Eastern Michigan Athletics
Wednesday, March 11
Cleveland, Ohio
5 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
Ball State
Women's Hoops Hits Cleveland for Quarterfinal Date With Ball State
3/10/2020 2:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball
EMU and BSU tipoff tomorrow, March 11, at 5 p.m.
Following consultation with Ohio governmental and public health officials, and at the recommendation of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, the Mid-American Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments will be played, however a restricted attendance policy will be implemented at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse this week, March 11-14. The Tournaments will continue as scheduled, however only credentialed institutional personnel, student-athlete family members, credentialed media, television and radio crews, and official team party members will be permitted for attendance for the tournaments. The MAC tournaments will be closed to the general public.
| MAC Tournament Quarterfinal Round: Women's Basketball vs. Ball State | |
| Date | Wednesday, March 11 | 5 p.m. |
| Venue | Cleveland, Ohio | Quicken Loans Arena |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes |
| Live Stats | Fan Stats | Media Stats |
| Watch | ESPN+ |
| Listen | WEMU 89.1 FM |
| @EMUWBB | @EMUAthletics | |
CLEVELAND, Ohio. (EMUEagles.com) -- After a thrilling first round win over Northern Illinois University, March 9, the No. 7-seeded Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team will trek to Cleveland for a quarterfinal matchup in the Mid-American Conference's annual tournament Wednesday, March 11. The Eagles will face the No. 2 overall seed, Ball State University, at approximately 5 p.m. inside Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.
Eastern (15-15; 9-9 MAC) looks to earn a sport in the conference semifinals for the first time under Fred Castro, and for the first time since the 2016 installment of the event. Meanwhile, BSU (21-9; 13-5 MAC) is looking to end Eastern's fun in a revenge game following a loss to the Green and White, Feb. 22.
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+, and can be heard on WEMU 89.1 FM where Chad Bush will control the airwaves. Fans can also follow live stats at EMUEagles.com/livestats, or get live updates from the team's Twitter, @EMUWBB.
EMU IN THE MAC TOURNAMENT: Eastern will play in its 52nd MAC Tournament game when it takes the court against Ball State, March 11. EMU is 27-24 all-time in its league tournament appearances, which date back to the 1981-82 season. Eastern has twice captured the tournament crown and reached the NCAA Tournament via an automatic bid, first in 2004, and most recently in 2012.
NOW THIS IS MARCH MADNESS: The Green and White has posted a 45-41 record during the month of March over the last 21 seasons, including an 8-2 mark during the 2014-15 season.
UNDER FRED CASTRO: The Green and White are 3-3 in MAC tournament play under fourth-year Head Coach Fred Castro. EMU has provided the upset by winning its first round game in each of the last two seasons before being bounced in the quarterfinals in both campaigns by Central Michigan. EMU's No. 7 seed is the highest ranking under Castro.
UNDERDOGS: In EMU's postseason history, Eastern Michigan has posted eight wins over better ranked opponents, including a 61-59 win over No. 8 Akron in the opening round of the 2019 MAC Tournament, March 11.
FEW AND FAR BETWEEN: Underdogs have been hard-pressed to string together wins in the MAC Tournament in recent years, as no team seeded No. 9-or-below has won more than two games since 2009.
EMU AT ROCKET MORTGAGE: Eastern Michigan is very familiar with the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse (formerly Quicken Loans Arena) floor, as the school has posted a 14-12 record, including capturing the 2004 and 2012 championships.
TAKE A SEED AND LISTEN: In the last 30 years of the tournament, the top seed has won the title 21 times. In 2016, the Buffalo Bulls became the highest seed (#8) to ever advance to the tournament championship game and the highest seed to ever win the title. The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds have met 15 times in the championship game, with the top seed winning 13 times.
EMU VS. BALL STATE IN THE TOURNAMENT: EMU and BSU have clashed four times in the MAC Tournament, with Eastern emerging victorious in three of the affairs. The last time EMU and BSU met in the tournament? No. 6 EMU dominated the No. 3 Cardinals, 67-53, in the 2016 quarterfinal round of the event.
WHEN HOSTING A HOME GAME: Eastern hosted its 12th first round home game when it welcomed NIU to the Convocation Center, March 9. EMU has fared well on its home court during tournament play, as the Green and White hold a 9-3 all-time record in such games. EMU beat NIU to open this year's event, 76-69.
ALL-TIME AGAINST THE CARDINALS: The Eagles will meet Mid-American Conference West-Division rival Ball State on the hardwood for the 83rd time in program history Wednesday, March 11. Holding a 43-39 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. The two teams split their regular season matchups this year, with each squad winning a game at home.
LAST TIME AGAINST BALL STATE: Eastern fought to secure a 61-58 victory over Ball State Saturday, Feb. 22 inside the Convocation Center. Redshirt sophomore Juanita Agosto ended the afternoon one point shy of her first career double-double, tallying nine points while pulling down a career-high 12 rebounds, including a half-dozen on the offensive glass. She also tied her personal best with three steals and dished out a pair of assists.
A trio of Eagles reached double-figures in points, as redshirt junior Areanna Combs scored a team-high 15 points along with nine boards and two helpers, while fellow redshirt junior Corrione Cardwell netted 14 points, four rebounds, and a team-best three assists. Meanwhile, junior Courtnie Lewis notched 11 points, including three triples, while junior Autumn Hudson added seven points and seven rebounds.
MISS 1,000: Junior Courtnie Lewis became just the 23rd member of the EMU women's basketball 1,000-point club when she drained a deep triple in the third quarter of EMU's game against Toledo, Feb. 29. She is the first Eagle to reach the milestone since Sasha Dailey did it in 2018 (1,247 career-points).
Lewis scored 435 points during her freshman campaign, 348 as a sophomore, and has registered 263 through 30 games this season. Just a junior, she is on pace to finish inside the top-15 in program history in total points.
DEATH, TAXES, DOUBLE-DIGITS: Redshirt junior guard Areanna Combs has been outstanding for the Eagles in the 23 games she has played this season. The Oklahoma City native has scored in double-figures in each contest. In all, Combs is averaging a team-best 19.2 points per game.
Combs scored a team-best 23 points against NIU, March 9. The performance was her 11th of 20+ points this season.
The 23-game double-digit streak is currently the second-best in the MAC behind CMU's Micaela Kelly (29 games). The duo is the only pair in the MAC to have scored 10+ points in every game that they have participated in this season.
TOP-10 JUNIOR: With her 23-point performance against NIU in the first round of the MAC tournament, March 9, redshirt junior Areanna Combs etched herself into the EMU record books. The first-year Eagle is now No. 8 all-time on the list of points scored in a junior season. She currently has 442.
COMBS NAMED TO ALL-MAC TEAMS: Eastern Michigan redshirt junior guard Areanna Combs was named to multiple 2020 All-Mid-American Conference teams, the league office announced Tuesday, March 10. The All-MAC teams are voted on by the league's head coaches.
Combs garnered both Second Team All-MAC and MAC All-Defensive Team honors, becoming the first EMU student-athlete to earn either honor since the 2015-16 campaign when Cha Sweeney and Janay Morton were honored in the two categories, respectively. Combs is just the second Eagle in program history to earn all-defensive honors, and brings home the school's 17th nod on the Second-Team All-MAC list.
UPPERCLASSMEN UPING THEIR GAMES: Eastern's upperclassmen trio of Redshirt juniors Areanna Combs and Corrione Cardwell, along with junior Courtnie Lewis have stepped up their game as of late for EMU. Together, the three have combined to average 15.2 points each per game in Eastern's last three contests. Overall, the trio has accounted for 71 percent (137-of-194) of the team's total points in that stretch.
TOP-TIER SCORE-STOPPERS: EMU's defense has established itself as one of the very best in the league. The unit allows just 65.4 points per game, which ranks second in the MAC. EMU held Toledo to just 46 points on Feb. 29, UT's lowest point total in 25 games (Nov. 9 vs. Dayton). EMU followed that up by giving up just 53 to WMU, March 4.
GETTING IT DONE ON D: Eastern Michigan's high intensity defense has caused opponents fits this season. The Eagles have forced the opposition into 15+ turnovers 21 times, while picking their pockets 10+ times in nine of their 29 games. EMU's 17.8 forced turnovers per game are the third-most in the MAC.
MOVE OVER PITT, YPSI IS THE STEAL CITY: EMU's defense has been fantastic all season, and that is evidenced by its ability to steal the rock. The Eagles rank fourth in the Mid-American Conference with 8.57 steals per game, and have racked up 257 total steals this season. Redshirt junior Areanna Combs is first on the team and fourth in the MAC with a 2.2 SPG average.
HOT AT THE RIGHT TIME: Junior guard Courtnie Lewis has put together her best performances of the season as of late. The Belton, Mo. native led the team in points (22), three-pointers (5), and rebounds (10) at CMU, March 7. Those numbers were all season-bests for the EMU 1,000-point club member. Against NIU, March 9, she added an additional 21 points, including a team-best three long balls.
BIG TIME BOARDS: EMU has provided itself with an abundance of second-chance opportunities this season. The Eagles are currently second in the conference with 13.3 offensive rebounds per game, and ranks third in the league in rebounding offense (40.7 ppg).
LINE OR DIE: Free throws are a crucial ingredient for winning basketball games. When Eastern has more free throw attempts than its opponents, it is 10-1 on the season. When it has less attempts or even attempts, the Eagles are just 5-14.
FREE THROW WOES: Free throws are an integral stat for postseason success, and it is an aspect of the game EMU needs to improve on if it hopes to win the MAC title. The Eagles are 12th in the league in free throw percentage (61.8%). The good news? EMU is second in the league in total attempts (612), which means there are points ready to be captured by the Green and White.
THANKS FOR ASSISTING: Sophomore guard Jenna Annecchiarico is one of the best in the MAC at dishing the rock. She tallied a team-leading five helpers against Ohio, Feb. 5, which marked the third time this season that she racked up five-plus assists in a game. Her 1.7 assist-to-turnover ratio is first in the league, while her 3.3 assists per game ranks 10th. The Baldwin, N.Y. native leads EMU in both categories.
SETTING NEW STANDARDS: With its win over Toledo, Feb. 29, Eastern secured its ninth conference win of the season, which is EMU's best league win total all-time under Fred Castro (four seasons). EMU has finished each of the last two seasons with six conference wins.
LOOKING AHEAD - BUFFALO: EMU and Buffalo have met 28 times in their respective histories. The Green and White hold the upper hand in the series, 15-12, but UB has had the edge as of late winning seven of the last nine meetings. Eastern in 2-0 all-time in the MAC Tournament against the Bulls (2005, 2010).
LAST TIME AGAINST UB: The wintry cold of Upstate New York carried over to the court as Eastern suffered a tough loss at the hands of Buffalo, Jan. 18. On the court, the Eagles were led by freshman Aaliyah Stanley, who put up 17 points on 7-of-17 shooting, including two triples. The double-digit scoring effort was the 10th of the season for Stanley.
LOOKING AHEAD - KENT STATE: The Eagles and Golden Flashes have met 69 times on the hardwood since the series began during the 1980-81 campaign. Kent State holds the edge in the all-time series, 40-28, and has won six of the last seven meetings between the teams. Eastern got the best of KSU in the lone matchup of the squads this year, defeating the Flashes, 74-69, Jan. 8, in Ohio. EMU is 3-3 Against Kent in MAC Tournament play.
LAST TIME AGAINST KENT STATE: The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team fought off a late comeback attempt from its opposition en route to its fifth consecutive victory, 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
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.
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: With a win, Eastern will head to its first semifinal appearance in the MAC tournament since the 2015-16 campaign. The game would be played Friday, March 13, at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. A loss, however, would end EMU's season.
Eastern (15-15; 9-9 MAC) looks to earn a sport in the conference semifinals for the first time under Fred Castro, and for the first time since the 2016 installment of the event. Meanwhile, BSU (21-9; 13-5 MAC) is looking to end Eastern's fun in a revenge game following a loss to the Green and White, Feb. 22.
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+, and can be heard on WEMU 89.1 FM where Chad Bush will control the airwaves. Fans can also follow live stats at EMUEagles.com/livestats, or get live updates from the team's Twitter, @EMUWBB.
EMU IN THE MAC TOURNAMENT: Eastern will play in its 52nd MAC Tournament game when it takes the court against Ball State, March 11. EMU is 27-24 all-time in its league tournament appearances, which date back to the 1981-82 season. Eastern has twice captured the tournament crown and reached the NCAA Tournament via an automatic bid, first in 2004, and most recently in 2012.
NOW THIS IS MARCH MADNESS: The Green and White has posted a 45-41 record during the month of March over the last 21 seasons, including an 8-2 mark during the 2014-15 season.
UNDER FRED CASTRO: The Green and White are 3-3 in MAC tournament play under fourth-year Head Coach Fred Castro. EMU has provided the upset by winning its first round game in each of the last two seasons before being bounced in the quarterfinals in both campaigns by Central Michigan. EMU's No. 7 seed is the highest ranking under Castro.
UNDERDOGS: In EMU's postseason history, Eastern Michigan has posted eight wins over better ranked opponents, including a 61-59 win over No. 8 Akron in the opening round of the 2019 MAC Tournament, March 11.
FEW AND FAR BETWEEN: Underdogs have been hard-pressed to string together wins in the MAC Tournament in recent years, as no team seeded No. 9-or-below has won more than two games since 2009.
EMU AT ROCKET MORTGAGE: Eastern Michigan is very familiar with the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse (formerly Quicken Loans Arena) floor, as the school has posted a 14-12 record, including capturing the 2004 and 2012 championships.
TAKE A SEED AND LISTEN: In the last 30 years of the tournament, the top seed has won the title 21 times. In 2016, the Buffalo Bulls became the highest seed (#8) to ever advance to the tournament championship game and the highest seed to ever win the title. The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds have met 15 times in the championship game, with the top seed winning 13 times.
EMU VS. BALL STATE IN THE TOURNAMENT: EMU and BSU have clashed four times in the MAC Tournament, with Eastern emerging victorious in three of the affairs. The last time EMU and BSU met in the tournament? No. 6 EMU dominated the No. 3 Cardinals, 67-53, in the 2016 quarterfinal round of the event.
WHEN HOSTING A HOME GAME: Eastern hosted its 12th first round home game when it welcomed NIU to the Convocation Center, March 9. EMU has fared well on its home court during tournament play, as the Green and White hold a 9-3 all-time record in such games. EMU beat NIU to open this year's event, 76-69.
ALL-TIME AGAINST THE CARDINALS: The Eagles will meet Mid-American Conference West-Division rival Ball State on the hardwood for the 83rd time in program history Wednesday, March 11. Holding a 43-39 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. The two teams split their regular season matchups this year, with each squad winning a game at home.
LAST TIME AGAINST BALL STATE: Eastern fought to secure a 61-58 victory over Ball State Saturday, Feb. 22 inside the Convocation Center. Redshirt sophomore Juanita Agosto ended the afternoon one point shy of her first career double-double, tallying nine points while pulling down a career-high 12 rebounds, including a half-dozen on the offensive glass. She also tied her personal best with three steals and dished out a pair of assists.
A trio of Eagles reached double-figures in points, as redshirt junior Areanna Combs scored a team-high 15 points along with nine boards and two helpers, while fellow redshirt junior Corrione Cardwell netted 14 points, four rebounds, and a team-best three assists. Meanwhile, junior Courtnie Lewis notched 11 points, including three triples, while junior Autumn Hudson added seven points and seven rebounds.
MISS 1,000: Junior Courtnie Lewis became just the 23rd member of the EMU women's basketball 1,000-point club when she drained a deep triple in the third quarter of EMU's game against Toledo, Feb. 29. She is the first Eagle to reach the milestone since Sasha Dailey did it in 2018 (1,247 career-points).
Lewis scored 435 points during her freshman campaign, 348 as a sophomore, and has registered 263 through 30 games this season. Just a junior, she is on pace to finish inside the top-15 in program history in total points.
DEATH, TAXES, DOUBLE-DIGITS: Redshirt junior guard Areanna Combs has been outstanding for the Eagles in the 23 games she has played this season. The Oklahoma City native has scored in double-figures in each contest. In all, Combs is averaging a team-best 19.2 points per game.
Combs scored a team-best 23 points against NIU, March 9. The performance was her 11th of 20+ points this season.
The 23-game double-digit streak is currently the second-best in the MAC behind CMU's Micaela Kelly (29 games). The duo is the only pair in the MAC to have scored 10+ points in every game that they have participated in this season.
TOP-10 JUNIOR: With her 23-point performance against NIU in the first round of the MAC tournament, March 9, redshirt junior Areanna Combs etched herself into the EMU record books. The first-year Eagle is now No. 8 all-time on the list of points scored in a junior season. She currently has 442.
COMBS NAMED TO ALL-MAC TEAMS: Eastern Michigan redshirt junior guard Areanna Combs was named to multiple 2020 All-Mid-American Conference teams, the league office announced Tuesday, March 10. The All-MAC teams are voted on by the league's head coaches.
Combs garnered both Second Team All-MAC and MAC All-Defensive Team honors, becoming the first EMU student-athlete to earn either honor since the 2015-16 campaign when Cha Sweeney and Janay Morton were honored in the two categories, respectively. Combs is just the second Eagle in program history to earn all-defensive honors, and brings home the school's 17th nod on the Second-Team All-MAC list.
UPPERCLASSMEN UPING THEIR GAMES: Eastern's upperclassmen trio of Redshirt juniors Areanna Combs and Corrione Cardwell, along with junior Courtnie Lewis have stepped up their game as of late for EMU. Together, the three have combined to average 15.2 points each per game in Eastern's last three contests. Overall, the trio has accounted for 71 percent (137-of-194) of the team's total points in that stretch.
TOP-TIER SCORE-STOPPERS: EMU's defense has established itself as one of the very best in the league. The unit allows just 65.4 points per game, which ranks second in the MAC. EMU held Toledo to just 46 points on Feb. 29, UT's lowest point total in 25 games (Nov. 9 vs. Dayton). EMU followed that up by giving up just 53 to WMU, March 4.
GETTING IT DONE ON D: Eastern Michigan's high intensity defense has caused opponents fits this season. The Eagles have forced the opposition into 15+ turnovers 21 times, while picking their pockets 10+ times in nine of their 29 games. EMU's 17.8 forced turnovers per game are the third-most in the MAC.
MOVE OVER PITT, YPSI IS THE STEAL CITY: EMU's defense has been fantastic all season, and that is evidenced by its ability to steal the rock. The Eagles rank fourth in the Mid-American Conference with 8.57 steals per game, and have racked up 257 total steals this season. Redshirt junior Areanna Combs is first on the team and fourth in the MAC with a 2.2 SPG average.
HOT AT THE RIGHT TIME: Junior guard Courtnie Lewis has put together her best performances of the season as of late. The Belton, Mo. native led the team in points (22), three-pointers (5), and rebounds (10) at CMU, March 7. Those numbers were all season-bests for the EMU 1,000-point club member. Against NIU, March 9, she added an additional 21 points, including a team-best three long balls.
BIG TIME BOARDS: EMU has provided itself with an abundance of second-chance opportunities this season. The Eagles are currently second in the conference with 13.3 offensive rebounds per game, and ranks third in the league in rebounding offense (40.7 ppg).
LINE OR DIE: Free throws are a crucial ingredient for winning basketball games. When Eastern has more free throw attempts than its opponents, it is 10-1 on the season. When it has less attempts or even attempts, the Eagles are just 5-14.
FREE THROW WOES: Free throws are an integral stat for postseason success, and it is an aspect of the game EMU needs to improve on if it hopes to win the MAC title. The Eagles are 12th in the league in free throw percentage (61.8%). The good news? EMU is second in the league in total attempts (612), which means there are points ready to be captured by the Green and White.
THANKS FOR ASSISTING: Sophomore guard Jenna Annecchiarico is one of the best in the MAC at dishing the rock. She tallied a team-leading five helpers against Ohio, Feb. 5, which marked the third time this season that she racked up five-plus assists in a game. Her 1.7 assist-to-turnover ratio is first in the league, while her 3.3 assists per game ranks 10th. The Baldwin, N.Y. native leads EMU in both categories.
SETTING NEW STANDARDS: With its win over Toledo, Feb. 29, Eastern secured its ninth conference win of the season, which is EMU's best league win total all-time under Fred Castro (four seasons). EMU has finished each of the last two seasons with six conference wins.
LOOKING AHEAD - BUFFALO: EMU and Buffalo have met 28 times in their respective histories. The Green and White hold the upper hand in the series, 15-12, but UB has had the edge as of late winning seven of the last nine meetings. Eastern in 2-0 all-time in the MAC Tournament against the Bulls (2005, 2010).
LAST TIME AGAINST UB: The wintry cold of Upstate New York carried over to the court as Eastern suffered a tough loss at the hands of Buffalo, Jan. 18. On the court, the Eagles were led by freshman Aaliyah Stanley, who put up 17 points on 7-of-17 shooting, including two triples. The double-digit scoring effort was the 10th of the season for Stanley.
LOOKING AHEAD - KENT STATE: The Eagles and Golden Flashes have met 69 times on the hardwood since the series began during the 1980-81 campaign. Kent State holds the edge in the all-time series, 40-28, and has won six of the last seven meetings between the teams. Eastern got the best of KSU in the lone matchup of the squads this year, defeating the Flashes, 74-69, Jan. 8, in Ohio. EMU is 3-3 Against Kent in MAC Tournament play.
LAST TIME AGAINST KENT STATE: The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team fought off a late comeback attempt from its opposition en route to its fifth consecutive victory, 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
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.
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: With a win, Eastern will head to its first semifinal appearance in the MAC tournament since the 2015-16 campaign. The game would be played Friday, March 13, at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. A loss, however, would end EMU's season.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballWomen's Basketball Practice Highlights Week of Aug. 4, 2025
Sunday, August 10
Inaugural Bowling with the Eagles Event
Friday, August 08
Women's Basketball Practice Highlights Week of July 28, 2025
Friday, August 08
2025 Women's Basketball Alumni Panel
Wednesday, July 30