Back In Action: Women's Hoops Travels to Buffalo, N.Y.

Women's Basketball at Buffalo
Date	Saturday, Jan. 14 \| 2 p.m.
Venue	Buffalo, N.Y. \| Alumni Arena
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF) \| Media Guide (PDF)
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN + \| Paul Peck (play-by-play) and Matt Mattia (analyst)
Twitter	@EMUWBB \| @EMUAthletics

BUFFALO, N.Y. (EMUEagles.com) -The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team continues Mid-American Conference play Saturday, Jan. 14, as it faces the University at Buffalo Bulls for the 31st time in program history, this time on the road inside Alumni Arena. The contest is scheduled for 2 p.m.
   In its latest contest, Jan. 11, senior Ce'Nara Skanes registered a double-double with 13 points and 15 rebounds, but despite the efforts the EMU women's basketball team (9-5, 1-2 MAC) fell to the University of Akron (12-2, 3-0 MAC), 60-43, for its second conference setback. With the win, the Zips are the last league members with an undefeated MAC record. Meanwhile, Buffalo (7-5, 2-1 MAC) outscored Ohio University, 19-8, in the fourth quarter to complete a second-half comeback for a 69-64 road win over the Bobcats, Jan. 11.
   Saturday's game will broadcast on ESPN+ with Paul Peck (play-by-play) and Matt Mattia (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.

RECORD BOOK WATCH: Forward Ce'Nara Skanes, now in her fourth season with the Eagles, is on pace to reach the 1,000-point plateau in 2023. Already a 1,000-point collegiate scorer (1,079, including 250 at Florida International in 2018-19), Skanes would become Eastern Michigan's 25th 1,000-point scorer if she can hit the mark (171 points away). Areanna Combs (2019-22) was the last player to eclipse the milestone, finishing her career in the No. 15 spot for all-time scoring at EMU (1,257).

NUMBER 1 REJECTS: The Green and White have led the MAC in blocks per game throughout the entirety of the season. Tallying 78 total blocks in the 14 games played so far, the Eagles are ninth in the nation for blocks per game (5.6). Moreover, the Eagles have recorded five or more blocks in all but four games this season. Tayra Eke continues to hold the top spot in the league in blocks per game with 2.0 and in total blocks with 28. Her four blocks against USI, Dec. 10, are the most by an Eastern Michigan player since Becca Turney recorded five versus Ferris State University, Nov. 16, 2016.
   Eastern Michigan's 5.6 blocks per game is on pace to be a program record. The Eagles' 2009-10 squad currently hold the top spot. That season, the Green and White averaged 4.2 swats per game.

BUILT DIFFERENT: Sophomore Tayra Eke added two more blocks against Akron, Jan. 11, to bring her season total to 28 in 14 games, a team best. The Spaniard sits in first place in the conference in the category, averaging 2.0 rejections per game. The total was just two shy of her season-high four, set against Southern Indiana University, Dec. 10. She is five blocks away from cracking the single-season top-10 in EMU's record book.

THE TOP DOGS: The Eagles sit atop the conference in three statistical categories. The team's 5.6 blocks per game leads the MAC and ranks ninth nationally, while the team's 39.9 rebounds per game also leads the league and ranks 78th in the nation. With its 3.6 rebounding margin, the Eagles also rank first in the MAC.

SCOUTING BUFFALO: Buffalo is 7-5 overall and 2-1 in the MAC to begin the 2022-23 campaign. The Bulls are coming off a 69-64 road victory at Ohio University, Jan. 11. Prior to the road win, the Bulls enjoyed a 70-63 triumph over the Chippewas of Central Michigan University, Jan. 7. The win at Ohio places UB tied for second in the conference. Leading the Bulls is graduate student Re'Shawna Stone, who averages 14.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game.

LAST TIME AGAINST THE BULLS: The Eagles saw three players score in double figures, paced by former Eagle Areanna Combs who scored 18 points on 8-of-14 shots from the field while dishing out five assists. Ce'Nara Skanes tallied 12 points while Danielle Rainey added 10 off the bench. Defensively, Skanes led all players with 15 rebounds, while Zaniya Nelson tied her career-high with three swipes. The Eastern Michigan defense caused its share of mistakes in the game, forcing 19 Buffalo turnovers while committing 18. Those takeaways turned into seven points on the offensive end of the floor, but was not enough as the Eagles dropped its road contest versus Buffalo, 93-68, Feb. 9.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE BULLS: Saturday's matchup will mark the 31st meeting between Eastern Michigan and Buffalo. The all-time series is tied, 15-15 with Buffalo coming away with the most recent win, Feb. 9. Despite dominating the New York team from 2003-2010, the Eagles have won just two of the last 10 meetings. The Eagles hold the longest win-streak between the two programs, winning nine straight in seven years (2003-2010). The Bulls longest win streak against the Green and White currently sits at seven, starting Feb. 15, 2017 after UB defeated EMU, 56-52, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.

EAGLES IN THE MAC: Four Eagles are ranked in the top 10 in various statistical categories throughout the MAC. Holding the highest ranking for the Green and White is sophomore Tayra Eke, who ranks first in the league in blocks per game (2.0), and in total blocks (28). Additionally, her 7.1 rebounds per game is good for eighth. Freshman Olivia Smith ranks sixth in the MAC in three-pointers per game (1.93). Sophomore Lachelle Austin's 1.9 steals per game is good for 11th in the conference while her 77.8 free throw percentage ranks seventh. Junior Ce'Nara Skanes' 8.1 rebounds per game ranks her fourth in the league and her 1.15 blocks per game ranks her ninth.

LAST TIME OUT: Senior Ce'Nara Skanes registered her 28th career double-double with 13 points and 15 rebounds, but despite her efforts the team fell to Akron, 60-43. Sophomore Tayra Eke added seven points, seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks off of the bench for the Eagles, while ZaNiya Nelson contributed three points and three steals off the bench. Led by Skanes' six offensive rebounds, Eastern did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 13 boards that resulted in eight second-chance points. The Eagle defense was effective at taking away the basketball in Wednesday's game, forcing 19 Akron turnovers. Those takeaways turned into 12 points on the other end of the floor. Eke's three steals led the way individually for the Eagles.

EIGHT IS GREAT: A total of eight players scored all of Eastern's points in the loss to Akron, Jan. 11. With this effort, it was the sixth game this season in which the Eagles have had eight different players score in a single game this season with the highest being nine Eagles against James Madison University, Dec. 20.

COPS AND ROBBERS: Three EMU players tallied two or more steals in the setback, Jan. 11. It was the fifth time this season in which the Green and White have had at least three players with multiple steals in a game. Moreover, it is also the second-straight game accomplishing this feat. If Eastern can keep the trend going, the team is on pace to topping last season's 10 games with three or more players recording two-plus steals in a single game.

SOUND THE ALARM: Eastern Michigan tallied 11 steals in the game with Akron, Jan. 11. The 11 robberies were two shy from the team's season high of 13 set against North Dakota State, Dec. 1. Additionally, it was the team's 11th contest with five or more robberies.

A BRUTE ON DEFENSE: Sophomore ZaNiya Nelson recorded a total of three steals in the contest against the Zips, Jan. 11. It was the third time this season Nelson has forced at least three steals in a game. In addition, it is the sixth time in her young Eastern career she has had a three-steal game, having done so three times in the 2021-22 campaign.

25 AND UNDER: The Green and White held the Zips to 23 points in the first half of the contest, Jan. 11. It marked the seventh time this season in which the Eagles held their opponents to 25 points or under in the first half, two of which being MAC members, Akron-23 points and Miami-24 points.

ALONE AT THE TOP: In just her second year as an active member of the team in 2021-22, Ce'Nara Skanes became the program's all-time leader in double-doubles with 23 following a 21-point, 10-rebound effort at Miami, Jan. 29.
   After posting 13 points and 15 rebounds against Akron, Jan. 11, Skanes has recorded double-doubles in 28 of her 61 career games at EMU (45%), the best percentage of anyone on the 2022-23 roster. Prior to the most recent season, former Eagles Sarah VanMetre and Olivia Fouty tied for the most double-doubles in EMU history with 17.

SHUT-EM DOWN: The Eagles held the Zips to only 31.5 percent shooting from the field, Jan. 11. It was the seventh time this season the team has kept its opponent from shooting above 40 percent from the field. In all instances but the Akron game, Eastern has out-shot its competitors.

TRIPS TO THE STRIPE: Sophomore Kyndal Lewis has drawn a foul in six of the 10 games she has appeared in this season (60%), an improvement from last year. With only two made free throws on six attempts the season before, Lewis has had a major improvement totaling 29 free throw attempts with 14 makes (48%), thus far.

ZIPPING UP AKRON: Despite the loss, Eastern Michigan held Akron to just 60 points in the game, Jan. 11. It was the 14th time in the all-time series against the Zips that the Green and White held Akron, who was averaging 72.2 points prior to the contest, to 60 or fewer points.

RECORD BREAKER: Fourth-year Eagle Ce'Nara Skanes made history Dec. 1, 2021, against North Dakota State. With her eight rebounds in the contest, Skanes became the 22nd member of EMU's 500-rebound club. EMU's all-time best rebounder is Nikki Knapp (2002-06), who hauled in 802 boards during her collegiate career. Skanes, already the program's all-time leader in double-double efforts (28) has a career average of 9.3 rebounds per game. That number is by far and away the best of any player to secure 500 or more rebounds at Eastern Michigan. The next best is Suzanne Huff (1979-83), who averaged 7.8 boards per game en route to 756 rebounds (seventh all-time) during her career.

BACK IN #MACTION: The Green and White's 2022-23 campaign marks the 42nd season Eastern Michigan will compete as a member of the Mid-American Conference. Playing a league schedule since the 1981-82 campaign, EMU has compiled a 300-393 record against conference opponents all-time.

RING CHASING: Eastern entered league play in search of its first conference championship since 2012. That year, the Eagles captured both the MAC West and MAC Tournament titles.
    As a program, EMU has claimed four division crowns (2004, 2006, 2008, 2012) and two tournament championships (2004, 2012).

ON THE HORIZON: The Green and White remain on the road as it takes a trip to Kent, Ohio to take on the Golden Flashes of Kent State University. The contest is slated for Wednesday, Jan. 18, with a 7 p.m. tip.

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.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Lachelle Austin

Areanna Combs

Tayra Eke

Kyndal Lewis

ZaNiya Nelson

Danielle Rainey

Ce'Nara Skanes

Olivia Smith

Eastern Michigan Athletics