Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
4-11,1-7MAC
Akron
8-6,5-3MAC
Women's Basketball Edged in Tight Affair with Akron, 68-64
1/26/2022 9:07:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Combs ties career-high with 32 points in the road loss
AKRON, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team outscored the University of Akron 13-9 in the fourth quarter, and closed a 15-point second-half deficit to just one, but could not complete the comeback, as it fell to the Zips, 68-64 tonight, Jan. 26, inside James A. Rhodes Arena.
The Eagles (4-11, 1-7 MAC) had two players score in double figures, led by redshirt senior guard Areanna Combs (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Oklahoma State)) who tied her career-high with 32 points and tallied three assists. Redshirt sophomore forward Ce'Nara Skanes (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Florida International)) added 16 points off the bench, sinking a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line.
Skanes pulled down 12 rebounds, six on the offensive end, to record her sixth double-double of the season. Additionally, the center rejected two Zips shots on the night. Junior guard Natalia Pineda (Miami, Fla.-John A. Ferguson) came away with four steals, tying her career-high while Combs swiped three balls.
Eastern Michigan forced 15 Akron turnovers while committing 10 themselves. The Eagles turned those takeaways into 17 points on the other end of the floor.
How It Happened
Eastern Michigan struggled out of the gate, falling behind 22-14 at the end of the first quarter.
EMU fought back with a 6-0 run, highlighted by a bucket from Combs, to narrow its deficit to 30-28. Akron responded and expanded its lead, leaving the Eagles trailing 43-34 heading into halftime.
Akron built a 59-46 advantage before the Green and White went on a 5-0 run, punctuated by a three from Pineda, to trim its deficit to 59-51 with six seconds to go in the third, a score which remained until the end of the third quarter. Eastern Michigan's bench made the most of its minutes in the period, as non-starters totaled five of the team's 17 third-quarter points.
Eastern came out of the third quarter break clicking on all cylinders, going on a 7-0 run to shrink the Zips' lead to 59-58 with 7:56 to go in the contest. Akron responded and outscored the Eagles the rest of the way, ending the game with a final score of 68-64.
Game Notes
» Combs tied her personal-best in points with 32. The redshirt senior scored 17 of her 32 total points in the first half. Furthermore, the guard scored more points in the first half versus UA than she did in eight complete games this season.
» Combs' 32 points was just the second time in her career hitting the 30-point plateau. She also scored 32 points versus Bowling Green, Jan. 4, 2020.
» Combs finished the game with a career-high 34 attempts. Previously, the Oklahoma State transfer recorded 25 shots versus Kent State, Jan. 2, 2021.
» On the defensive end, Combs swiped three balls, her 12th game this season recording multiple steals.
» Combs, Skanes, and redshirt junior guard Juanita Agosto (Seattle, Wash.-Garfield) combined to account for 84 percent of the Eagles' points.
» The Eastern Michigan bench came alive by scoring 20 points to its scoring output.
» The Green and White's defense forced 15 turnovers.
» EMU cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 17 offensive boards in the game.
» Eastern Michigan recorded zero turnovers in the first quarter whiles the Zips committed four.
» Skanes sank six shots from the line against Akron, all of which came in the first quarter. Six free throw makes is a season-best for the redshirt sophomore.
» Defensively, Skanes rejected two shots, her seventh multi-block outing of the 2021-2022 season.
» EMU shot 0-for-9 from deep in the first half. Previously this season, the Eagles hit just one first-half three-pointer against Delaware (Nov. 26, 1-of-7) and Binghamton (Dec. 10, 1-of-8).
Historical Notes
» Skanes notched a double-double for the Eagles with 16 points and 12 rebounds. With six double-double outings this season and 17 as a member of the Green and White, the center is tied for most career double-doubles in EMU history alongside former Eagles Sarah VanMetre (2003-07) and Oliva Fouty (2010-14).
» Eastern Michigan trails in the all-time series against Akron, 26-19. The two teams will face each other again in Ypsilanti, Feb. 12.
Up Next
The Green and White will return to the State of Ohio for a contest against Miami, Jan. 29. The first tip is scheduled for 2 p.m. inside Millett Hall.
