Women's Basketball Set to Host Ohio Wednesday, Jan. 27

Women's Basketball vs. Ohio
Date	Wednesday, Jan.27
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Convocation Center
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Live Stats
Watch	ESPN+
Listen	WEMU 89.1 FM
Virtual Program	Virtual Program
Twitter	@EMUWBB \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team will be back in action Wednesday, Jan. 27, when it welcomes Ohio University to Ypsilanti for a midweek, Mid-American Conference matchup with the Bobcats. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center.
   Eastern (8-6, 5-4 MAC) is looking to get back on track after falling to Ball State at home, 68-64, Saturday, Jan. 23. To do that, it will have to upend perhaps the hottest team in the league, Ohio (8-4, 6-3 MAC), which has won three straight games. That stretch includes two impressive victories over Central Michigan, Jan. 16, and Buffalo, Jan. 20, respectively.
    Fans can watch the game on ESPN+, where Ryan Wooley (play-by-play) and Dannie Rogers (analyst) will have the call. The game will also be aired on WEMU 89.1 FM. Tom Helmer will offer the play-by-play via that outlet.

APPROACHING 1,000: When combining her 229 career points at Oklahoma State and her 745 points at EMU thus far, redshirt senior guard Areanna Combs is approaching the 1,000-career point mark (974 total). She needs just 26 more points to accomplish the feat.

HAPPY 100: Senior Autumn Hudson played in her 100th game when EMU battled Ball State, Jan. 23. Redshirt senior Corrione Cardwell will do the same against Ohio, Jan. 27. Hudson and Cardwell could both break into the top-15 if they are able to reach the 113 mark.
   Phillis Webb is Eastern's all-time games leader with 134.

THE YPSI GYPSI: Playing at home is supposed to be an advantage, but it has seemed like anything but for Eastern this season. The Eagles are just 1-4 at home this season, a mark that includes three MAC losses.
   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 29-28 in Ypsilanti under Fred Castro.

TWO FROM 400: The EMU men's and women's basketball programs have called the Convocation Center home since the beginning of the 1998-99 seasons. In that time, the two programs have combined for 398 victories in Ypsilanti (men - 207, women -191). If the women's team is able to upend Ohio, then the men will get a shot to hit the milestone when they host Bowling Green, Feb. 2.

RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR: Eastern is 4-3 in the month of January this season. With two more games before the calendar turns, the Eagles have a chance to post their best new year record in the Fred Castro era (2016-Pres.). Eastern has twice previously finished the month of January with a 5-3 record (2017-18, 2019-20) in that span, but is yet to eclipse that mark.

WILD, WILD WEST (KIND OF): The Mid-American Conference elected to move away from divisional play in 2020-21, but nevertheless, Eastern has fared well against its traditional MAC West Division opponents this season. The Green and White are 3-1 against its usual divisional rivals this year with wins over Ball State - Dec. 2, Western Michigan - Jan. 10, and Central Michigan - Jan. 20. Eastern's average margin of victory in those contests has been nine points.
   Eastern's only setback came in its last game, versus Ball State, Jan. 23.

COURAGEOUS COMEBACK: If moral victories were a statistic, EMU would have earned one against Ball State, Jan. 23. Although it dropped the contest, 68-64, Eastern nearly erased a 17-point deficit to bring the game within one point as the clock wound down. The comeback was led by 12 second-half points from Areanna Combs, and eight points apiece from Ce'Nara Skanes and Natalia Pineda.

FOUR CAN SCORE: Four Eagles scored 10+ points in Eastern's 68-64 setback to Ball State, Jan. 23, which tied a season-high for the team. Redshirt senior Areanna Combs led the way with 19 points, while redshirt sophomore Ce'Nara Skanes had 14. Juniors Jenna Annecchiarico and Natalia Pineda finished with 12 and 11 points, respectively.

ANOTHER ONE: Redshirt sophomore forward Ce'Nara Skanes continues to dominate the post in Mid-American Conference play. After her 14-point, 10-rebound performance versus Ball State, Jan. 23,    Skanes now has eight double-doubles on the season. That number, which leads all active EMU roster members, puts her at 12th all-time in program history.
   In addition to being the league's best shot-blocker (17) and double-double candidate (8), she is top-five in numerous other areas, including FG% (48.9 - No. 2), free throws made (65 - No. 3), rebounds (146 - ranked first), and rebounds per game (10.4 - ranked first ).

PINEDA PATROL: Junior guard Natalia Pineda has established her offensive role for the Green and White over its last four games. Through the first 10 games of the season, Pineda averaged just 4.3 points per game and was 9-of-34 from deep (26%). In Eastern's last four contests, she has elevated her scoring average to six points per contest, and is shooting better than 30 percent from beyond the arc (5-of-16; 31%). Those numbers have helped Pineda score 10+ points twice in her last four outings, a feat she only accomplished once during EMU's first 10 games. Most recently, she scored a season-high 11 points on a season-best three triple makes against Ball State, Jan. 23. She was one of just two Eastern players to record a positive +/- statistic in that game (+5); redshirt junior Juanita Agosto did as well (+3).

CRAZY CONSISTENT: Consistency has been the name of the game for EMU's offense this season. Eastern, which averages 65.6 points per game, has only two true outliers, both of which saw the team score 70+ points. EMU put up a season-best 77 in a win over Ball State, Dec. 2. Most recently, the Green and White scored 70 to slip past Central Michigan, 70-67, Jan. 20. EMU has scored within two points of its average in six of its contests (43%), and within four points of its average in 12 of 14 games (86%).

EAGLE TRENDS: Who has the hot hand? Who is crashing the boards? How do the current numbers compare to season averages and totals? Take a look at trends from the last five games.:

BEST OF THE BUNCH: The Eagles allow just 61.1 points per game, which is the best of any team in the MAC by a full point per game (BGSU - 62.1). EMU's field goal percentage defense is also first, as opponents shoot just 36.8 percent against the Green and White.

CAN'T FORGET ABOUT COMBS: While many have focused on the impressive efforts of her teammates, redshirt senior Areanna Combs is in the midst of a season-long bid for MAC Player of the Year. The Oklahoma City native is averaging 20.0 points per game, which ranks sixth in the league and 30th in the nation. Moreover, she has scored 10+ points in 13 of EMU's 14 contests, has led the team in scoring 10 times, has notched 20+ points in seven games, and has been EMU's three-point leader in four contests.
   Combs is first in the MAC in steals (45) and steals per game (3.21), and ranks inside the league's top-five in points (280 - No. 4), field goals (100 - No. 3), attempts (260 - No. 1), and minutes played (498 - No. 2).

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 21.8 points per game, 6.8 rebounds per contest, and has averaged 3.7 thefts per game. Those averages rank fifth, 13th, and first, respectively, among all MAC players in conference play this season.

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 10.4 ppg average, which ranks third on the team, she has been incredible at dishing the rock. The Baldwin, N.Y. native ranks fourth in the conference in assists (57), and second in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.97).            Annecchiarico has led the conference in the latter in each of the previous two seasons.

YOU'LL SEE MORE OF BANNER: Junior transfer Terrysha Banner did not see game action until Jan. 6, 2021 versus Buffalo, but she has steadily worked her way into games since. The defensive-minded guard recorded a season-best 12 minutes of court time against Ball State, Jan. 23, a trend that you can expect to see continue. Banner is still looking for her first points as an Eagle.

LINE OF IMPROVEMENT: Perhaps the biggest bright spot for the Eagles this season has been their improvement at the charity stripe. The Eagles rank sixth in the league with a 71.8 percent clip from the line in conference play. That number is impressive given that EMU has finished last in the league in free throw percentage each of the last two seasons, including a best mark of 61.2 percent in 2019-20.

NEED MORE FROM THE BENCH: EMU has relied heavily on its starting five for its scoring this season. Through 14 games, 86 percent (787-of-919) of the team's points have come from its starting unit. While that trend has led Eastern to eight wins, it will need more help from the bench as MAC play continues. Eastern has been outmatched in bench scoring in eight of its contests this season.

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 2-0 this season and 14-7 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 33-6 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 6-0 this season when leading at the break, and just 2-6 when attempting a second-half comeback. Since the start of the 2016-17 campaign, the Eagles are 34-14 when holding an intermission lead, and just 16-67 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 12 of EMU's 14 games this season. That trend holds consistent during the last five seasons; the Eagles are 43-14 when outshooting opponents in that stretch, and are just 10-66 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 528 through 14 games. Her 37.8 minutes per game average is the best in the conference, and ranks 18th 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 fifth in the MAC, and third and 18th nationally, with their respective 3.2 and 2.4 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.

AGAINST THE BOBCATS: The Eagles and Bobcats will meet for the 64th time Wednesday. A competitive series throughout its history, Ohio is ahead in the all-time win count, 37-26, and has emerged victorious in six of the last seven matchups between the two squads, dating back to March, 2015.

LAST TIME AGAINST BOB'S BALLERS: Despite battling back from 20-points down to get within 10, Eastern fell at home against Ohio, 75-65, Feb. 5, 2020.
   Without Areanna Combs (injury), it was Jenna Annecchiarico that led the way for the Eagles with 17 points and 10 rebounds, dishing out five assists in the process. Juanita Agosto tallied 10 points, three steals, and two assists in her second double-digit scoring outing of the season, while Courtnie Lewis tied her career-high with three assists, while dropping 13 points on the night. RayJon Harris stepped up to tally 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field, both of which were new career-highs for the Ohio product.

ROAD WARRIORS: EMU may be just 1-4 at home this season, but its play on the road has been nearly perfect. The Eagles are 6-1 away from Ypsilanti this season, a record which includes four wins over conference opponents. EMU's lone loss came at the hands of Bowling Green, which bested Eastern, 71-64, Dec. 11.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern will hit the road for a Saturday showdown with Kent State, Jan. 30. The second meeting between the squads this season will tip at 12 p.m. inside Kent's MAC center.

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Players Mentioned

Juanita Agosto

Jenna Annecchiarico

Terrysha Banner

Corrione Cardwell

Areanna Combs

RayJon Harris

Autumn Hudson

Courtnie Lewis

Natalia Pineda

Ce'Nara Skanes

Eastern Michigan Athletics