Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
5-15,2-11MAC
Akron
11-8,8-5MAC
EMU Women's Hoops Drops Home Contest to Akron, 64-53
2/12/2022 3:04:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Ce'Nara Skanes earns her 20th career double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds
Photo Gallery | WEMU 89.1 FM Postgame Audio - Fred Castro
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team fell to the University of Akron, 64-53 at home, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center Saturday, Feb. 12.
The Eagles (5-15, 2-11 MAC) saw three players score in double-digits, led by redshirt senior Ce'Nara Skanes (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Florida International)) with 20, followed by redshirt senior Areanna Combs (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Oklahoma State)) who added 19, and junior Natalia Pineda (Miami, Fla.-John A. Ferguson) with 10. Redshirt junior Juanita Agosto (Seattle, Wash.-Garfield) led the Eagles with four offensive rebounds, while Combs led the team with three assists.
Defensively, Skanes topped the team with 10 rebounds while three Eagles recorded two steals. Eastern forced Akron into 17 turnovers, while only committing 12 itself. The Eagles turned those takeaways into nine points on the offensive end of the floor. Furthermore, EMU held UA to 30 percent shooting from deep, five percent below their season average heading into the contest.
How It Happened
Eastern Michigan started out the scoring by going on a 5-0 run, culminating in a bucket from Skanes, to take an early lead with 8:12 left in the first quarter. The Eagles then lost some of that lead, but still entered the quarter break with a 16-14 advantage. Eastern Michigan did most of its first quarter damage in the paint, scoring eight of its 16 points close to the basket.
Akron rallied to take a 30-21 lead before Eastern Michigan went on a 5-0 run, starting at the 2:00 mark in the second period, to narrow its deficit to 30-26. Akron responded and expanded its lead, leaving the Eagles trailing 35-28 heading into halftime.
Eastern and Akron both put up 15 points in the third quarter, keeping the deficit even at 50-43 entering the fourth. Eastern Michigan played well near the basket, scoring 10 of its 15 points in the paint. The Eagles took advantage of their opportunities in the post, scoring six of its 10 points in the paint. The Eagles could not pull any closer in the fourth, losing by a final of 64-53.
Game Notes
» Eastern Michigan's defense held Akron to 30 percent (6-of-20) shooting from three. The Zips averaged 35.0 percent from beyond-the-arc heading into the contest, which ranked third in the Mid-American Conference.
» Eastern forced Akron into 17 turnovers in the contest, and committed just 12 of its own. It is the 13th time this season that the Eagles have won the turnover battle against its opponent and the ninth time the Green and White have won that battle in MAC play.
» Pineda hit double-digits for the second time this season, scoring 10. This is the junior's 15th double-figure performance of her career.
» The Eagles had three players score in double-figures in Skanes (21), Combs (19), and Pineda (10). Eastern saw three-or-more in double-digits for the third consecutive game, as well as for the 14th time this season and eighth time in MAC play.
» Skanes earned her 20 career double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Her performance marks the eighth of the season for the redshirt sophomore.
» Including her 19 performances of the nature this season, Combs has now recorded double-digit scoring efforts in 61 of her 64 career games with the Green and White (95.3%). That number is the highest percentage in the Mid-American Conference.
» Eastern shot just 13 percent (3-of-23) from three in the contest against Akron, the fourth worst shooting performance of the season from deep.
» EMU recorded 13 offensive boards against the Zips, which was 34.2% (13-of-38) of its rebound total. The Eagles have gotten 30 percent-or-more of its rebounding production on the offensive end of the floor 14 times during the 2021-22 campaign.
» Skanes, Combs, and Pineda combined to account for 94 percent of the Eagles points.
» Combs finished with 19 points and five rebounds. It is the 7th time this season she has had at least 19 points and five rebounds in a contest.
» Three Eastern Michigan players recorded two or more steals including freshman Lachelle Austin (Redford, Mich.-Wayne Memorial), senior Courtnie Lewis (Belton, Mo.-Belton) and Combs.
Historical Notes
» Today marked the 46th meeting between Eastern Michigan and Akron. With the win, the Zips now lead the series 27-19.
» With 19 points against Akron, Combs sits just 34 points from former Eagle Kristy Maska (1997-2001) who ranks 17th in program history with 1,228.
Up Next
Eastern travels will head to Athens, Ohio to take on the Ohio Bobcats Monday, Feb. 14. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game will be streamed on ESPN3.
