Eastern Michigan Athletics
Wednesday, January 6
Convocation Center
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
4-5,1-3MAC
68
vs
73
Buffalo
7-2,4-0MAC
1
2
3
4
F
Buffalo
22
17
11
23
73
Eastern Mich.
13
10
22
23
68
Stellar Second Half Not Enough as Women's Hoops Fall to Buffalo, 73-68
1/6/2021 9:51:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The team got 76-percent of its offensive production from the trio of Skanes, Combs, and Cardwell
Photo Gallery. | Recap Video. | Fred Castro Audio.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – If moral victories were a recorded stat then nobody could deny the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball a win tonight, Jan. 6, as it nearly completed an outstanding comeback against the University at Buffalo, 73-68, in Mid-American Conference action at the Convocation Center.
With the setback, Eastern (4-5, 1-3) falls under .500 for the first time this season, and moves to 1-3 in conference play. The loss is the team's fifth straight at the hands of the Bulls, as it last bested UB on Feb. 16, 2016. Additionally, the result leaves the Eagles in search of its first win over Buffalo (7-2, 4-0 MAC) under fifth-year head coach Fred Castro.
Eastern was led by the duo of redshirt junior Ce'Nara Skanes (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Florida International)), and redshirt senior Areanna Combs (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Oklahoma State)), who scored 24 and 19 points, respectively. Skanes finished two rebounds shy of what would have been her fifth double-double of the season. Her eight boards did pace the squad. Redshirt senior Corrione Cardwell (Cleveland, Ohio-New Tech East) offered her best performance of the season as well as she hit 4-of-6 shots and hauled in seven rebounds.
Down 16 at the halftime intermission, 39-23, Eastern played an inspiring second half of basketball to nearly claim victory. A timely three-ball from junior Natalia Pineda (Miami, Fla.-John. A Ferguson) cut the Bulls lead to 11, 41-30, with about eight minutes on the clock to get the momentum shift rolling. In fact, the scoring picked up for both teams, as 15 points were exchanged during the first 2:30 of action to begin the frame. EMU was responsible for nine of that total. The run extended to 13-8 after six minutes of play, which allowed Eastern to remain within 12 of the Bulls, 47-35, at the first media timeout of the half. A sleek give-and-go between junior Jenna Annecchiarico (Baldwin, N.Y.-Baldwin) and Skanes helped EMU then get it to 10 before a made free throw by Combs cut the Bulls' lead to single digits. The Eagles put together a collective 23-11 run by the time expired to end the third quarter within five, 50-45.
The fourth quarter featured much of the same as Eastern was able to successfully chip away at the Buffalo lead. Down seven, 56-49, with 8:17 remaining, Eastern again went on the attack and eventually utilized a 9-3 run to pull within one point, 59-58. That spurt came courtesy of four points by Combs, a shifty bucket from Skanes, and a deep, right-wing three by Annecchiarico.
Unrattled by the run, Buffalo was able to go back up six, 67-61, with just over two minutes remaining. That gap ultimately proved to be enough for the Bulls, who were able to close the Eagles out, 73-68, behind 13 straight points from Dyaisha Fair at the end of the contest.
EMU's halftime deficit came largely as a result 10 turnovers. Those giveaways allowed Buffalo to find advantages in paint points (16/6), and fast break scores (6/0). The EMU bench also went scoreless in the first half, which aided in the deficit. EMU did improve in multiple categories during second half action. Most notably, the Eagles shot 57-percent from the floor in the final two quarters, compared to just 27-percent in the games initial half. EMU was much more protective of the rock as well as it sacrificed its possession just four times in the second half.
Despite the uncanny effort, the game finished with a five-point margin of defeat, 73-68.
Now into its full MAC slate, Eastern will have a chance to rectify the loss quickly as it returns to action Saturday, Jan. 9, with a game against Western Michigan. Tipoff from Kalamazoo's University Arena is set for 2 p.m.
For the most up-to-date information on all things EMU women's hoops, visit EMUEagles.com and follow the team on social media at @EMUWBB.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – If moral victories were a recorded stat then nobody could deny the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball a win tonight, Jan. 6, as it nearly completed an outstanding comeback against the University at Buffalo, 73-68, in Mid-American Conference action at the Convocation Center.
With the setback, Eastern (4-5, 1-3) falls under .500 for the first time this season, and moves to 1-3 in conference play. The loss is the team's fifth straight at the hands of the Bulls, as it last bested UB on Feb. 16, 2016. Additionally, the result leaves the Eagles in search of its first win over Buffalo (7-2, 4-0 MAC) under fifth-year head coach Fred Castro.
Eastern was led by the duo of redshirt junior Ce'Nara Skanes (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Florida International)), and redshirt senior Areanna Combs (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Oklahoma State)), who scored 24 and 19 points, respectively. Skanes finished two rebounds shy of what would have been her fifth double-double of the season. Her eight boards did pace the squad. Redshirt senior Corrione Cardwell (Cleveland, Ohio-New Tech East) offered her best performance of the season as well as she hit 4-of-6 shots and hauled in seven rebounds.
Down 16 at the halftime intermission, 39-23, Eastern played an inspiring second half of basketball to nearly claim victory. A timely three-ball from junior Natalia Pineda (Miami, Fla.-John. A Ferguson) cut the Bulls lead to 11, 41-30, with about eight minutes on the clock to get the momentum shift rolling. In fact, the scoring picked up for both teams, as 15 points were exchanged during the first 2:30 of action to begin the frame. EMU was responsible for nine of that total. The run extended to 13-8 after six minutes of play, which allowed Eastern to remain within 12 of the Bulls, 47-35, at the first media timeout of the half. A sleek give-and-go between junior Jenna Annecchiarico (Baldwin, N.Y.-Baldwin) and Skanes helped EMU then get it to 10 before a made free throw by Combs cut the Bulls' lead to single digits. The Eagles put together a collective 23-11 run by the time expired to end the third quarter within five, 50-45.
The fourth quarter featured much of the same as Eastern was able to successfully chip away at the Buffalo lead. Down seven, 56-49, with 8:17 remaining, Eastern again went on the attack and eventually utilized a 9-3 run to pull within one point, 59-58. That spurt came courtesy of four points by Combs, a shifty bucket from Skanes, and a deep, right-wing three by Annecchiarico.
Unrattled by the run, Buffalo was able to go back up six, 67-61, with just over two minutes remaining. That gap ultimately proved to be enough for the Bulls, who were able to close the Eagles out, 73-68, behind 13 straight points from Dyaisha Fair at the end of the contest.
EMU's halftime deficit came largely as a result 10 turnovers. Those giveaways allowed Buffalo to find advantages in paint points (16/6), and fast break scores (6/0). The EMU bench also went scoreless in the first half, which aided in the deficit. EMU did improve in multiple categories during second half action. Most notably, the Eagles shot 57-percent from the floor in the final two quarters, compared to just 27-percent in the games initial half. EMU was much more protective of the rock as well as it sacrificed its possession just four times in the second half.
Despite the uncanny effort, the game finished with a five-point margin of defeat, 73-68.
Now into its full MAC slate, Eastern will have a chance to rectify the loss quickly as it returns to action Saturday, Jan. 9, with a game against Western Michigan. Tipoff from Kalamazoo's University Arena is set for 2 p.m.
For the most up-to-date information on all things EMU women's hoops, visit EMUEagles.com and follow the team on social media at @EMUWBB.
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Team Stats
UB
EMU
FG%
.421
.429
3FG%
.375
.263
FT%
.826
.682
RB
36
34
TO
11
14
STL
7
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
24
FGM
9
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Pts
19
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
8
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
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