Eastern Michigan Athletics

Skanes' Historic Rebounding Effort Leads Women's Hoops Over Tarleton State, 65-59
12/21/2020 5:13:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The redshirt sophomore forward tallied a program-record 23 boards, third double-double
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (EMUEagles.com) – An 8-0 run over the final 2:29 was the difference as the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team was able to slip by Tarleton State University, 65-59, at the 2020 Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic inside South Point Arena today, Dec. 21.
The win snaps a two-game losing skid for Eastern (4-3, 1-1 MAC), and moves its overall ledger to one notch above the .500 mark. The victory also comes at an ideal time, as the game served as the final tune-up before EMU closes its regular season schedule with 18-consecutive Mid-American Conference contests, beginning Jan. 2, against Kent State.
The Eagles were led by a historic effort from redshirt sophomore forward Ce'Nara Skanes (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Florida International)), who put up a career-high 23 rebounds in the win. That number is the most in EMU single-game history, and is the first 20-rebound effort for an Eagle since the 2014-15 campaign when Brianna Puni grabbed 20 in a game against Drake, March. 20, 2015. Skanes added 12 points to secure her third double-double of the season, which leads the team. The 20-rebound performance is the first by any player in the conference this season. Redshirt senior Areanna Combs (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Oklahoma State)) led the scoring efforts for EMU, as she put up 20 points on 8-of-17 shooting. The game was her fourth this season with 20+ points. Junior Jenna Annecchiarico (Baldwin, N.Y.-Baldwin) was the squad's lone three-point scorer for the day; she hit three long balls for Eastern.
EMU started fast as it took just 29 seconds for the Sooner State Sisters, Combs and Skanes, to hook up for a smooth assist-and-score that put the Eagles ahead, 2-0. Just moments later, it was Skanes who displayed her passing ability, as she fed redshirt junior guard Juanita Agosto (Seattle, Wash.-Garfield) for a quick two. That bucket put EMU ahead, 4-1, just 60 ticks into play. Although Tarleton State was able to muster eight points by the first media timeout, which came with 4:11 left in the first, it was unable to corral the powerful EMU offense. Five Eagles were already on the board by the time of the break as senior Autumn Hudson (Richwood, Ohio-North Union) paced the squad with four points. Hudson finished the contest with a season-best 12 points. The rest of the quarter featured dominant defense by the Eagles. Tarleton State finished the quarter shooting just 15 percent (2-for-13), including a 0-for-7 stretch and a 2:51 scoreless spell to end the quarter. On the contrary, the Eastern offense was incredibly fluid. Five Eagles scored en route to a season-best 21 first quarter points for the Green and White. Combs rebounded well after a season-worst 1-for-10 struggle against Gonzaga, Dec. 20. She finished the frame with a team-best six points on 3-of-6 shooting.
The second quarter began with a rejuvenated TSU team on the floor as the Texans were able to dwindle the EMU lead down to just four, 23-19, with 6:38 remaining on the clock. The run was quickly stifled by the stout EMU defense, however, as it allowed just seven further points before intermission. Most impressive was yet another stretch of unrelenting effort from the defense that kept the Texans off the board for a stretch of 2:46, its second of at least that length in the game. Eastern's defense also held Tarleton State without a field goal for the final three minutes of the half, an effort that allowed EMU's offense to expand its lead to 13, 39-26, by the time the clock hit zero. Eastern's 39 first-half points, sparked by scoring from five different Eagles, are the most by the team in a game this season. Combs finished the half with a game-high 10 points, while Skanes dominated on the boards with 14, her best effort of the season.
Up comfortably to start the second half, 39-26, EMU faced yet another push from the Texans, who are playing their first season at the Division I ranks in 2020-21. Tarleton State opened the half on an 11-4 run, one which saw Eastern's lead shrink to just six, 43-37, with about seven minutes remaining in the third quarter. Two quick buckets by Combs allowed EMU to stretch the lead back to eight, 47-39, before a pair of layups from redshirt junior RayJon Harris (Euclid, Ohio-Euclid) made it a 13-point edge in favor of the Eagles, 53-40, with three minutes left in the frame. Despite the clear momentum and ability to score with ease, EMU was unable to maintain the wide margin as the Texans closed the quarter on a 9-4 run to bring the game back within eight, 57-49, at the conclusion of the third.
The fourth quarter was the most action-packed of the day as Tarleton State inched too close for Eastern Michigan's comfort. Up eight, 57-49, EMU fell victim to a 9-0 TSU run through the first 7:30 of the fourth and final stanza. It was not until the 2:29 mark of the quarter that EMU was able to fill up its first bucket of the quarter, a layup courtesy of Hudson, that tied the game at 59-apiece. Reliant on its defense all afternoon long, EMU rose to the occasion for one final stand against the Texans. After forcing a contested shot and bringing down the defensive rebound, Eastern reclaimed the lead for good on a Combs make, 61-59, with 1:44 to play. That bucket was the second in an eventual game-ending 8-0 run for the Green and White.
Despite a resilient effort from Tarleton State, Eastern proved too good to beat, and eventually secured its 65-59 victory.
EMU is back in action on Saturday, Jan. 2, as it welcomes Kent State to the Convocation Center for the first leg of a women's/men's doubleheader in Ypsilanti. Tipoff is set for 12 p.m.
For the most up-to-date information on all things EMU women's basketball, visit EMUEagles.com and follow the team on social media, at @EMUWBB.
The win snaps a two-game losing skid for Eastern (4-3, 1-1 MAC), and moves its overall ledger to one notch above the .500 mark. The victory also comes at an ideal time, as the game served as the final tune-up before EMU closes its regular season schedule with 18-consecutive Mid-American Conference contests, beginning Jan. 2, against Kent State.
The Eagles were led by a historic effort from redshirt sophomore forward Ce'Nara Skanes (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Florida International)), who put up a career-high 23 rebounds in the win. That number is the most in EMU single-game history, and is the first 20-rebound effort for an Eagle since the 2014-15 campaign when Brianna Puni grabbed 20 in a game against Drake, March. 20, 2015. Skanes added 12 points to secure her third double-double of the season, which leads the team. The 20-rebound performance is the first by any player in the conference this season. Redshirt senior Areanna Combs (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Oklahoma State)) led the scoring efforts for EMU, as she put up 20 points on 8-of-17 shooting. The game was her fourth this season with 20+ points. Junior Jenna Annecchiarico (Baldwin, N.Y.-Baldwin) was the squad's lone three-point scorer for the day; she hit three long balls for Eastern.
EMU started fast as it took just 29 seconds for the Sooner State Sisters, Combs and Skanes, to hook up for a smooth assist-and-score that put the Eagles ahead, 2-0. Just moments later, it was Skanes who displayed her passing ability, as she fed redshirt junior guard Juanita Agosto (Seattle, Wash.-Garfield) for a quick two. That bucket put EMU ahead, 4-1, just 60 ticks into play. Although Tarleton State was able to muster eight points by the first media timeout, which came with 4:11 left in the first, it was unable to corral the powerful EMU offense. Five Eagles were already on the board by the time of the break as senior Autumn Hudson (Richwood, Ohio-North Union) paced the squad with four points. Hudson finished the contest with a season-best 12 points. The rest of the quarter featured dominant defense by the Eagles. Tarleton State finished the quarter shooting just 15 percent (2-for-13), including a 0-for-7 stretch and a 2:51 scoreless spell to end the quarter. On the contrary, the Eastern offense was incredibly fluid. Five Eagles scored en route to a season-best 21 first quarter points for the Green and White. Combs rebounded well after a season-worst 1-for-10 struggle against Gonzaga, Dec. 20. She finished the frame with a team-best six points on 3-of-6 shooting.
The second quarter began with a rejuvenated TSU team on the floor as the Texans were able to dwindle the EMU lead down to just four, 23-19, with 6:38 remaining on the clock. The run was quickly stifled by the stout EMU defense, however, as it allowed just seven further points before intermission. Most impressive was yet another stretch of unrelenting effort from the defense that kept the Texans off the board for a stretch of 2:46, its second of at least that length in the game. Eastern's defense also held Tarleton State without a field goal for the final three minutes of the half, an effort that allowed EMU's offense to expand its lead to 13, 39-26, by the time the clock hit zero. Eastern's 39 first-half points, sparked by scoring from five different Eagles, are the most by the team in a game this season. Combs finished the half with a game-high 10 points, while Skanes dominated on the boards with 14, her best effort of the season.
Up comfortably to start the second half, 39-26, EMU faced yet another push from the Texans, who are playing their first season at the Division I ranks in 2020-21. Tarleton State opened the half on an 11-4 run, one which saw Eastern's lead shrink to just six, 43-37, with about seven minutes remaining in the third quarter. Two quick buckets by Combs allowed EMU to stretch the lead back to eight, 47-39, before a pair of layups from redshirt junior RayJon Harris (Euclid, Ohio-Euclid) made it a 13-point edge in favor of the Eagles, 53-40, with three minutes left in the frame. Despite the clear momentum and ability to score with ease, EMU was unable to maintain the wide margin as the Texans closed the quarter on a 9-4 run to bring the game back within eight, 57-49, at the conclusion of the third.
The fourth quarter was the most action-packed of the day as Tarleton State inched too close for Eastern Michigan's comfort. Up eight, 57-49, EMU fell victim to a 9-0 TSU run through the first 7:30 of the fourth and final stanza. It was not until the 2:29 mark of the quarter that EMU was able to fill up its first bucket of the quarter, a layup courtesy of Hudson, that tied the game at 59-apiece. Reliant on its defense all afternoon long, EMU rose to the occasion for one final stand against the Texans. After forcing a contested shot and bringing down the defensive rebound, Eastern reclaimed the lead for good on a Combs make, 61-59, with 1:44 to play. That bucket was the second in an eventual game-ending 8-0 run for the Green and White.
Despite a resilient effort from Tarleton State, Eastern proved too good to beat, and eventually secured its 65-59 victory.
EMU is back in action on Saturday, Jan. 2, as it welcomes Kent State to the Convocation Center for the first leg of a women's/men's doubleheader in Ypsilanti. Tipoff is set for 12 p.m.
For the most up-to-date information on all things EMU women's basketball, visit EMUEagles.com and follow the team on social media, at @EMUWBB.
Team Stats
TSU
EMU
FG%
.315
.358
3FG%
.278
.188
FT%
.833
.700
RB
31
50
TO
9
12
STL
6
5
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