Women's Hoops Plays Host to Florida A&M

Women's Basketball vs. Florida A&M
Date	Saturday, Nov. 19 \|1 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| George Gervin GameAbove Center
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF)
EMU Media Guide	Media Guide (PDF)
Broadcast Information	ESPN+ \| Greg Steiner (pxp), Reggie Butler (analyst)
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Twitter	@EMUWBB \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com)- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team begins a five-game home stretch with a meeting against the Florida A&M University Rattlers Saturday, Nov. 19, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.                             The game is scheduled to tip off at 1 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Greg Steiner (pxp) and Reggie Butler (analyst) on the call. Fans can follow the action via live stats at EMUEagles.com/livestats. Additionally, the team's official Twitter account, @EMUWBB, will provide score updates throughout the contest.

LAST TIME OUT (SIUE): The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team held Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville to just 35.7 percent shooting from the field on the way to a 71-62 win against the Cougars on the road, Nov. 13.
   The Eagles had four players score in double figures, led by sophomore ZaNiya Nelson, who had 18 points. Junior Tayra Eke tacked on 13 points and two blocks off the bench and senior Natalia Pineda chipped in as well with 11 points. Led by junior Ce'Nara Skanes' three offensive rebounds, Eastern Michigan did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 13 boards that resulted in 11 second chance points.

PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING: On Dec. 11, 2021, the home facility for EMU basketball was changed from the Convocation Center to the George Gervin GameAbove Center. We ask that you utilize the full name of the facility when referencing Eastern's home court and not shorten the name. Thank you in advance for your assistance on this.

CHASING 200: The Eastern Michigan women's basketball program has racked up 199 total wins inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center since it opened for play in the 1998-99 season. EMU can get to 200 all-time with just one home win this season.

HOW NICE TO BE HOME: After the season-opener against Lindenwood, Eastern will play six more non-conference home games during the 2022-23 campaign including Saturday's contest with the Rattlers. The seven total non-conference games is the most for the program in a decade, when it played seven non-conference home games during the 2012-13 campaign.
   Eastern Michigan went 3-1 in its non-league home games one season ago.

SCOUTING FLORIDA A&M: FAMU currently possesses a 1-2 record in the 2022-23 season, taking a 65-57 win off Georgia State University, Nov. 15. Its previous two losses came against SEC member, the University of Florida, 83-55, Nov. 7 and American Conference member, the University of South Florida, 90-50, Nov. 11, respectively.
   Last year, FAMU finished with an 3-25 overall record and a 4-14 mark in Southwest Athletic Conference play. The Rattlers faced MAC member, Ohio University early in the season, falling 98-45 to the Bobcats.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE RATTLERS: Saturday's meeting with FAMU will mark the third contest between the two schools. The Green and White hold a 2-0 record over the Rattlers and look forward to stretching their win-streak to three in Saturday's game, which will be the third contest hosted by the Eagles inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. Eastern's first victory over FAMU was in 2002, when the Eagles defeated the Rattlers, 81-61, Nov. 22. Then, after a 15-year long hiatus, the Rattlers returned to Ypsilanti, dropping another match to the Eagles, 83-61, Nov. 10, 2017.

THE OVC AND ME: The Green and White have defeated two Ohio Valley Conference memebers thus far in the 2022-23 campaign, starting with a victory over Lindenwood, Nov. 7 and another at SIUE, Nov. 13. Additionally, it was the first time the Eagles have met with both universities. In the past, Eastern Michigan has faced six other OVC memebers and holds a 4-4 all-time record against the conference. Two of the four victories came against Southeast Missouri State University (2019, 2020), while the other two were set against Eastern Illinois University (1983), and Morehead State University (2006), respectiviley.

TWO AND OH: Eastern Michigan is 2-0 to begin the 2022-23 campaign. It marks the first time the team is 2-0 to begin a season since 2018-19, when the Green and White opened with wins against Cleveland State University and Illinois State University, respectively.

TURNING 21: Eastern is off to a 2-0 start for the 21st time in program history (1976-77 was the team's initial campaign). Seventh-year Head Coach Fred Castro now has three 2-0 starts (2017-18, 2018-19, 2022-23).

ROAD WINS: Eastern Michigan is now 1-0 in road contests to begin the 2022-23 season. The Eagles have emerged victorious in one other road debut under seventh-year Head Coach Fred Castro, a 65-52 victory over Southern Illinois University, Nov 25, 2020. Additionally, EMU's 71 points scored against SIUE, Nov. 13, are the most for the program in a first road game victory since the 2013-14 season, when Eastern scored 84 points at Cleveland State in a 84-70 win, Nov. 17

THE INITIAL JUMP: With senior Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu in the mix, the Eagles won their second tip-off of the season to start the contest with the SIUE Cougars, Nov. 13. Additionally, this was the first time the tip-off victory directly resulted in a first-possession bucket. The most recent came in a 66-53 deficit at Ohio, Feb. 14, 2022, when former Eagle Areanna Combs nailed a jumper to start the game. In the victory over SIUE, senior Natalia Pineda opened the scoreboard directly after Ozzy-Momodu's collection, earning two from a layup initiated by a helper from Ozzy-Momodu.

UNDER 10 IN THE FIRST 10: In the first quarter of the game with SIUE, Nov. 13, the Eagles held the Cougars to just six points. The last time the Green and White held its opponent to less than 10 points in the first quarter was when the team did so at Miami University in an 80-69 victory, Jan. 29, 2022. The RedHawks scored just nine points in the first quarter. Prior to the Miami game, the Eagles accomplished this feat just once before, against Grace Christian University, Nov. 18, 2021, when EMU held the Tigers to just nine points in the first 10 minutes of play.

EARNING HER WINGS: Freshman import from Spain, Elena Cabello made her first appearance as a collegiate player with the Green and White in the victory over SIUE, Nov. 13. The rookie collected two rebounds (1-1), and a helper in her nine minutes of play against the Cougars.

DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORERS: Four Eagles reached double-digit points in the victory over SIUE, Nov. 13, highlighted by sophomore ZaNiya Nelson with 18, sophomore Tayra Eke with 13, senior Natalia Pineda with 11 and junior Ce'nara Skanes with 10. The last time the Green and White recorded four or more players in double-digit scoring was in an 83-70 victory over Central Michigan University, Feb. 19, inside McGuirk Arena when Skanes, Austin, and former Eagles Courtnie Lewis, and Areanna Combs each recorded 13 or more points.

NELSON'S CAREER DAY: Sophomore ZaNiya Nelson led the Eagles with a game-high 18 points in the road-win against SIUE, Nov. 19. The guard was 8-13 (.615) from the field with a 2-5 (.400) free throw average in the 71-62, victory. Additionally, her 18 points against the Cougars defense set as a career record for the Oklahoma native, topping her previous 12 versus the University of Detroit Mercy, Nov. 13, 2021.

SHUT-EM DOWN: The Eagles held the Cougars to only 35.7 percent shooting from the field in the victory, Nov. 13. It is the second time this season the team has kept its opponent from shooting above 40 percent from the field. The first coming against Lindenwood University, Nov. 7, when the Eagles kept the Lions to a 38.2 percent shooting average. In both instances, Eastern has out-shot its competitors.

AUSTIN'S HELPING HANDS: Eastern Michigan tallied 16 total assists in the game against SIUE, Nov. 13. With the helpers evenly spread out, sophomore Lachelle Austin led the way with four helpers. Her four in the contest added with her seven against the Lions, Nov. 7, the sophomore tops the Eagles in assists with 11 total for the season. Additionally, her 11 this season account for approximately 21 percent of the Redford, Mich. native's 53 career assists.

SECOND FROM THE TOP: Eastern Michigan has defeated its two opponents in the turnover battle thus far. The Green ad White's turnover margin of 8.50 is good for second in the league and 35th in the nation out of the 349 teams ranked.

THE OFFENSIVE GLASS: Eastern Michigan cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 13 offensive boards in the game against SIUE, Nov. 13. The Eagles were short three rebounds to tie its season best 16, set against Lindenwood, Nov. 7. Leading the Green and White in offensive rebounds in the contest was Ce'Nara Skanes with three. It is the 50th game in which the Oklahoma native has recorded three mor more offensive rebounds in her career. Coupled with her previous two against Lindenwood, Nov.7, the junior has tabbed five total offensive boards this season, good for second on the team, trailing Tayra Eke by one.

TURNOVER TOWN: Eastern won the turnover battle 17 times in 27 outings, including 14 times during Mid-American Conference play one season ago. During league action, EMU had an eight-game span where it forced more turnovers than it gave up.
   Staying true to its 2021-22 trend, the Green and White opened its 2022-23 season forcing 20 Lindenwood turnovers to Eastern's 10 in the win, Nov. 7. Additionally, the Eagles defense kept rolling, causing 26 SIUE turnovers to Eastern's 19, Nov.13. The team is 2-0 in games where the opponent turns the ball over more times than the Eagles.

CAN'T LET THEM SCORE 70: EMU went 1-12 in 2021-22 when allowing 70+ points. Moreover, EMU is 9-68 when allowing 70 or more points since the start of the 2016-17 season.
   The Eagles defense has done a great job at limiting its opponents to below 70 in the 2022-23 season thus far. The closest opponent to reach 70 against the Eagles was the SIUE Cougars in the 71-62 victory for the Green and White, Nov. 13.

NUMBER 1 REJECTS: The Green and White have tallied 12 total blocks in the 2022-23 campaign (6.0 per game). The 6.0 blocks per game average places the Eagles atop the entire conference and in the top 25 within the nation, taking the 23rd spot out of 348. Additionally, sophomore Tayra Eke leads the league in blocks per game with 2.50 as well as in total blocks with five.

AUSTIN-TACIOUS: Sophomore Lachelle Austin currently leads the league in assists per game with a 5.5 average. After her seven against Lindenwood, Nov. 7 and her four at SIUE, Nov. 13, the Michigan native leads the Green and White with 11 total this season. On the other side of the ball, Austin ranks second in the MAC and 47th in the nation for steals per game with 3.5.

WIZARD OF OZZY: Senior Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu has made quite the impact on the Green and White in her two contest in an Eastern jersey. The international leads EMU in points (25), and in rebounds (16), as well as in double-doubles with one on the season. Furthermore, Ozzy-Momodu ranks in the top three within the MAC for field-goal percentage (66.7), free-throw percentage (83.3), and double-doubles (1).

ON THE HORIZON: After Saturday's game, the Green and White will continue its home stretch by hosting the Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) Jaguars, Wednesday, Nov. 23, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. Tip off is scheduled for 2 p.m.

FOLLOW THE ACTION ALL SEASON LONG: Stay connected with the Eagles all season long by following @EMUWBB and @EMUAthletics on Twitter for all of the latest EMU women's basketball updates. Be sure to also follow the Green and White on Instagram, @EMUWBB.

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Players Mentioned

Lachelle Austin

Elena Cabello

Tayra Eke

ZaNiya Nelson

Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu

Natalia Pineda

Ce'Nara Skanes

Eastern Michigan Athletics