Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, March 7
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Central Michigan
Women's Hoops Closes Regular Season With Trip to Central Michigan
3/5/2020 12:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Seeding implications for the upcoming MAC tournament are on the line
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team will play its last regular season game of the 2019-20 campaign when it travels for a matchup with in-state and Mid-American Conference West Division rival, Central Michigan University Saturday, March 7. Tipoff between the Eagles and Chippewas is slated for 1 p.m. inside McGuirk Arena.
Eastern (14-14; 9-8 MAC) looks to end its regular season with a win and secure the highest possible seed in the upcoming MAC tournament. After falling to Western Michigan, March 4, EMU can climb as high as the No. 5 spot, but no higher. Meanwhile, CMU (22-6; 15-2 MAC) is hoping to send its seniors out with a win after having already secured the tournament's first-overall seed.
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3. WEMU 89.1 FM will also broadcast the contest with Chad Bush controlling the airwaves. Fans can also follow live stats at EMUEagles.com/livestats, or get live updates from the team's Twitter, @EMUWBB.
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 220 through just 28 games this season. Just a junior, she is on pace to finish inside the top-15 in program history in total points.
NINE DOWN, TWO TO GO: 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 off Central Michigan Saturday, March 7. Castro is 0-4 against MAC East rival, Buffalo, and 0-8 against the Chips.
WHERE WE STAND: Eastern's loss to Western, coupled with Kent State's win over Ohio, March 4, dropped the Eagles to the No. 6 seed in the current MAC standings. If the tournament started today, EMU would play host to Miami University in the first round of the MAC tournament, Monday, March 9. EMU could still climb as high as the five spot, but can no longer secure a first round bye (top four seeds).
DEATH, TAXES, DOUBLE-DIGITS: Redshirt junior guard Areanna Combs has been outstanding for the Eagles in the 21 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 19.0 points per game, an average that only two players in the MAC have outpaced this season.
Combs scored a team-best 22 points against Western Michigan, March 4. The performance was her ninth of 20+ points this season.
The 21-game double-digit streak is currently the second-best in the MAC behind CMU's Micaela Kelly (28 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. Combs is just 30 points from being in the top-10 in scoring for a junior in EMU program history (see list on page nine).
TOP-TIER SCORE-STOPPERS: EMU's defense has established itself as one of the very best in the league. The unit allows just 64.9 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 19 times, while picking their pockets 10+ times in nine of their 27 games. EMU's 18.0 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 third in the Mid-American Conference with 8.71 steals per game, and have racked up 244 total steals this season.
17 STRAIGHT WITH A STEAL: Sophomore Jenna Annecchiarico has been nearly automatic when it comes to swiping the ball. The Baldwin, N.Y. native recorded at least one steal in each 17-consecutive games, dating from Dec. 7, at Wichita State through Feb 29, versus Toledo. Unfortunately, the streak ended Wednesday, March 4, against Western Michigan. She tallied five steals against Ohio, Feb. 5, which tied a season-best and tied her single-game career-high (twice), before adding a pair at BGSU, Feb. 12. She is first on the team with 48 steals, and her 1.9 SPG average is 11th-best in the conference.
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 13.7 offensive rebounds per game, and ranks third in the league in rebounding offense (41.1 ppg). EMU also holds the second-best rebounding margin in the MAC, at +2.1 per game.
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 4-13.
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 11th in the league in free throw percentage (61.5%). The good news? EMU is second in the league in total attempts (571), which means there are points ready to be captured by the Green and White. Additionally, EMU has shot better-than 70 percent from the line in consecutive contests (74% vs Toledo, Feb. 29; 76% vs WMU, March 4).
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 1.6 assist-to-turnover ratio is second-best in the league, while her 3.3 assists per game ranks tied-for ninth. The Baldwin, N.Y. native leads EMU in both categories.
SETTING NEW STANDARDS: With its win over Toledo, 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.
CHIP DIP: Saturday's contest marks the 89th meeting between the Chippewas and Eagles, who first met during the 1976-77 season. CMU leads the overall series, 53-35. EMU has won 22 of the last 42 meetings dating back to the 2000-01 campaign, but Central enters the clash as winners of 12 straight against Eastern.
LAST TIME AGAINST THE CHIPPEWAS: Despite holding a small lead going into the final quarter, the Eagles were not able to overcome the Chippewas' hot shooting, falling 89-82, Jan. 22. Redshirt junior Areanna Combs scored a team-best 19 points while tying her career-high with 11 rebounds. The Oklahoma City, Okla. native's performance was her second-career double-double. Freshman Aaliyah Stanley reached double-digits in scoring as well with 13 points while dishing out two assists. Additionally, sophomore Jenna Annecchiarico attained 10 points and registered a steal for the 10th straight game.
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 will return home to await the final seeding for the upcoming Mid-American Conference tournament, which begins Monday, March 9. EMU is guaranteed to host a first round game, but will await final pairings to determine its opponent. Tipoff will either be at 5 p.m. or 7 p.m depending on possible doubleheader scenarios with the EMU men's team.
Eastern (14-14; 9-8 MAC) looks to end its regular season with a win and secure the highest possible seed in the upcoming MAC tournament. After falling to Western Michigan, March 4, EMU can climb as high as the No. 5 spot, but no higher. Meanwhile, CMU (22-6; 15-2 MAC) is hoping to send its seniors out with a win after having already secured the tournament's first-overall seed.
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3. WEMU 89.1 FM will also broadcast the contest with Chad Bush controlling the airwaves. Fans can also follow live stats at EMUEagles.com/livestats, or get live updates from the team's Twitter, @EMUWBB.
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 220 through just 28 games this season. Just a junior, she is on pace to finish inside the top-15 in program history in total points.
NINE DOWN, TWO TO GO: 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 off Central Michigan Saturday, March 7. Castro is 0-4 against MAC East rival, Buffalo, and 0-8 against the Chips.
WHERE WE STAND: Eastern's loss to Western, coupled with Kent State's win over Ohio, March 4, dropped the Eagles to the No. 6 seed in the current MAC standings. If the tournament started today, EMU would play host to Miami University in the first round of the MAC tournament, Monday, March 9. EMU could still climb as high as the five spot, but can no longer secure a first round bye (top four seeds).
DEATH, TAXES, DOUBLE-DIGITS: Redshirt junior guard Areanna Combs has been outstanding for the Eagles in the 21 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 19.0 points per game, an average that only two players in the MAC have outpaced this season.
Combs scored a team-best 22 points against Western Michigan, March 4. The performance was her ninth of 20+ points this season.
The 21-game double-digit streak is currently the second-best in the MAC behind CMU's Micaela Kelly (28 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. Combs is just 30 points from being in the top-10 in scoring for a junior in EMU program history (see list on page nine).
TOP-TIER SCORE-STOPPERS: EMU's defense has established itself as one of the very best in the league. The unit allows just 64.9 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 19 times, while picking their pockets 10+ times in nine of their 27 games. EMU's 18.0 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 third in the Mid-American Conference with 8.71 steals per game, and have racked up 244 total steals this season.
17 STRAIGHT WITH A STEAL: Sophomore Jenna Annecchiarico has been nearly automatic when it comes to swiping the ball. The Baldwin, N.Y. native recorded at least one steal in each 17-consecutive games, dating from Dec. 7, at Wichita State through Feb 29, versus Toledo. Unfortunately, the streak ended Wednesday, March 4, against Western Michigan. She tallied five steals against Ohio, Feb. 5, which tied a season-best and tied her single-game career-high (twice), before adding a pair at BGSU, Feb. 12. She is first on the team with 48 steals, and her 1.9 SPG average is 11th-best in the conference.
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 13.7 offensive rebounds per game, and ranks third in the league in rebounding offense (41.1 ppg). EMU also holds the second-best rebounding margin in the MAC, at +2.1 per game.
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 4-13.
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 11th in the league in free throw percentage (61.5%). The good news? EMU is second in the league in total attempts (571), which means there are points ready to be captured by the Green and White. Additionally, EMU has shot better-than 70 percent from the line in consecutive contests (74% vs Toledo, Feb. 29; 76% vs WMU, March 4).
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 1.6 assist-to-turnover ratio is second-best in the league, while her 3.3 assists per game ranks tied-for ninth. The Baldwin, N.Y. native leads EMU in both categories.
SETTING NEW STANDARDS: With its win over Toledo, 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.
CHIP DIP: Saturday's contest marks the 89th meeting between the Chippewas and Eagles, who first met during the 1976-77 season. CMU leads the overall series, 53-35. EMU has won 22 of the last 42 meetings dating back to the 2000-01 campaign, but Central enters the clash as winners of 12 straight against Eastern.
LAST TIME AGAINST THE CHIPPEWAS: Despite holding a small lead going into the final quarter, the Eagles were not able to overcome the Chippewas' hot shooting, falling 89-82, Jan. 22. Redshirt junior Areanna Combs scored a team-best 19 points while tying her career-high with 11 rebounds. The Oklahoma City, Okla. native's performance was her second-career double-double. Freshman Aaliyah Stanley reached double-digits in scoring as well with 13 points while dishing out two assists. Additionally, sophomore Jenna Annecchiarico attained 10 points and registered a steal for the 10th straight game.
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 will return home to await the final seeding for the upcoming Mid-American Conference tournament, which begins Monday, March 9. EMU is guaranteed to host a first round game, but will await final pairings to determine its opponent. Tipoff will either be at 5 p.m. or 7 p.m depending on possible doubleheader scenarios with the EMU men's team.
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