Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
5-16,2-12MAC
Ohio
12-9,6-6MAC
Women's Basketball Drops Monday Night Affair at Ohio
2/14/2022 8:53:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Combs drops 20 points, records six assists, in the setback
ATHENS, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) -- Upperclassmen Areanna Combs (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Oklahoma State)) and Courtnie Lewis (Belton, Mo.-Belton) combined to score 34 total points - 64.2 percent of Eastern Michigan University's points - but the Eagles fell to the Ohio University Bobcats, 66-53, on the road Monday, Feb. 14.
The Eagles (5-16, 2-12 MAC) had two players score in double figures, led by Combs, who had 20 points, nine rebounds, six assists, three steals, and three blocks. Lewis tacked on 14 points from the bench while redshirt sophomore Ce'Nara Skanes (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Florida International)) added nine points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks, which ties her career-high.
Eastern Michigan did a great job disrupting Ohio shots in the contest, coming away with six blocks. Skanes' and Combs' three rejections led the way for the Eagles.
How It Happened
Eastern Michigan struggled out of the gate, falling behind 14-7 at the end of the first quarter.
The Eagles then cut the Bobcats lead to 18-12 before going on a 5-0 run, highlighted by a bucket from Combs, to narrow its deficit to 18-17. Ohio responded and expanded its lead, leaving EMU trailing 35-30 heading into halftime.
Eastern Michigan's deficit continued to grow after halftime, and the Eagles faced a 49-40 disadvantage heading to the fourth quarter. Eastern turned three offensive rebounds into two second chance points on the way to scoring 10 total points in the quarter.
The Green and White could not pull any closer in the fourth, losing by a final of 66-53. The Eagles fired away from deep in the quarter, knocking down two shots to account for six of its 13 points.
Game Notes
» The Eagles held the Bobcats to only 37.3 percent shooting from the field. Coming into the contest, Ohio was averaging 41.0 percent from the floor. Additionally, Ohio put up just 66 points on the Green and White, well below its lead-leaguing average of 75.5 points per contest. The game was the first since Jan. 29 in which Ohio has failed to score 70 points, and just the sixth time this season.
» Combs, Lewis, and Skanes combined to account for 81 percent of the Eagles points.
» The Eastern Michigan bench came alive by scoring 17 points. EMU scored just three bench points against Akron, Feb. 12. The Eagles have scored 15+ bench points in eight contests this season, but on just one previous occasion in February (19 at Buffalo, Feb. 9).
» The Eastern Michigan defense forced 16 turnovers. The game is the ninth consecutive in which the EMU defense has forced 15+ opponent turnovers, the best stretch of the season for the Eagles.
» The Eagles were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, recording six blocks as a team.
» Combs led the Eagles with 20 points, her eighth game of the season hitting that mark. That is the most for Combs since she hit the mark 12 times during the 2019-20 campaign. She has now recorded double-figures in 62 of her 65 career games at Eastern Michigan.
» Eastern Michigan got a team-high 11 rebounds from Skanes. The effort is the ninth of the season with 10+ rebounds, which leads the team. It is the 27th time in her career and 12th this season leading EMU in single-game rebounding.
» Skanes and Combs recorded three blocks apiece in the contest. For EMU, it marked the first time two Eagles have produced multi-block efforts since its game against Northern Illinois, Jan. 22. Versus the Huskies, Skanes rejected three NIU shots while redshirt senior Danielle Rainey (Washington, D.C.-Vista Ridge (Florida)) swatted a pair. Additionally, the three blocks for Skanes ties a career-best effort, which she has twice accomplished prior to tonight's game. The three blocks also tie a career-best mark for Combs, who previously accomplished the feat at Western Michigan, Jan. 11, 2021.
» Lewis dropped a season-best 14 points for the Green and White against the Bobcats. It is her best scoring effort since putting up 20 in a MAC Tournament quarterfinal game against Ball State, March 11, 2020.
» Combs led the team with six assists tonight, the seventh time she has recorded five-or-more helpers in a game this season. That total is a new best for Combs in any season at EMU. Last season, she hit that mark just four times after doing it twice in 2019-20. Combs has hit the six-assist mark four times this season.
Up Next
EMU returns home to host Miami University Wednesday, Feb. 16. Tipoff for Pride Night inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center is set for 7 p.m.
