Women's Basketball Looks For Sixth Consecutive Victory Saturday at BSU

Women's Basketball at Ball State
Date	Saturday, Jan. 11 \| 1 p.m.
Venue	Muncie, Ind. \| Worthen Arena
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN3
Twitter	@EMUW BB \| @EMUAthletics

MUNCIE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team is set to ride its season-best five-game win streak into the Hoosier State, where it will matchup against Mid-American Conference West Division foe Ball State University Saturday, Jan. 11. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m. at Worthen Arena.
   Eastern (7-6; 2-0 MAC) has notched five consecutive victories for the first time this season after defeating Purdue Fort Wayne, Dec. 10, Illinois-Chicago, Dec. 18, Detroit Mercy, Dec. 21, BGSU, Jan. 4, and Kent State, Jan. 8. Meanwhile, Ball State (10-4; 2-0) looks to stay undefeated in the conference after narrowly escaping Bowling Green in OT, 86-80, Jan. 8.
   The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3 with Joel Godett and Lisa Blalock on the call. Fans can also follow live stats at EMUEagles.com/livestats, or get live updates from the team's Twitter, @EMUWBB.

FIVE STRAIGHT: Eastern's win over Kent State, Jan. 8, gave the team five consecutive wins for the first time during the 2019-20 campaign. The Eagles dominated Purdue Fort Wayne, 64-40, Dec. 10, before taking care of UIC, 68-59, Dec. 18, Detroit Mercy, 84-70, Dec. 21, and BGSU, 78-61, Jan. 4. The Eagles picked up the fifth win with a 74-69 handling of the Golden Flashes in Kent, Ohio, Wednesday.

BEST IN A DECADE: With its win at Kent State, Jan. 8, 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.

FINALLY GOT THE FLASHES: EMU picked up a win over Kent State, 74-69, Jan. 8. 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 Wednesday's win, EMU had lost its previous six matchups against KSU.

SEVEN-FOR-SEVEN: Redshirt junior guard Areanna Combs has been outstanding for the Eagles in the seven games she has played this season. The Oklahoma City native has scored in double-figures in each contest, dropping a career-best 32 points against BGSU, Jan. 4. In all, Combs is averaging a team-best 19.9 points per game, an average that only two players in the MAC have outpaced this season.

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL: Eastern's ability to protect the ball has certainly contributed to its four consecutive victories. EMU has forced 106 turnovers during that stretch, while only relinquishing possession on 85 occasions.

HELPING HAND: Sophomore Jenna Annecchiarico has embraced the role of floor general to the tune of 3.7 assists per game, the ninth-best mark in the MAC. Additionally, her 1.4 assist to turnover ratio is good for eighth in the league.

DOUBLE (DIGIT) TROUBLE: The Eagles were led by the duo of redshirt junior Areanna Combs and sophomore Jenna Annecchiarico in their win over Kent State, Jan. 8, who each contributed 15-point efforts in the win. Combs has now scored in double figures in seven consecutive contests, while Annecchiarico notched her third double-digit performance of the season, and first since the team's win over Southeast Missouri State, Nov. 19, 2019. Annecchiarico added a team-best three triples as well.

BEST...BEST....AND MORE BEST: Dominant in every aspect of its game against Kent State, Jan. 8, 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.

NINE DOWN, TWO TO GO: With his win over Kent State, Jan. 8, EMU head man Fred Castro has beaten nine of the 11 Mid-American Conference opponents. He and the Eagles will have a chance to cross Buffalo off that list Saturday, Jan. 18. They'll get first crack at the Chippewas of Central Michigan Wednesday, Jan. 22.

COUNT ON COURTNIE: Although she has seen her role change this season, often coming off the bench instead of starting, junior Courtnie Lewis has remained outstanding for the Green and White. The Belton, Mo. native notched 13 points against Kent State, Jan. 4, just two points behind scoring leaders Areanna Combs and Jenna Annecchiarico, who each had 15. Lewis is fourth on the team with a 7.9 points per game average this season.

GETTING IT DONE ON D: Eastern Michigan's high intensity defense has caused opponents fits this season as the Eagles have forced the opposition into 15+ turnovers 10 times, while picking their pockets 10+ times in four of their 13 games, including each of their last four. EMU's 18.6 forced turnovers per game are the fourth-most in the MAC.

TURNING THE TIDE AT THE LINE: Despite averaging a league-worst 56.9 percent from the charity stripe through its first 12 games, the Eagles were red hot at the line against Kent State, Jan. 8. EMU shot a season-best 28-of-35 (67%), points that proved pivotal in the Eagles' five-point win, 74-69.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE BALL STATE: The Eagles will meet Mid-American Conference West Division rival Ball State on the hardwood for the 81st time in program history Saturday, Jan. 11. Holding a 42-38 lead in the all-time series, the Eagles swept the Cardinals during the 2018-19 season after dropping four consecutive matchups prior to last season.

LAST TIME AGAINST THE CARDINALS: A three-pointer by then-freshman Jenna Annecchiarico gave the Green and White its first lead of the afternoon, 46-45, with 9:20 to go in the fourth quarter. Moments later, then-sophomore Autumn Hudson broke a 51-51 tie with a pair of free throws to put Eastern in front, 53-51, with four minutes to go. From that point on, the Eagles never looked back and completed the comeback, 67-57.
   With the win, Eastern picked up its first victory inside of Worthen Arena since Feb. 25, 2015. Additionally, the Eagles swept the season series with the Cardinals for the first time since the 2010-11 season.

MAC PRESEASON POLL: Eastern Michigan was picked to finish fourth in the West Division as voted by the league's head coaches, the conference office announced, Oct. 30.

BACK IN #MACtion: The Green and White's 2019-20 campaign marks the 39th season Eastern Michigan will compete as a member of the Mid-American Conference. Having been a member of the Cleveland, Ohio-based league since the 1981-82 campaign, EMU has compiled a 268-360 record against conference opponents all-time.

RING CHASING: Eastern enters league play in search of its first conference championship since 2012. That year, the Eagles captured both the MAC West and MAC Tournament titles. Overall, EMU has claimed four division crowns (2004, 2006, 2008, 2012) and two tournament championships (2004, 2012).

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern returns home to the Convocation Center for a game against MAC East rival Miami University Wednesday, Jan. 15. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m.

Women's Basketball Looks For Sixth Consecutive Victory Saturday at BSU

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Players Mentioned

Jenna Annecchiarico

Areanna Combs

Autumn Hudson

Courtnie Lewis

Eastern Michigan Athletics