1. The Oklahoma State transfer led all Eagles with 29 points on 10-of-21 shooting, and hit 9-of-12 from the charity stripe. Those numbers are all single-game highs by any Eagle this season. She also paced the team with seven boards against the Bearcats.

ALL-TIME VS. PURDUE FORT WAYNE: The Eagles and Mastodons will meet for the third time Tuesday. EMU leads the series, 2-0. Eastern topped Purdue Fort Wayne, 87-72, just over a year ago (Dec. 8, 2018). Redshirt junior Courtnie Lewis led EMU with 28 points, while sophomore Jenna Annecchiarico dished out seven dimes. A member of the Summit League, PFW is off to a 3-7 start this season. The Fort Wayne, Ind.-based squad last played Dec. 4, where it fell to SIUE, 57-53.

ALL-TIME VS. SUMMIT: Even though, this is the third meeting against Purdue Fort Wayne, Eastern Michigan has experience against the Summit League. The Eagles have met six opponents in the nine-institution league and are 4-5 overall.

ALL THE LEAGUES EMU WILL FACE: The Eagles will play teams hailing from eight different Division I conferences this season. In addition to its 18-game Mid-American Conference slate, EMU will face three Horizon League members, two teams from the Big Ten Conference, as well as one opponent from the Missouri Valley Conference, Ohio Valley Conference, America East Conference, American Athletic Conference, and the Summit League.

FINDING HER STROKE: After beginning the season 1-of-11 (9.1%) clip from deep, freshman guard Aaliyah Stanley has found her stroke in the last five games. The Boynton Beach, Fla. native drained 4-of-7 (57.1%) shots from downtown, and recorded her first-ever game as the team's three-point leader, Nov. 16 at Youngstown State. Stanley followed up that performance with a team-leading 24-point performance to guide the Eagles against Southeast Missouri, Nov. 19. The freshman shot 5-of-9 from behind the three point line and 9-of-15 overall. Against Southern Illinois, Nov. 23, she tallied 15 points and led the team with three triples. Against Michigan, Nov. 27, she added eight points in 31 minutes played.
   Stanley posted another team-leading performance with 20 points, including a career-high six triples against Wichita State, Dec. 7.

YOU CAN COUNT ON COURTNIE: Redshirt junior Courtnie Lewis has displayed her veteran poise through the season, especially against Binghamton, Dec. 1, where she turned in her best performance of the 2019 campaign thus far. The Belton, Mo. native notched a season-best 17 points, including a team-leading three triples. Lewis has led EMU in single-game three point shooting twice this season, and 27 times her career.

TAKING THE ROCK AWAY: After forcing 16.7 turnovers per game a season ago, Eastern looks poised to be pesky on the defensive end of the court yet again in 2019-20. EMU has forced 136 turnovers, including 56 swipes this season. EMU stole a season-best 13 passes against Youngstown State, Nov. 16.

UTILIZING DEPTH: Depth is a term Fred Castro has consistently used to describe his 2019-20 squad. The depth of his bench has been on display thus far, as at-least nine players have seen action in every game this season. Eleven players that have been active for the game have found court time in four contests thus far. Every player to dress scored against Olivet, Nov. 8.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern heads back on the road after finals for a midweek game at Illinois-Chicago on Wednesday, Dec. 18. The game is slated for 7 p.m. CT (8 p.m. ET) inside UIC's Credit Union 1 Arena.

Eagles Host the Mastodons for a Tuesday Matinee at the Convo

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Players Mentioned

Jenna Annecchiarico

Areanna Combs

Courtnie Lewis

Natalia Pineda

Aaliyah Stanley

Eastern Michigan Athletics