Women's Basketball Closes Regular Season in the Glass City

Women's Basketball at Toledo
Date	Saturday, March 6
Venue	Toledo, Ohio \| Savage Arena
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Live Stats
Watch	ESPN+
Listen	WEMU 89.1 FM
Twitter	@EMUWBB \| @EMUAthletics

TOLEDO, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team is set to close its 2020-21 regular season campaign with a trip to the Glass City, where it will battle Mid-American Conference foe Toledo Saturday, March 6. Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m. inside UT's Savage Arena.
   Although Eastern (10-8, 7-6 MAC) has already clinched a berth in the MAC Tournament, set to be played March 10-13, inside Cleveland's Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, this game will play a critical role in seeding. As of today, the Eagles would hold the No. 8 overall seed and would play No. 1-seeded Bowling Green State University Falcons in the opening round of the event. EMU could still move up in the standings depending on this weekend's games.
   Fans can watch the game on ESPN+. The game will also be aired on WEMU 89.1 FM with Tom Helmer bringing fans the action.

WHERE DO WE STAND: With the MAC Tournament fast approaching, each game is incredibly important for qualification and seeding in the conference's marquee event. Different from past years, only the top eight teams from both the men's and women's sides will earn a bid to the postseason festivities. In the past, each of the 12 member schools would participate in the tournament, with first round games being played at campus sites. This year's participants will head straight to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.
   If the tournament started today, EMU would arrive as the No. 8 seed and match up against the No. 1-seeded BGSU Falcons. Take a look at the current standings below in the right panel found on page three.

TWO AWAY FROM TOP-10: Redshirt sophomore forward Ce'Nara Skanes put up a 10-point, 10-rebound performance at Northern Illinois Wednesday, March 3. The double-double effort was her 11th of the season, which puts her just two away from cracking into EMU's top-10 list in the modern statistical era (1998-present). Academic All-American Sarah VanMetre (2003-07) sits atop the list with her 17-career double-doubles.

TRIPLE THREAT: Junior guard Jenna Annecchiarico hit a team-high three shots from beyond the arc in Eastern's game at NIU, March 3. With her performance, Annecchiarico has now led EMU's three-point efforts in six contests this season, and 22 times in her career. She has hit three-or-more long balls five times this season and 15 times in her career.
   Additionally, she has now scored in double figures in seven contests this season, and 31 times in her career. Her 16 points at NIU were second-best on the team behind Areanna Combs' 17-point effort.

REBOUNDING STRUGGLES: EMU struggled on the boards at NIU, March 3, where it was outpaced by the Huskies, 50-26. Although Eastern has boasted the league's top defense for the majority of the season (62.3 ppg allowed), it has been outrebounded in eight of its contests.
   Wednesday's -24 rebound margin was the worst for the team this season. Previously, it was outworked on the board by a margin of 22 when it played Gonzaga, Dec. 20, in the Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic.

TURNOVER TOWN: Although EMU fell at NIU, March 3, its defense continued to show why it is the best in the league. Eastern forced Northern Illinois into a whopping 27 turnovers, while only giving its possessions away on 11 occassions.
   The 27 forced TO's is the second-most by EMU this season. It previously turned Miami over 30 times, Jan. 13.
   Eastern has forced opponents into 15-or-more turnovers an incredible 12 times this season (66% of its games).

BEST OF THE BUNCH: The Eagles allow just 62.3 points per game, which is the best of any team in the league. EMU's field goal percentage defense is also first, as opponents shoot just 37.3 percent against the Green and White.

CRAZY CONSISTENT: Consistency has been the name of the game for EMU's offense this season. Eastern, which averages 65.5 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 seven of its contests (39%), and within four points of its average in 15-of-18 games (83%).

SERIOUSLY, CE'NARA?: Redshirt sophomore forward Ce'Nara Skanes continues to dominate the post in Mid-American Conference play. The Oklahoma City product led the team's rebounding efforts (10) for the 15th time this season, at NIU, March 3. Skanes' rebounding ability has helped her record 11 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 third-best shot-blocker (1.1 BPG) and second-best double-double candidate (11), she is top-five in numerous other areas, including FG% (49.1 – ranked 4th), rebounds (197 - ranked 2nd), and rebounds per game (10.9 - ranked 2nd).

EMU IN MARCH: EMU looks to improve its play in the month of March this season. The team is just 5-10 over the past five seasons. EMU has finished .500 (2-2) in the month in each of the last two seasons.

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 0-4 when allowing 70 points in a game. Moreover, EMU is 8-32 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 6-0 when holding its opponents under the 60-point plateau. Furthermore, Eastern is 34-6 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 8-0 this season when leading at the break, and just 2-8 when attempting a second-half comeback. Since the start of the 2016-17 campaign, the Eagles are 36-14 when holding an intermission lead, and just 16-68 when trailing at the half.
   Most recently, EMU fell to Northern Illinois, 75-66, March 3, after trailing by 13 at the break.

SHOOT WELL, AND YOU WILL WIN: The team that has shot the highest percentage from the floor has emerged victorious in 16 of EMU's 18 games this season. That trend holds consistent during the last five seasons; the Eagles are 45-14 when outshooting opponents in that stretch, and are just 10-68 when scoring at a lesser clip than its competition.

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 is eighth in the conference in assists per game (3.8), and is second in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.89), just a half of a point behind the MAC leaders (1.94). She has led the MAC in assist-to-turnover ratio in each of the two previous seasons.

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 have been great once again in 2020-21. Combs and junior Jenna Annecchiarico are second and seventh in the MAC with their respective 2.9 and 2.3 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.

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 per game than Annecchiarico this season, who checks in at 37.8 per contest. That number ranks eighth nationally.

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 18.4 points per game, which ranks ninth in the league. Moreover, she has scored 10+ points in 16 of EMU's 18 contests, has led the team in scoring 12 times, has notched 20+ points in seven games, and has been EMU's three-point leader in four contests.
   Combs is second in the MAC in steals per game (2.94), and ranks inside the league's top-10 in points (332 - No. 10), field goals (122 - No. 10), attempts (331 - No. 7), and minutes per game (35.2 - No. 9).

ROAD WARRIORS: EMU may have went just 3-5 at home this season, but its play on the road has been nearly perfect. The Eagles are 6-2 away from Ypsilanti this season, a record that includes four wins over conference opponents.

HAPPY 100: Two Eagles have hit the century mark in games played during the 2020-21 campaign.
   Senior Autumn Hudson played in her 100th game when EMU battled Ball State, Jan. 23. Redshirt senior Corrione Cardwell did 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. Hudson currently sits at 104 games, while Cardwell is at 103.

COMBS CRACKS 1,000: Redshirt senior guard Areanna Combs not only led the team in scoring against WMU, Feb. 24, with 12 points, but she also accomplished an incredible milestone in the first quarter of the game. The highlight came at the 2:48 mark, as Combs dropped in a mid-range jumper to not only give EMU a much-needed bucket, but to put her over the 1,000 point mark in her career. Combs started her college career at Oklahoma State, where she scored better than 200 points in two seasons before transferring to Eastern Michigan.
   The Oklahoma City native has scored an impressive 780 points in just 41 career games with the Green and White, good for a 19.0 points per game average.

TERR(YSHA)ING IT UP: Junior guard Terrysha Banner came to play against Western Michigan, Feb. 24. The first-year Eagle and Tennessee State transfer notched personal-bests in multiple categories, including points (10), field goals (4), three-pointers (2), minutes (28), assists (3), and steals (3).
   Banner's three assists led the team, while her point and steal numbers were both good for second-best among the Green and White in the game.
   After averaging just 5.6 minutes per contest in her first five appearances this season, Banner's numbers have skyrocketed over the course of the last four games. She is averaging 26.3 minutes per game in that stretch, which is the most of any role player on the team and sixth-most among the Eagles.

THE YPSI GYPSI: Playing at home is supposed to be an advantage, but it was anything but for Eastern this season.
       EMU finished just 3-5 inside the Convocation Center this season, with four losses coming at the hands of Mid-American Conference opponents. The team is 31-32 in Ypsilanti under Fred Castro.

HOORAY FOR 400: The EMU women's basketball team helped make history Sunday, Feb. 21, with its 69-59 win over Toledo. The game was not only the team's third straight over the Rockets, its best streak since the 2014-15, 2015-16 seasons, respectively, but it was also the 400th combined win (men's and women's basketball) inside the Convocation Center.
   The building has been home to EMU's basketball programs and volleyball team, as well as administration offices and various other staffers, since it first opened for the 1998-99 campaign.

LATEST EVER: The month of February was 21 days old before EMU took the court for the first time in it, making it the latest first game in the month for the team in program history. Eastern has had five games postponed this month.

LONGEST EVER: EMU played its first game in 25 days when it defeated Toledo, 69-59, Feb. 21, inside the Convocation Center. That gap is the longest between games in program history (45 years).

RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR: Eastern went 5-3 in the month of January this season. That mark ties the best start to the New Year under Fred Castro (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.

ALL-TIME AGAINST TOLEDO: Saturday's contest marks the 87th meeting between Toledoand Eastern Michigan, who first met during the 1977-78 season. The Rockets lead the overallseries, 51-35, however, EMU has won three straight in the series.

LAST TIME AT SAVAGE: Eastern defeated Toledo, 77-62, Jan. 29, 2020 inside Savage Arena. The win was the team's first over the Rockets on UT's home court since February of 2016.
   Eastern was led by Areanna Combs, who put up 27 points on 11-of-17 shooting, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. Floor-general Jenna Annecchiarico added 13 points, to go along with a team-best four steals and four assists.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern will await final seeding before heading to Cleveland, Ohio for the Mid-American Conference Tournament. EMU's first action will take place Wednesday, March 10, against a team yet to be determined.

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Players Mentioned

Jenna Annecchiarico

Terrysha Banner

Corrione Cardwell

Areanna Combs

Autumn Hudson

Ce'Nara Skanes

Eastern Michigan Athletics