Women's Basketball Set to Honor Nine Seniors Saturday

Women's Basketball vs. Toledo
Date	Saturday, Feb. 26 \| 2 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) -- Another year, another home finale come too fast; The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team will celebrate Senior Day Saturday, Feb. 26, when it hosts the University of Toledo in its final home game of the 2021-22 campaign. Tipoff inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center is set for 2 p.m., with the senior celebrations scheduled to begin immediately following the conclusion of the game.
   Eastern (7-17, 4-13 MAC) is looking to play spoiler as the Rockets (21-4, 16-1 MAC), who have already claimed at least a share of the Mid-American Conference regular season title, aim to lock up sole possession of the honor.
   The game will be televised on ESPN3 where Ryan Wooley (play-by-play) and Claire Dau (analyst) will have the call. Additionally, the team's official Twitter account, @EMUWBB, will provide live updates throughout the contest.

THANK YOU ALL: The EMU women's basketball program thanks the uncountable number of individuals who have worked hard to make each home game possible this season. Without the support of those in media relations, facilities, TV, radio, cheer and dance, band, marketing, development, and many more areas, we would not be able to play our games inside the league's best venue.

CELEBRATING THE SENIORS: EMU is set to celebrate nine seniors Saturday, Feb. 26. The following players will be honored during an on-court, postgame celebration following the conclusion of Saturday's game against UT: Juanita Agosto, Terrysha Banner, Areanna Combs, Toyosi Abiola, Natalia Pineda, Kylee O'Hara, RayJon Harris, Courtnie Lewis, and Danielle Rainey.

PLAY4KAY: Saturday's game will be a special breast cancer awareness game in support of the 'Play4Kay' campaign. Throughout the month of February, high schools and colleges across the nation will take part in such games to support the Kay Yow Cancer Fund's mission of supporting scientific research focused on women's cancers, as well as projects assisting the underserved community.
   In her 34-year tenure at North Carolina State University, the late Kay Yow became the first coach to win two Olympic gold medals, guided her teams to 20 NCAA Tournaments and was inducted into 11 halls of fame. However, Coach Yow's legacy in the community extends far beyond the basketball court. Yow founded the Kay Yow Cancer Fund in 2007 before passing away in 2009 after her 22-year battle with breast cancer.
   EMU played against Yow and N.C. State as part of the San Juant Shootout, Dec. 20, 2003. Yow's club bested Eastern, 64-55.

MORE THAN A TAGLINE: Nearly every person has been touched by cancer. For Kylee O'Hara and Makailah Griggs-Zeigler, the Play4Kay game is heightened in meaning.
   O'Hara lost her grandmother to breast cancer during her freshman year in college, while Griggs-Zeigler recently witnessed her aunt battle, and prevail over the disease.

O'Hara Quote: "Seeing someone go through breast cancer, and knowing there are millions of others struggling with cancer themselves, I think being able to raise awareness is definitely motivating. She (My grandma) was my biggest support system. She was there for me through everything, and I know she is smiling down and watching our team."

Griggs-Zeigler Quote: "It is such a big thing for me, because my aunt is literally a fighter. The way she overcame cancer...she fought to beat it, and it was one of the biggest accomplishments of our family because cancer is something that is so detrimental to the body in so many ways, so when you're able to overcome it, it is amazing. I compare basketball and the fight against cancer because in that, you have to be stronger than your mental. Outside factors get to your head in both, but when you're stronger than those things, you can win."

COMEBACK FALLS JUST SHORT: Eastern Michigan found itself down 17, 30-13 at the 5:09 mark of the second quarter against NIU, Feb. 23. Undeterred, the Eagles bounced back in a big way, tying the game at 63 with under five minutes to go the final quarter. The Huskies finished strong, ending the game on a 9-2 run to defend home court, 72-65. Had Eastern prevailed, it would have been the team's first win after trailing by 10+ points since Jan. 11, 2021, when the Eagles erased a 12-point deficit to claim victory at Western Michigan, 67-62.

AWESOME AUSTIN: Freshman guard Lachelle Austin had a career-best game at NIU, Feb. 24, with personal-bests in points (18), field goals made (6), and free throw made (5). With 18 points, the freshman led EMU in scoring for the first time in her career. Additionally, the Redford, Mich. native played hard-nosed defense, coming away with three steals for the second game in a row. It was also the freshman's fifth outing scoring in double figures.
   Austin has now recorded personal-best scoring numbers in consecutive contests. She hit her previous high of 13 against Central Michigan, Feb. 19.

THIRD QUARTER BOOST: The Eastern Michigan offense got hot in the third quarter of its game at Northern Illinois, Feb. 23, knocking down 4-of-5 (80.0%) from three-point land and tallying 26 points. For comparison, Eastern has hit four-or-less three-pointers in the entirety of a game eight times this season. EMU finished with six makes from beyond-the-arc, the third time it has hit that mark in February and 12th time overall.

FIRST 10 STRUGGLE: NIU scored 21 points in the first quarter against EMU, Feb. 23. It is the first time the Eagles have allowed 20+ points in the opening frame since Buffalo recorded 24 in the first stanza, Feb. 9. The most points EMU has allowed in the first frame is 27, achieved by both Oklahoma, Dec. 7, and Northern Illinois, Jan. 22.

BOARD GAMES: Redshirt sophomore Ce'Nara Skanes pulled in a team-leading 12 boards against Northern Illinois, Feb. 23, three of which came on the offensive end. The effort was her 13th of the season with 10+ rebounds, which leads the team. The performance was the 31st time in her career and 15th this season leading EMU in single-game rebounding.

TURNOVER TOWN: Eastern forced Northern Illinois into 12 turnovers, Feb. 23. The game is the third in a row in which the Eagles have won the turnover battle and 13th time in conference play that EMU has held the advantage in that category. The Eastern defense has forced 15+ opponent turnovers in 11 of its last 13 games.

HALF THE TIME: Redshirt sophomore Ce'Nara Skanes recorded her 10th double-double of the season at CMU, Feb. 19. It was her 22nd overall with the Green and White. She has recorded double-doubles in 22 of her 44 career games at EMU (50%), the best percentage of anyone on the team.

PINEDA'S PROGRESSION: Junior guard Natalia Pineda hit 2-of-5 (40.0%) from long-range at NIU, Feb. 23, her sixth outing this season with multiple makes from deep and third game scoring in double digits (10 points). The Miami native has connected on 12 three-point attempts over the past seven games. In the opening seven games of the season, Pineda hit just two. She has led EMU's single-game three-point efforts seven times this season (19 overall in her career), the most in any year during her campaign.

BIG BENCH: The EMU bench has been outstanding in the last two games. Eastern bench players scored 28 points against Northern Illinois, Feb. 23, which accounted for 43.1 percent of the team's total offensive production.
   Eastern's second unit also dropped 22 against Central Michigan, Feb. 19, good for 26.5 percent of the team's total offensive production.
   The Eagles have scored 15+ bench points in 11 contests this season.

SHARING IS CARING: Areanna Combs currently sits 11th in the Mid-American Conference with 3.6 assists per contest. The guard has dished out 36 dimes in the past eight games, including an eight-assist performance versus Miami, Feb. 16, and five outings with five-or-more helpers during the span. Combs has recorded eight 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 67-of-91 (73.6%) from the line this season, but in the last 10 games, she is a team-leading 31-of-34 (91.2%). Furthermore, she has been perfect from the line in seven of those outings.

PLAYING DISCIPLINED: EMU has been tremendous at taking care of the basketball, ranking fourth in the league and 49th nationally in fewest turnovers (341). Additionally, the team is sixth in the MAC in fewest fouls with 415. In the opening half at Northern Illinois, Feb. 23, EMU did not commit a single shooting foul.

THE FIRST 20 MATTERS: All seven of Eastern's wins have seen the Eagles take a lead into the intermission, while 16 of the squad's 17 setbacks have included a halftime deficit.
   Eastern is 43-16 in games in which it held a halftime lead since the onset of the 2016-17 season, and 17-85 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 10 outings. The Oklahoma City native has taken 78 free throws in that span (7.8 per game). Combs has converted 66.7 percent of the freebie attempts (52-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 are by far the most of any Eagle in the recent 10-game stretch. Skanes is second in attempts during that span, with 34 (-44 compared to Combs).

LIKE BONNIE AND CLYDE: The Green and White are fourth in the league, averaging 9.2 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 22 performances of the nature this season, Combs has now recorded double-digit scoring efforts in 64 of her 68 career games with the Green and White (94.1%). That number is the highest percentage in the Mid-American Conference.

CAN'T LET THEM SCORE 70: EMU is 1-10 in 2021-22 when allowing 70+ points. Moreover, EMU is 9-66 when allowing 70+ points since the start of the 2016-17 season.

COOKIES: Redshirt senior Areanna Combs ranks fourth in the MAC in both total steals (61) and steals per game (2.4). 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 one steal in 15-straight 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 1,194 career points, which ranks 19th on the scoring list.
   Meanwhile, redshirt senior Areanna Combs, who recently joined the 1,000-point club, sits at 15th in the record book, with 1,257 points in her three seasons donning the Green and White. The guard is averaging 18.2 ppg this season, which puts her on track to crack the top-13 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.

TWO GRAND TEAMMATES: Upperclassmen Courtnie Lewis (1,194) and Areanna Combs (1,257) 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.

BLOCK PART(E): EMU is fourth in the Mid-American Conference in blocks per game (3.3). Redshirt sophomore Ce'Nara Skanes leads the team with 30 rejections and is fourth in the MAC with 1.2 blocks per contest while freshman Treasure Thompson is second on the team in blocks with 16.
   The Eagles have recorded at least five blocks in seven contests this season. In the 2020-21 campaign, Eastern only recorded five-or-more blocks in a game three times.

ROCK COLLECTORS: The Green and White recorded eight steals versus Northern Illinois, Feb. 23, led by freshman Lachelle Austin, who recorded three steals. For Austin, the performance was just her second with three-or-more steals.
   Eastern has won or tied the steal battle in conference play 15 times during the 2021-22 campaign. Moreover, the Eagles have pick-pocketed their opponents 10-or-more times in nine outings this season.

ALL-TIME VERSUS TOLEDO: Saturday's game marks the 89th meeting between Eastern Michigan and Toledo. The Rockets lead the all-time series, 53-35.

LAST TIME AGAINST THE ROCKETS: The Eagles were stifled on the road, falling 64-48 to UT, Jan. 5. Redshirt senior Danielle Rainey led the way for EMU with 16 points on 4-of-11 makes from deep. Toledo shot an efficient 23-of-51 (45.1%) from the field and sunk 13-of-14 (92.9%) attempts from the line.

LAST TIME IN YPSILANTI: Four Eagles scored in double digits to give Eastern a 69-59 win over Toledo, Feb. 21, 2021. EMU was paced offensively by former Eagle Jenna Annecchiarico who knocked down 5-of-10 (50.0%) triples to give her 17 points on the day. Then-redshirt freshman Ce'Nara Skanes recorded a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

SCOUTING UT: Toledo is the No. 1 team in the conference with a 16-1 mark in MAC play. Its sole loss in league action came at the hands of Ohio, with the Bobcats earning the road win 79-72, Jan. 26. The Rockets are currently on an eight-game win streak, most recently dropping Central Michigan, 76-52, Feb. 23.

ON THE HORIZON: Following Saturday's contest, the Eagles will head west on I-94 for a battle with Western Michigan on Wednesday, March 2. The opening tip is set for 7 p.m. inside University Arena.

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Players Mentioned

Toyosi Abiola

Juanita Agosto

Lachelle Austin

Terrysha Banner

Areanna Combs

Makailah Griggs-Zeigler

RayJon Harris

Courtnie Lewis

Kylee O'Hara

Natalia Pineda

Danielle Rainey

Ce'Nara Skanes

Treasure Thompson

Eastern Michigan Athletics