Women's Basketball Ready for Battle with Central Michigan

Women's Basketball at Central Michigan
Date	Wednesday, Jan. 20
Venue	Mount Pleasant, Mich. \| McGurik Arena
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Live Stats
Watch	ESPN+
Twitter	@EMUWBB \| @EMUAthletics

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team will hit the road for a Mid-American Conference matchup with its in-state rival, Central Michigan Univeristy Wednesday, Jan. 20. Tipoff from McGuirk Arena is set for 5 p.m.
   Eastern (7-5, 4-3 MAC) is looking to secure its first four-game conference win streak since the 2015-16 season. Meanwhile, Central (7-4, 5-2 MAC) is looking to get back on track after dropping two straight games to Northern Illinois, Jan. 13, and Ohio, Jan. 16.           Fans can watch the game on ESPN+, or can follow @EMUWBB on social media for live updates. EMU radio voice Tom Helmer will also have the call on WEMU 89.1 FM.
   Be sure to visit EMUEagles.com for the most up-to-date information on all things EMU women's basketball.

APPROACHING 1,000: When combining her 119 career points at Oklahoma State and her 703 points at EMU thus far, redshirt senior guard Areanna Combs is approaching the 1,000-career point mark (822 total). Although she still has 178 points to go, her 19.8 points per game average should help her to hit the mark this season. Combs is on pace to score 1,000 points in her EMU career alone as well.

NEARING 100: Seniors Autumn Hudson and Corrione Cardwell are both nearing 100 career games. Hudson has 98 games of experience, while Cardwell has 96. Phillis Webb is Eastern's all-time games leader with 134. Hudson and Cardwell could both break into the top-15 if they are able to reach the 113 mark.

GOT ONE AT HOME: EMU recorded its first home win of the season when it defeated Akron, 64-46, Jan. 16, inside the Convocation Center. Prior to the game, Eastern had six wins on the season, but was 0-3 home.
   EMU has 191 wins all-time in the Convo. The team is 29-27 in Ypsilanti under Fred Castro.

UNDER 50, AGAIN: EMU's defense is clicking on all cylinders as of late, as it has now held its opponents under 50 points in consecutive games. Miami mustered a season-low 41 against EMU, Jan. 13, before the Eagles held Akron to just 46, Jan. 16. The 41-point game is the lowest by any MAC team this season.
   In total, EMU has held three opponents under 50 points this season, all of which the Eagles have defeated (SEMO - Dec. 6, Miami - Jan. 13, Akron - Jan. 16). Eastern has kept challengers below 50 points 15 times during the Fred Casto era (2016-Pres.), and has been victorious in 14 of those contests.
   EMU has not held consecutive opponents under 50 points since 2012-13, when it held NIU and Toledo to 45 and 48 points, respectively, Feb. 28, and March 3, 2013. Eastern is 117-2 all-time when holding opponents under 50 points.

BEST OF THE BUNCH: The Eagles allow just 60.1 points per game, which is better than three points better than Bowling Green, which allows 63.4 points per game and is second in the conference in the category. EMU's field goal percentage defense is also first, as opponents shoot just 36.6 percent against the Green and White.

REBOUND TOWN: Eastern grabbed a season-best 57 boards against Akron, Jan. 16. That number, which is the second-best by any team in the MAC this season (Buffalo - 60 vs. St. Bonaventure, Dec. 19), is the most by an EMU team since the 2016-17 campaign when it grabbed the same number against Morehead State, Nov. 13, 2016.

NEW YORK'S FINEST: Junior guard Jenna Annecchiarico led Eastern with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists in its win over Akron, Jan. 16. The performance was her first double-double of the season and second of her career. Annechiarico's 10 boards was a season-best, and tied her career-high.

ANOTHER ONE: Redshirt sophomore forward Ce'Nara Skanes was unstoppable against Akron, Jan. 16. Her game-best 21 point, 10-rebound performance not only led the game in both categories (tied Jenna Annecchiarico for lead in boards), but was also good for her league-leading sixth double-double of the season.
   Skanes now leads all active EMU players in double-doubles, and is tied for 12th all-time at EMU in the category (program record in 17).
   In addition to being the league's best shot blocker (14) and double-double candidate (6), she is top-five in numerous other areas, including FG% (48.6), free throws made (60), rebounds (ranked first – 126), and rebounds per game (ranked first – 10.5).

DOUBLE DOUBLE-DOUBLE TROUBLE: Junior guard Jenna Annecchiarico and redshirt sophomore forward Ce'Nara Skanes each recorded a double-double against Akron, Jan. 16. The game was the second of the season in which two EMU players have accomplished the feat (Areanna Combs & Skanes - at WMU, Jan. 10). Eastern has not had two such games in a season since the 2011-12 season (vs. Miami, Feb. 4, 2012; vs. Ball State, Feb. 25, 2012).

LOVING THE LOPSIDE: Two of EMU's three most lopsided victories this season have come in back-to-back contests for the Green and White. The Eagles beat Miami by a season-best 20 points, 61-41, Jan. 13, before upending Akron by 18, 64-46, Jan. 16.
   Eastern defeated Ball State by 19, 77-58, Dec. 2.

CRAZY CONSISTENT: Consistency has been the name of the game for EMU's offense this season. Eastern, which averages 65.4 points per game, has only one true outlier, in which it scored a season-best 77 points at Ball State, Dec. 2. EMU's other 11 contests have all seen EMU score between 60-70 points, with EMU scoring within one point of its average in four contests.

ELEVATING IN MAC PLAY: As good as Areanna Combs has been, she has been that much better in the games that matter most: conference games. Combs averaged an impressive 16.8 points per game, 5.6 rebounds per game, and 2.4 steals per game in Eastern's five non-conference affairs this season. In her six games against MAC opponents, those numbers have all improved. Against league foes, she has put up 22.0 points per game, 8.2 rebounds per contest, and has averaged 3.9 thefts per game. Those averages rank fifth, eighth, and first, respectively, among all MAC players in conference play this season.

ANOTHER GREAT WEEK: Redshirt senior Areanna Combs was EMU's top point-getter in its two games against Miami, Jan. 13, and Akron, Jan. 16. The Oklahoma City native averaged 18.5 point per game during the stretch. She also collected 8.0 rebounds per contest, which was second only to Ce'Nara Skanes. Combs also recorded six steals on the week.
   Combs has scored in double figures in 11-of -12 contests this season. She has led the team in scoring eight times, and has six games with 20+ points.
   The third-year Eagle leads the team and first in the league in both steals and steals per game (39; 3.25). She is fourth in the MAC with 238 points this season (19.8 ppg). Combs is third in the conference in field goals made (87), second in minutes played (424), and fifth in rebounds (82).

BALDWIN BADDIE: Junior guard Jenna Annecchiarico is again proving to be one of the best floor generals in the conference this season. In addition to her 10.8 ppg average, which ranks third on the team, she has been incredible at dishing the rock. The Baldwin, N.Y. native ranks fifth in the conference in assists (50), and third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.85). Annecchiarico has led the conference in the latter in each of the previous two seasons.

LINE OF IMPROVEMENT: Perhaps the biggest bright spot for the Eagles this season has been their improvement at the charity stripe. The Eagles rank fourth in the league with a 74.1 percent clip from the line in conference play, and rank seventh overall in the conference with a 71.1 percent mark on the season. Those numbers are impressive given that EMU has finished last in the league in free thrown percentage each of the last two seasons, including a best mark of 61.2 percent in 2019-20.

CAN'T LET THEM SCORE 70: Although many factors contribute to the end result of a game, one thing is for certain; 70 is kryptonite for Eastern Michigan. This season, the team is 0-3 when allowing 70 points in a game. Moreover, EMU is 8-31 when allowing 70+ points since the start of the 2016-17 season.
   When Eastern scores 70, it is 1-0 this season and 13-7 since the 2016-17 campaign.

KEEP THEM UNDER 60: While a team scoring 70 typically favors EMU's opponent, the Eagles are dominant when holding their competition under 60 points in a game. This season, the team is 5-0 when holding its opponents under the 60-point plateau. Furthermore, Eastern is 21-5 during the Fred Castro era (2016-Pres.) when keeping its competition below 60 points.

FIRST HALF FORTUNES: It is often said that games are won in the second half, but Eastern Michigan's stats disagree. EMU is 5-0 this season when leading at the break, and just 2-5 when attempting a second-half comeback. Since the start of the 2016-17 campaign, the Eagles are 33-14 when holding an intermission lead, and just 16-66 when trailing at the half.

SHOOT WELL, AND YOU WILL WIN: The team that has shot the highest percentage from the floor has emerged victorious in 10 of EMU's 12 games this season. That trend holds consistent during the last five seasons; the Eagles are 42-14 when outshooting opponents in that stretch, and are just 10-65 when scoring at a lesser clip than its competition.

PLAY ALL DAY: Junior guard Jenna Annecchiarico is one of the most relied upon players in all of Division I basketball. No player in the MAC has logged more minutes than Annecchiarico this season, who checks in at 453 through 12 games. Her 37.8 minutes per game average is the best in the conference, and ranks 15th nationally.

STEAL THE DEAL: Last season, the Eagles were fantastic at stealing the rock, finishing fourth in the Mid-American Conference with 8.57 steals per game. Redshirt senior Areanna Combs was first on the team and fourth in the MAC with a 2.2 SPG average in 2019-20.
   The Eagles appear to be off to a great start on the defensive end of the floor once again in 2020-21. Combs and junior Jenna Annecchiarico are first and fourth in the MAC, and fourth and 14th nationally, with their respective 3.3 and 2.7 steals per game averages. Annecchiarico's nine steals against Miami, Jan. 13 is a personal record and is the best by any player in the MAC this season.

CHIP DIP: Wednesday's contest marks the 90th meeting between the Chippewas and Eagles, who first met during the 1976-77 season. CMU leads the overall series, 54-35. EMU has won 22 of the last 43 meetings dating back to the 2000-01 campaign, but Central enters the clash as winners of 13 straight against Eastern.

LAST TIME AGAINST CENTRAL: A 14-point halftime lead was not enough for Eastern as it fell on the road in its regular season finale, 76-69, to Central, March 7, 2020 inside McGuirk Arena.
   Eastern was led by Courtnie Lewis, who paced the team with 22 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including 5-of-9 from deep. She added 11 rebounds to notch her third-career double-double, and her first since her freshman season in 2017-18. Areanna Combs extended her double-digit scoring streak to an impressive 22 games with her 22-point effort.

ON THE HORIZON: EMU returns home to host Ball State Saturday, Jan. 23. The game, which will tip at noon, is the first leg of a women's/men's doubleheader. Eastern's men will battle Miami at 5:30 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Jenna Annecchiarico

Corrione Cardwell

Areanna Combs

Autumn Hudson

Courtnie Lewis

Ce'Nara Skanes

Eastern Michigan Athletics