Eastern Michigan Athletics
Wednesday, January 8
Kent, Ohio
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
74
at
69
Kent State
Fly Eagles Fly: Women's Hoops Stays Red-Hot With Win at KSU
1/8/2020 9:48:00 PM | Women's Basketball
EMU is 2-0 in MAC play for the first time since the 2010-11 season
KENT, OHIO (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team fought off a late comeback attempt from its opposition en route to its fifth consecutive victory tonight, Jan. 8, in a Mid-American Conference bout against Kent State University. Despite a furious late-game comeback that saw KSU get within four, EMU eventually extinguished the Golden Flashes,74-69, at the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center.
With the win, Eastern (7-6; 2-0 MAC) is 2-0 in conference play for the first time since the 2010-11 campaign, when the Eagles opened MAC play with wins over Northern Illinois, and Ball State, respectively. Additionally, the win is the first for Eastern over Kent State since the 2016 season, and the first in Kent, Ohio since EMU topped the Flashes, 70-53, Feb. 4, 2015. Prior to tonight's win, EMU had lost its previous six matchups against KSU.
Dominant in every aspect of the game, Eastern saw team single-game season-highs in free throw attempts (35), free throw makes (28), free throw percentage (80%), and three-point field goal percentage (.67). Eastern's 8-for-12 three-point effort tied for the second-best single-game three-point percentage in EMU women's basketball history, its best performance since it shot the same 67 percent against Idaho State, Nov. 22, 1997.
The Eagles were led by the duo of redshirt junior Areanna Combs (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Oklahoma State)) and sophomore Jenna Annechiarico (Baldwin, N.Y.-Baldwin), who each contributed 15-point efforts in the win. Combs has now scored in double figures in seven consecutive contests, while Annechiarico notched her third double-digit performance of the season, and first since the team's win over Southeast Missouri State, Nov. 19, 2019. She added a team-best three triples as well.
Defensively, junior Autumn Hudson (Richwood, Ohio-North Union) paced the team with a nine-rebound performance. Sophomore Kiara Johnson (Buffalo, N.Y.-Cardinal O'Hara) added six boards in the win.
A defensive-dominant approach at the beginning, Eastern was able to hold the Golden Flashes without a field goal for the first 7:31 of game action. The Eagles used that stretch to their advantage, quickly building a 6-0 lead, one it eventually stretched to 16-9 at the end of the quarter.
A back-and-forth second frame saw Kent pull within four, 21-17, with just over four minutes gone-by. Determined to regain momentum, EMU again rose to the occasion, outscoring KSU, 13-2, over the next 5:19 to build its largest lead of the game, 34-19, with under one minute remaining in the half.
Although Kent State hit a late triple, the Eagles still took a double-digit lead, 34-22, into the intermission.
The majority of the second half continued in Eastern's favor, evidenced by its 12-point lead with just over two minutes remaining in the game. Although it appeared that EMU was in control, the final minutes of the game were heart-clenching for Fred Castro and his squad.
After multiple EMU turnovers and timely KSU baskets cut the Eagle lead to just three, 72-69 with under one minute to play, it was Annechiarico that sealed the win. With one second on the clock, the Baldwin, N.Y. native stepped the line and nailed a pair of free throws, sealing the win, 74-69.
Eastern takes its 2-0 conference record back on the road for a weekend matchup with MAC West rival Ball State University Saturday, Jan. 9, in Munice, Ind. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. Be sure to follow @EMUWBB on social media, and visit EMUEagles.com for the most up-to-date information on all things EMU women's hoops.
With the win, Eastern (7-6; 2-0 MAC) is 2-0 in conference play for the first time since the 2010-11 campaign, when the Eagles opened MAC play with wins over Northern Illinois, and Ball State, respectively. Additionally, the win is the first for Eastern over Kent State since the 2016 season, and the first in Kent, Ohio since EMU topped the Flashes, 70-53, Feb. 4, 2015. Prior to tonight's win, EMU had lost its previous six matchups against KSU.
Dominant in every aspect of the game, Eastern saw team single-game season-highs in free throw attempts (35), free throw makes (28), free throw percentage (80%), and three-point field goal percentage (.67). Eastern's 8-for-12 three-point effort tied for the second-best single-game three-point percentage in EMU women's basketball history, its best performance since it shot the same 67 percent against Idaho State, Nov. 22, 1997.
The Eagles were led by the duo of redshirt junior Areanna Combs (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Oklahoma State)) and sophomore Jenna Annechiarico (Baldwin, N.Y.-Baldwin), who each contributed 15-point efforts in the win. Combs has now scored in double figures in seven consecutive contests, while Annechiarico notched her third double-digit performance of the season, and first since the team's win over Southeast Missouri State, Nov. 19, 2019. She added a team-best three triples as well.
Defensively, junior Autumn Hudson (Richwood, Ohio-North Union) paced the team with a nine-rebound performance. Sophomore Kiara Johnson (Buffalo, N.Y.-Cardinal O'Hara) added six boards in the win.
A defensive-dominant approach at the beginning, Eastern was able to hold the Golden Flashes without a field goal for the first 7:31 of game action. The Eagles used that stretch to their advantage, quickly building a 6-0 lead, one it eventually stretched to 16-9 at the end of the quarter.
A back-and-forth second frame saw Kent pull within four, 21-17, with just over four minutes gone-by. Determined to regain momentum, EMU again rose to the occasion, outscoring KSU, 13-2, over the next 5:19 to build its largest lead of the game, 34-19, with under one minute remaining in the half.
Although Kent State hit a late triple, the Eagles still took a double-digit lead, 34-22, into the intermission.
The majority of the second half continued in Eastern's favor, evidenced by its 12-point lead with just over two minutes remaining in the game. Although it appeared that EMU was in control, the final minutes of the game were heart-clenching for Fred Castro and his squad.
After multiple EMU turnovers and timely KSU baskets cut the Eagle lead to just three, 72-69 with under one minute to play, it was Annechiarico that sealed the win. With one second on the clock, the Baldwin, N.Y. native stepped the line and nailed a pair of free throws, sealing the win, 74-69.
Eastern takes its 2-0 conference record back on the road for a weekend matchup with MAC West rival Ball State University Saturday, Jan. 9, in Munice, Ind. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. Be sure to follow @EMUWBB on social media, and visit EMUEagles.com for the most up-to-date information on all things EMU women's hoops.
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