Tournament Time: Women's Hoops Set to Battle No. 1 Bowling Green

2021 Mid-American Conference Tournament: No. 8 Eastern Michigan at No. 1 Bowling Green
Date	Wednesday, March 10
Venue	Cleveland, Ohio \| Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Live Stats
Watch	ESPN+
Listen	WEMU 89.1 FM
Twitter	@EMUWBB \| @EMUAthletics

CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team will begin its quest for the program's third Mid-American Conference Tournament crown when it travels to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse for the quarterfinal round of the event Wednesday, March 10.
   The No. 8 overall seed, Eastern (10-9, 7-7 MAC) will face a tough challenge, the No. 1 overall seed, Bowling Green State University (14-4, 18-5 MAC). Already the most decorated team in MAC Tournament history, BGSU is looking to claim its 12th title in 2021.
   The game, which is set to tip off at 11 a.m., will be broadcast on ESPN+ where veteran talents Dave Bacon and Jacki Windon will have the call. As always, fans can listen to the contest on WEMU 89.1 FM, where the Voice of the Eagles, Tom Helmer, will cover all the action.

EMU IN THE MAC TOURNAMENT: Eastern will play in its 53rd MAC tournament game when it takes the court against Bowling Green, March 10. EMU is 28-24 all-time in its league tournament appearances, which date back to the 1981-82 season. Eastern has twice captured the tournament crown and reached the NCAA tournament via an automatic bid, first in 2004, and most recently in 2012.

UNDER FRED CASTRO: The Green and White are 4-3 in MAC tournament play under fifth-year Head Coach Fred Castro. The team's best win under Castro came in last year's MAC tournament, as his No. 7-seeded Eagles defeated No. 2-seeded Ball State, 64-63, in the quarterfinal round in Cleveland. EMU never got to play its semifinal game as the tournament was halted due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

MAC TOURNAMENT GAMES AGAINST BGSU: Wednesday's matchup will mark the eighth time that Eastern Michigan and Bowling Green will meet in the Mid-American Conference Tournament. Bowling Green holds a 5-2 advantage in those games, which date back to the opening round of the 1990 event.
   The last tournament matchup between the two schools came in the 2011 championship game, a contest that Bowling Green won, 51-46, to claim its latest MAC Tournament title, March 12, 2011.

FACING BOWLING GREEN IN CLEVELAND: Of the seven tournament matchups between EMU and BGSU, just four have been played in Cleveland. The Falcons are 3-1 in those games.
   Two of the matchups have come in the title game, with EMU winning its 2004 championship over BGSU, and Bowling Green returning the favor in 2011. The teams have met twice in the tournament's semifinal as well, with Bowling Green earning victories in both 2005 and 2007.
   The additional contests were first-round, site games.

AS THE NO. 8: 2021 marks the fourth time that Eastern Michigan will enter the MAC Tournament as the No. 8 overall seed. A trend that EMU is hoping to correct, the Green and White is 0-3 in the eighth position, and has never advanced in the tournament when playing in such a position. EMU lost to No. 1-seeded Toledo in the 1997 tournament before falling to respective No. 9 seeds Western Michigan and Northern Illinois in 2013 and 2014.

AGAINST THE NO. 1: EMU has matched up against the No. 1 overall seed seven times in the MAC Tournament, and holds a 1-6 record in those games. Eastern's lone win over a top-seed came in 2011, when No. 5 EMU bested No. 1 Toledo, 61-55, in the semifinal game of the tournament. EMU faced BGSU in the championship, where it ultimately fell to the Falcons, 51-46. Although EMU has just one win against the No. 1 seed, it has played incredibly well in games against the league's best. In its seven such contests, EMU has forced overtime (vs. CMU, 2019), double overtime (vs. Kent State, 2000), and has been within 10 points in two of its six losses.

UPSETTING THE NO. 1: Upsetting the No. 1 overall seed is not unheard of in the MAC Tournament, in fact, it happened just last year as the No. 9-seeded Toledo Rockets took down No. 1 CMU in the quarterfinal round of the event, 78-71, March 11, 2020, in Cleveland. Since 2015, the top seed has only won the MAC Tournament twice (Ohio - 2015, Central Michigan - 2018).

FINISHED ON TOP: Although the COVID-19 outbreak prevented the conclusion of the 2020 MAC Tournament, Eastern finished last year's event in high spirits. After defeating No. 9 Northern Illinois in its on-campus first round game, EMU took out the tournament's No. 2 seed, Ball State, to earn a berth into the semifinal round of the event for the first time since 2015. Unfortunately, that game was unable to be played. The run is the best for the team in four years under Head Coach Fred Castro.

NOW THIS IS MARCH MADNESS: The Green and White has posted a 46-43 record during the month of March over the last 22 seasons, including a program-best 8-2 mark during the 2014-15 season. The team is 0-2 this year during the month.

UNDERDOGS: In EMU's postseason history, Eastern Michigan has posted nine wins over better ranked opponents, including a 64-63 win over No. 2 Ball State in the quarterfinal round of the 2020 MAC Tournament.

EMU AT ROCKET MORTGAGE: Eastern Michigan is very familiar with the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse (formerly Quicken Loans/ Grunn Arena) floor, as the school has posted a 15-12 record there, including capturing the 2004 and 2012 championships. The team went 1-0 at the venue during the 2019-20 campaign.

WHEN PLAYING ON MARCH 10: Six of Eastern's games in its 45-year program history have come on March 10. The team is 2-4 in such games, with its last game on the date coming in 2014. That year, EMU fell to Northern Illinois in overtime, 81-76, in the first round of the MAC Tournament.

153 ALERT: Since joining the MAC in the 1972, EMU has won a league-leading 152 conference championships, including 146 conference tournament championships in various sports. EMU also has 16 team national championships and 55 individual national champions in a variety of sports.

THE TROPHY IS 12 FEET TALL: Inside EMU's newly-erected Student Athlete Performance Center (2019), sits a full-scale, 12-foot tall replica MAC championship trophy. Affixed to the front is a three-foot Plexiglas panel which has the current number of MAC titles across the front. Each time a team wins a title, they gather together to change the number on the replica trophy, a new tradition at EMU.
   EMU's women's basketball team could earn the honor of putting up No. 153 if they are able to win the MAC Tournament.
   Eastern already has two MAC titles this academic year after winning both men's cross country and men's indoor track and field.

ALL-TIME AGAINST BOWLING GREEN: The Falcons have been the dominant team in this battle of the birds, holding a 51-20 lead in the all-time series between EMU and BGSU. The last half-decade has been good to the Green and White, however, as Eastern has claimed victory in six of the last eight matchups, including five of the last six. Prior to the 2015 season, EMU had lost 12 consecutive games against the Falcons, dating back to 2005.

LAST TIME AGAINST BOWLING GREEN: Eastern dropped its first Mid-American Conference matchup of the 2020-21 season, Dec. 11, 71-64, at the Stroh Center.
   On the court, the Eagles were led by redshirt sophomore Ce'Nara Skanes, who recorded her second double-double of the season with an 11-point, 10-rebound performance. Meanwhile, redshirt senior Areanna Combs led EMU in points (17), steals (4), and assists (3). Eastern won the rebounding battle, 47-37, a number which included 18 offensive rebounds.

BEST OF THE BUNCH: The Eagles allow just 62.2 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 37.5 percent against the Green and White.

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 7-1 when holding its opponents under the 60-point plateau. Furthermore, Eastern is 34-7 during the Fred Castro era (2016-Pres.) when keeping its competition below 60 points.

CRAZY CONSISTENT: Consistency has been the name of the game for EMU's offense this season. Eastern, which averages 64.9 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 (37%), and within four points of its average in 15-of-19 games (79%).

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.

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 2-9 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 16-69 when trailing at the half.
   Most recently, EMU fell to Toledo, 59-55, March 6, after trailing by four at the break.

SHOOT WELL, AND YOU WILL WIN: The team that has shot the highest percentage from the floor has emerged victorious in 17 of EMU's 19 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 10-69 when scoring at a lesser clip than its competition.

NEED TO FIND RHYTHM: EMU enters the tournament with the best defense of any team in the league, but has struggled as of late on offense. The Green and White have only failed to score 60 points twice this season, but both of those games have come within the last three regular season outings in 2020-21 (56 vs. WMU, Feb. 24 | 55 at Toledo, March 6).

ONE AWAY FROM TOP-10: Redshirt sophomore forward Ce'Nara Skanes put up a 17-point, 11-rebound performance at Toledo Saturday, March 6. The double-double effort was her 12th of the season, which puts her just one 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.

DOUBLE DOUBLE-DOUBLES: Corrione Cardwell and Ce'Nara Skanes both recorded double-doubles versus Toledo, Feb. 21. EMU has had three games with multiple double-doubles this season, the most in a single campaign since the 2011-12 squad accomplished the same feat.

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

THE YPSI GYPSI: Playing at home is supposed to be an advantage, however 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.

NEUTRAL COURT CONDITIONS: EMU played two neutral court games during the 2020-21 regular season, both as part of the 2020 Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic. The Eagles fell to Gonzaga, Dec. 20, before rebounding to beat Tarleton State, Dec. 21.

EAGLE TRENDS: Although season stats are important, there is no doubt that late-season trends typically have an impact come tournament time. Take a look at EMU's leaders through its last five regular season games.

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 eight in the MAC with their respective 2.8 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.

BANNER BUILDING UP: Junior transfer Terrysha Banner elevated herself as a critical part of EMU's lineup during the team's final five regular season games. Banner averaged 28.0 minutes per game during that stretch, and earned her first-career start at Toledo, March 6.
   In her first five games as an Eagle, she averaged just 5.6 minutes per contest.

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.

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 occasions.
   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 13 times this season (68% of its games).

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 810 points in just 43 career games with the Green and White, good for an 18.8 points per game average.

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 (11) for the 16th time this season, at Toledo, March 6. Skanes' rebounding ability has helped her record 12 double-doubles on the season. That number, which leads all active EMU roster members, puts her at a tie for 11th 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 (12), she is top-five in numerous other areas, including FG% (49.1 – ranked 4th), rebounds (208 - ranked 2nd), and rebounds per game (10.9 - ranked 2nd).

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 10th in the conference in assists per game (3.6), and is third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.82), just behind the MAC leaders (1.94). She has led the MAC in assist-to-turnover ratio in each of the two previous seasons.

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 10th 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 18.2 points per game, which ranks ninth in the league. Moreover, she has scored 10+ points in 17 of EMU's 19 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 (2.79), and ranks inside the league's top-10 in points (345 - No. 10), field goals (127 - No. 9), attempts (343 - No. 7), and minutes per game (35.0 - No. 9).

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 105 games, while Cardwell is at 103.

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).

SENIOR DAY: Saturday, Feb. 27, was a special day as the EMU women's basketball team, despite having its game against Central Michigan postponed, honored six individuals as part of its annual Senior Day Celebration.
   Corrione Cardwell, Areanna Combs, Autumn Hudson, and JaBria Knight are each set to move on from the program following the conclusion of the season.
   In addition to the four players, the team also honored two dedicated student managers, Charvella Hancock and Roehl Publico, who have worked tirelessly to support the program for multiple years.
   With the game postponed, the team instead hosted a private ceremony for family and friends inside the Convocation Center. Each student-athlete and manager was honored with a video tribute before being presented a framed jersey and given the opportunity to take pictures with coaches and family.

Tournament Time: Women's Hoops Set to Battle No. 1 Bowling Green

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Players Mentioned

Jenna Annecchiarico

Terrysha Banner

Corrione Cardwell

Areanna Combs

Autumn Hudson

JaBria Knight

Ce'Nara Skanes

Eastern Michigan Athletics