Women's Basketball Returns Home to Host Miami

Women's Basketball vs. Miami
Date	Wednesday, Feb. 16 \| 7 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| George Gervin GameAbove Center
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF)
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Twitter	.@EMUWBB \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team is ready for a quick turnaround, as it will host Miami University Wednesday, Feb. 16, in Ypsilanti. Tipoff for the Mid-American Conference matchup is set for 7 p.m. inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
   The Eagles (5-16, 2-12 MAC) are in win-now mode. With less than one month left in 2021-22 regular season, the Green and White need a positive push to finish inside the league's top eight and qualify for the MAC Tournament. Miami (8-15, 4-10 MAC) is also fighting for its own chance to play for postseason glory.
   The game will be televised on ESPN+, where Ryan Wooley (play-by-play), Dannie Rogers (analyst), and Kristy King (sideline) will have the call. WEMU 89.1 FM will also carry the game, with Tom Helmer providing the verbal entertainment. Additionally, the team's official Twitter account, @EMUWBB, will provide live updates throughout the contest.

PRIDE NIGHT: EMU women's basketball will celebrate Pride Night during Wednesday's game. Festivities include t-shirt giveaways, special video tributes, and more. The team invites all members of the LGBTQ+ community and allys everywhere to join in the fun at the George Gervin GameAbove Center. For tickets, visit EMUEagles.com/tickets, or call the EMU ticket office at 734.487.3669.

NOT FEELING THE LOVE: EMU has played twice on Valentine's Day in its program history, with both games coming against the Ohio Bobcats. Ohio took the first matchup, 60-44, during the 2014-15 campaign before again leaving EMU searching for love in the win column Monday, Feb. 14. The Bobcats won that game, 66-53.

LOCKED DOWN THE CATS: The Eagles held the Bobcats to only 37.3 percent shooting from the field, Feb. 14. Coming into the contest, Ohio was averaging 41.0 percent shooting from the floor. Additionally, Ohio put up just 66 points on the Green and White, well below its lead-leaguing average of 75.5 (prior to the game) 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.

TURNOVER TOWN: The Eastern Michigan defense forced 16 Ohio turnovers, Feb. 14. 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 THREE SCORE-IT-EERS: EMU's scoring has been anything but diversified during its last two contests. The Eagles got 81 percent of its offensive production from just three players at Ohio, Feb. 14. Areanna Combs led the way with 20, while Courtnie Lewis (14), and Ce'Nara Skanes (9) each chipped in for the Green and White.
   EMU saw similar trends against Akron, Feb. 12. Three players -- Skanes (21), Combs (19), and Natalia Pineda (10) accounted for 50 of EMU's 53 points (94%), the highest percentage in a game this season.
   During the two-game stint, Combs and Skanes alone have accounted for 65.1 percent of EMU's point production (69-of-106).

ORDER IN THE COURT(NIE): Redshirt senior Courtnie Lewis dropped a season-best 14 points for the Green and White against the Bobcats, Feb. 14. It is her best scoring effort since putting up 20 in a MAC Tournament quarterfinal game against Ball State, March 11, 2020.

BOARD GAMES: Redshirt sophomore Ce'Nara Skanes pulled in a team-high 11 boards against Ohio, Feb. 14. 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.

BLOCKING BUDDIES: The Eagles were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, recording six blocks as a team against Ohio, Feb. 14. Ce'Nara Skanes and Areanna 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 swatted a pair.
   The three blocks for Skanes ties a career-best effort, which she has twice accomplished prior tothe game at Ohio. The three blocks also ties a career-best mark for Combs, who previously accomplished the feat at Western Michigan, Jan. 11, 2021.

BIG BENCH: The Eastern Michigan bench came alive at Ohio, scoring 17 points and accouting for 32 percent of the Eagles' total scoring effort in the contest. 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).

TURNOVER STREAK ENDS: Heading into its game at Ohio, EMU had committed less turnovers that its opponent in nine consecutive contests, dating back to Jan. 19. In that span, EMU forced 152 turnovers while only committing 112, good for a 1.3 assist-to-turnover ratio. The stretch was the best for the program since the 2013-14 season, when the Eagles won the turnover battle in 10 straight games between Jan. 18 and Feb. 19, respectively. EMU failed to win the turnover battle at Ohio; it gave the ball away 17 times, one more than Ohio's 16 blunders.

TAKING THE FREEBIES: A noticeable area of improvement for the 2021-22 Eagles is at the free throw line. EMU shot 71.4 percent (5-of-7) from the charity stripe against Ohio, Feb. 14, its 10th game of the season hitting the 70-percent mark. Prior to the current campaign, EMU had hit 70 percent-or-better from the line just 41 times in the Fred Castro era (2016-Pres.), an average of eight games per year.

SHARING IS CARING: Areanna Combs currently sits 13th in the Mid-American Conference with 3.6 assists per contest. The guard has dished out 25 dimes in the past five games, including a six-assist performance at Ohio, Feb. 14, and a pair of five-helper days against Kent State, Feb. 5, and Buffalo, Feb. 9. Combs has recorded seven outings with at least five assists so far in the 2021-22 season.

STRIPE LIFE: Redshirt sophomore Ce'Nara Skanes is best known for her blocks and skill near the rim, however, she is also a threat when sent to the charity stripe. The center has sunk 57-of-80 (71%) from the line this season, but in the last eight games, she is a team-leading 24-of-28 (85.7%). Furthermore, she has been perfect from the line in five of those outings.

THE FIRST 20 MATTERS: All five of Eastern's wins have seen the Eagles take a lead into the intermission, while 15 of the squad's 16 setbacks has included a halftime deficit.
       Eastern is 41-16 in games in which it held a halftime lead since the onset of the 2016-17 season, and 17-84 in games where it has trailed at the break in that same span.

LIVING AT THE LINE: While Ce'Nara Skanes has been improving at the stripe as of late, redshirt senior guard Areanna Combs has been living at the line in her last ght outings. The Oklahoma City native has taken 78 free throws in that span (9.75 per game). She has converted 70 percent of the freebie attempts (55-of-78). For comparison, she went to the line just 76 times in EMU's first 13 games of the season (5.8 per game).
   The 78 attempts is by far the most of any Eagle in the recent six-game stretch. Skanes is second in attemps during that span, with 28 (-50 compared to Combs).

THREE-POINT WOES: The Eagles have been cold from deep in the past eight games. Through the first 13 games of the season, EMU shot 20%-or-lower from deep just twice (vs. Binghamton, Dec.10, 2-of-16; vs. Western Michigan, Jan. 19, 5-of-25). In their last eight outings, the Eagles have shot 20 percent-or-less from deep three times.
   EMU shot 3-for-23 (13.0%) against the Zips, Feb. 12, its fourth-lowest shooting clip from deep this season. The Eagles rebounded with six triples at Ohio, Feb. 14 (6-of-27; 22.2%).

PLAYING DISCIPLINED: EMU has been tremendous at taking care of the basketball, ranking fifth in the league and 43rd nationally in fewest turnovers (303).

LIKE BONNIE AND CLYDE: The Green and White are fifth in the league, averaging 9.0 steals per contest. That number is the second-best mark under Fred Castro (2016-Pres.). The 2017-18 EMU squad racked up 9.7 steals per contest.

DEATH, TAXES, DOUBLE DIGITS: If one thing is as certain as can be, it's that Areanna Combs will score 10+ points. Including her 20 performances of the nature this season, Combs has now recorded double-digit scoring efforts in 62 of her 65 career games with the Green and White (95.4%). That number is the highest percentage in the Mid-American Conference.

CAN'T LET THEM SCORE 70: EMU is 0-9 in 2021-22 when allowing 70+ points. Moreover, EMU is 8-65 when allowing 70+ points since the start of the 2016-17 season.

COOKIES: Redshirt senior Areanna Combs ranks third in the MAC in total steals (55) and fourth in the league in steals per game (2.62). 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). Additionally, the guard has recorded at least three steals in five of her last eight contests.

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 1,168 career points, which ranks 20th on the scoring list.
Meanwhile, redshirt senior Areanna Combs, who recently joined the 1,000-point club, sits at 18th in the record book, with 1,214points in her three seasons donning the Green and White. The guard is averaging 18.8 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.

BLOCK PART(E): EMU is fourth in the Mid-American Conference in blocks per game (3.4). Redshirt sophomore Ce'Nara Skanes leads the team with 25 rejections and is sixth in the MAC with 1.2 blocks per contest while freshman Treasure Thompson is 11th in the league at 0.9 bpg (15 total).
   The Eagles have recorded at least five blocks in six contests this season. In the 2020-21 campaign, Eastern only recorded five-or-more blocks in a game three times.

TWO GRAND TEAMMATES: Upperclassmen Courtnie Lewis (1,168) and Areanna Combs (1,214) 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.

ALL-TIME VERSUS MIAMI: Wednesday's matchup will mark the 65th meeting between Eastern Michigan and Miami. The RedHawks lead the all-time series, 42-22. However, EMU has won the last three battles and come out on top in four of the last six games.

LAST TIME IN YPSILANTI: Eastern Michigan finished shooting 29-of-68 (42.6%) to Miami's 19-of-57 (33.3%) en route to an 80-53 dismantling of the RedHawks, Jan. 15, 2020. EMU secured the rock as well, turning the ball over just 13 times while forcing 26 Miami blunders. The Eagles were led by a career-best 14 points from then-junior Autumn Hudson, while Areanna Combs added 14 of her own. Defensively, four Eagles nabbed at least two steals as Eastern racked up 12 swipes as a team.

SCOUTING THE REDHAWKS: The RedHawks currently sit 10th in the Mid-American Conference standings and have dropped 3 of their last four games. The team's most recent win came at home versus Central Michigan, besting the Chippewas 90-77, Feb. 12. Miami boasts the second-best steals per game average in the Mid-American Conference with 9.57 swipes per outing. Individually, Peyton Scott sits fifth in the league in points per game at 19.3.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern heads north for an in-state rivalry matchup against Central Michigan Saturday, Feb. 19. Tipoff from McGurik Arena in Mount Pleasant is set for 1 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Areanna Combs

Courtnie Lewis

Natalia Pineda

Danielle Rainey

Ce'Nara Skanes

Treasure Thompson

Eastern Michigan Athletics