Women's Hoops Continues Ohio Road Swing at Miami Saturday

Women's Basketball at Miami
Date	Saturday, Jan. 27 \| 2 p.m.
Venue	Oxford, Ohio \| Millett Hall
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF)
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Twitter	.@EMUWBB \| @EMUAthletics

OXFORD, Ohio- (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team is set to continue its Buckeye State road trip   with a Saturday afternoon affair at Miami University, Jan. 29. Tipoff from Millett Hall is scheduled for 2 p.m.
   The Eagles (4-11, 1-7 MAC) are looking to get back on track after dropping their sixth consecutive contest, 68-64, against Akron, Jan. 26. The game saw EMU erase a 15-point second-half deficit down to just one before ultimately falling just short. Meanwhile, Miami (6-10, 2-5 MAC) is looking to right its own ship after falling to Central Michigan, 70-59, on the same day.
   The game will be televised on ESPN+. Additionally, the team's official Twitter account, @EMUWBB, will provide live updates throughout the contest.

GOING FOR THE RECORD: Redshirt sophomore Ce'Nara Skanes notched a double-double against Akron, Jan. 26, with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Skanes' effort, the sixth of the season and 17th of her career, tied her atop the list for career double-doubles at EMU. Former Eagles Sarah VanMetre (2003-07) and Oliva Fouty (2010-14) each have 17 as well.

THAT'S 30: Redshirt senior Areanna Combs put on a dominant display at Akron, tying her career-high with 32 points on 13-of-34 shooting. It was her third consecutive game scoring 20-or-more, and the fifth time this season she has scored at least 20 points. Additionally, the effort was the 24th of her career (59 career games – 40.7%). She has now hit the 30-point plateau twice in her career (Jan. 4, 2020 vs. Bowling Green).

BIG FIRST HALF: Areanna Combs' 32-point performance at Akron was fueled by a great first half. The redshirt senior scored 17 points in the first half, a higher mark than she has hit in eight complete games this season.

SWIPE RIGHT: Redshirt senior Areanna Combs tallied three steals at Akron, Jan. 26. The effort was her 12th multiple-steal performance of the season, and fifth with three-or-more. She leads the team with 38 steals this season, 20 more than freshman guard Lachelle Austin, who is second on the squad with 18.

BIG TIME BLOCKS: EMU has out-blocked its opposition 15-0 over its last four contests. The stretch is highlighted by a season-best (tied) six swats against Northern Illinois, Jan. 22. EMU has bested its league foes in blocks recording 23 blocks while only being rejected six times this season in league play. Against Akron, the Eagles denied the Zips twice while never having one of their own shots blocked, Jan. 26.

WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE: EMU won the turnover battle against Akron, Jan. 26, forcing 15 giveaways while recording just 10 of its own. The game marked the ninth time this season that EMU has led the turnover battle and the six time the Eagles have won that battle in MAC play. Eastern went the entire first quarter without a turnover against the Zips.

ON THE BOARDS: EMU has left a mark on the offensive glass this season. A total of 45.9 percent (17-of-37) of Eastern's total rebounds against Akron came on the offensive end. Last week against NIU, Jan. 22, EMU hauled in 52% (13-of-25) of its total rebounds on the offensive side of the ball. EMU has gotten 30 percent-or-more of its rebounding production from the offensive end of the floor 10 times during the 2021-22 campaign. The Green and White rank sixth in the MAC with a 12.1 ORPG average.

PINEDA'S PRESSURE: Junior guard Natalia Pineda made her presence known on the defensive end against Akron, Jan. 26. The guard came away with a team-best four steals, tying her career-high in the category. In the past two games, the junior has recorded 10 points and five steals, an improvement over her previous six games (8 points, 4 steals). She played a season-best 25 minutes against the Zips, her most since going 27 minutes against Northern Illinois, March 3, 2021.

THREE-POINT WOES: Despite boasting a team three-point mark of 32.1 percent, the Eagles have been cold from deep in the past two games. After knocking down nine from three-point land against Northern Illinois, Jan. 22, the Eagles connected on just two deep shots against both Bowling Green (2-of-15), Jan. 24, and Akron (2-of-17), Jan. 26.
   The last time EMU recorded back-to-back games with two-or-fewer makes from three was during the 2019-2020 season, when Eastern went 2-for-11 versus Toledo, Feb. 29, and 2-for-12 at Northern Illinois, Feb. 26. Additionally, the Green and White only made four triples in a two-game stretch last season when they shot 0-of-15 versus UIC, Nov. 29, and 4-of-13 at Southern Illinois, Nov. 25.

SKANES' SWATS: Redshirt sophomore Ce'Nara Skanes has elevated her game near the basket in her last four outings, with eight blocks in the span. Most recently, the forward recorded two swats against Akron, Jan. 26. Additionally, the Oklahoma City native tied her season-best with three rejections versus Northern Illinois, Jan. 22.
   Skanes currently ranks third in the Mid-American Conference in blocks per game (1.3) and fifth in total blocks (20).

BIG TIME BUCKETS: EMU averages 69.9 points per game, the fifth-best average in the Mid-American Conference. The Eagles have scored 70+ points in six contests this season. Last season, EMU eclipsed 70 points just twice.

STRIPE LIFE: Redshirt senior Areanna Combs has been solid from the charity stripe this season, sinking 74-of-94 (.787) of her attempts. Her percentage from the line ranks 12th in the conference while her 74 makes is the second-most in the league. Combs went 9-for-10 (.900) at the free throw line against BGSU, Jan. 24, the second-most makes and attempts she's had in a game this season, behind her performance at Oklahoma (10-of-14), Dec. 7.
   Meanwhile, redshirt sophomore Ce'Nara Skanes sank a season-best six free throws at Akron, all of which came in the first half. The center is shooting 42-of-63 (.667) from the line, but has converted on 11-of-14 (.786) attempts over the last three games.

COURTNIE AND COMBS CLIMBING: Senior Courtnie Lewis, a veteran for the Eagles and 1,000-point club member, is moving up the all-time point list at EMU. Lewis boasts 1,143 career points, sitting 19th all-time behind former Eagle Reeshema Wood (1989-93) who tallied 1,158 points.
   Meanwhile, redshirt senior Areanna Combs, who recently joined the 1,000-point club, sits at 21st in the record book, with 1,089 points in her three seasons donning the Green and White. The guard is averaging 17.9 ppg this season, which puts her on track to crack the top-15 in EMU's scoring laurels by the end of the 2021-22 regular season.
   EMU great Tavelyn James (2008-12) owns the top spot in program history, having accumulated 2,470 career points.

THE FIRST 20 MATTERS: All four of Eastern's wins have seen the Eagles take a lead into the intermission, while each of the squad's 11 setbacks have included a halftime deficit.
   The trend continued as the Green and White fell behind Bowling Green at the half, 43-34, ultimately falling, 68-64, Jan. 26.
   EMU is 40-15 in games in which it held a halftime lead since the onset of the 2016-17 season, and 17-80 in games where it has trailed at the break in that same span.

PLAYING DISCIPLINED: Eastern has been one of the most disciplined teams in the conference in the early portion of the 2021-22 season. Currently, the Eagles are sixth in the MAC in fewest fouls (251). Additionally, EMU has been tremendous at taking care of the basketball, ranking second in the league and 30th nationally in fewest turnovers (219).

LIKE BONNIE AND CLYDE: The Green and White are sixth in the league, averaging 8.6 steals per contest. That number ties for the third-best mark under Fred Castro (2016-Pres.). The 2017-18 EMU squad racked up 9.7 steals per contest.

HIGH PERCENTAGE SHOTS: The Eagles have hit 42.2 percent (380-of-901) of their shots from the field this season, good for fifth in the league and 86th nationally. EMU's current best mark under Head Coach Fred Castro came in the 2017-18 campaign when the Green and White shot 40.1 percent from the floor for the season.

DEEP THOUGHTS: EMU boasts a three-point percentage of 32.1 (93-for-290) in 15 games this season. In the same stretch last year, the Eagles were hitting just 26.9 percent (58-for-216). The 32.1 percent mark from beyond-the-arc ranks seventh in the Mid-American Conference.
   There were only two games last season where the Green and White shot 35 percent-or-better from deep (at Southeast Missouri State, 40.0%, Dec. 6, 2020; vs. Toledo, 39.3%, Feb. 21). So far this season, Eastern has sunk 35 percent-or-better in the category in seven of 15 games.

JUANITA'S HUSTLE: Redshirt junior Juanita Agosto has done a little bit of everything for the Eagles during MAC play, most notable being her rebounding on the offensive glass. The 5'6" guard has hauled in 19 offensive rebounds against league foes, highlighted by a 10-rebound double-double performance against Western Michigan, Jan. 19. So far in the 2021-22 season, the Seattle, Wash. native has pulled in 62 rebounds, good for third on team. Additionally, 32 of her 62 boards are on the offensive end, the second-most of any Eagle this season.

DEATH, TAXES, DOUBLE DIGITS: If one thing is as certain as can be, it's that Areanna Combs will score 10+ points. Including her 13 performances of the nature this season, Combs has now recorded double-digit scoring efforts in 56 of her 59 career games with the Green and White (94.9%). That number is the highest percentage in the Mid-American Conference.

COOKIES: Redshirt senior Areanna Combs ranks third in the MAC in total steals (38) and fourth in the league in steals per game (2.5). Combs set a career-high with 10 steals against Grace Christian, Nov. 18, to help her achieve her first ever triple-double (12 points, 11 assists, 10 steals). Most recently, Combs swiped three balls versus Akron, her fifth outing this season with three-or-more in a game.

SKILLED SKANES: Redshirt sophomore Ce'Nara Skanes has been skilled around the basket this season for the Eagles, leading the Mid-American Conference in field goal percentage at 54.2 percent. Her efficiency this year surpasses her work last year, finishing the 2020-2021 season shooting 49.4 percent (119-of-241) from the floor. Skanes has shot 50 percent-or-better from the floor in 10 outings so far this season. Moreover, the center sank 6-of-6 shots from the free throw line against Akron, Jan. 26, a season-best for Skanes.

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. Last season, the team went 0-4 when allowing 70 points in a game. The team is 0-7 in 2021-22. Moreover, EMU is 8-63 when allowing 70+ points since the start of the 2016-17 season.

SHARING IS CARING: Redshirt senior Areanna Combs has tallied 49 assists (3.3 per game) this season. Eleven of Combs' 49 assists came against Grace Christian University, Nov. 18. The 11 dimes against the Tigers tops her previous best, which she set two games prior against Detroit Mercy, Nov. 9 (7). EMU has recorded 10-or-more assists in six games this season.

BLOCK PART(E): EMU is fourth in the Mid-American Conference in blocks per game (3.66). Redshirt sophomore Ce'Nara Skanes leads the team with 20 rejections and is fourth in the MAC with 1.3 blocks per contest while freshman Treasure Thompson sits seventh in the league with 0.9 bpg (14 total).
   The Eagles have recorded at least five blocks in four contests this season. In the 2020-21 campaign, Eastern only recorded five-or-more blocks in a game three times.

WELCOME TO THE 1K CLUB: Redshirt senior Areanna Combs made history Saturday, Jan. 15, when she notched 13 points to become Eastern Michigan's 24th 1,000-point scorer. Combs, who has been on court with the Eagles since the 2019-20 season, needed just 55 games to hit the total, an average of more than 18 ppg.
   Combs joins teammate Courtnie Lewis as the only active players to have hit the milestone.

TWO GRAND TEAMMATES: Upperclassmen Courtnie Lewis (1,143) and Areanna Combs (1,085) are the first Eagle teammates to share the court as 1,000-point scorers since the 2016 season, when Cha Sweeney (2013-16) and Janay Morton (2013-16) had both hit the milestone.

BACK IN #MACTION: The Green and White's 2021-22 campaign marks the 41st season EMU will compete as a member of the MAC. Playing a league schedule since the 1981-82 campaign, EMU has compiled a 296-380 record against conference opponents all-time.

RING CHASING: Eastern is in search of its first conference championship since 2012. That year, the Eagles captured both the MAC West and MAC Tournament titles.
   As a program, EMU has claimed four division crowns (2004, 2006, 2008, 2012) and two tournament championships (2004, 2012).

ALL-TIME VERSUS MIAMI: Saturday's matchup will mark the 64th meeting between Eastern Michigan and Miami. The RedHawks lead the all-time series, 42-21. However, EMU has won the last two battles and come out on top in three of the last five games.

LAST TIME AGAINST THE REDHAWKS: Eastern Michigan notched a road win over Miami, 61-41, inside Millett Hall, Jan. 13, 2021. The EMU defense held the RedHawks to single digits in both the second and third quarter with seven and four points, respectively.
   Four Eagles scored in double-digits, led by Areanna Combs with 18 points, while Ce'Nara Skanes added 11. Former Eagle Jenna Annechiarico recorded 10 points and five assists in the winning effort, while Natalia Pineda scored 10 as well.

SCOUTING MIAMI: Miami comes into the game leading the MAC in offensive rebounds per game at 14.2. On the defensive end, MU is solid at stealing the rock, sitting second in the league with 10.88 steals per game. Offensively, the RedHawks are led by guard Peyton Scott, who ranks third in the league in free throw percentage (86.1), fifth in field goal shooting (42.7), and sixth in scoring (18.3 ppg).

ON THE HORIZON: Following the game at Miami, Eastern will return home to host the University at Buffalo, Feb. 2. Wednesday night's game inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center is set for 7 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Juanita Agosto

Lachelle Austin

Areanna Combs

Courtnie Lewis

Natalia Pineda

Ce'Nara Skanes

Treasure Thompson

Eastern Michigan Athletics