Eastern Michigan Athletics

Thursday, February 23
Ypsilanti, Mich.
12 p.m.

Eastern Michigan University

vs

Buffalo

WBB THIS WEEK - BUFFALO

Back In Action: Women's Hoops Set to Host Buffalo

2/20/2023 5:19:00 PM | Women's Basketball

The Eagles are set to face the Bulls Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m.

Women's Basketball vs. Buffalo
Date                         Wednesday, Feb. 22 | 7 p.m. 
Venue Ypsilanti, Mich. | George Gervin GameAbove Center
Preview Info EMU Notes (PDF) | Media Guide (PDF) | Digital Game Program 
Live Stats Fan Stats | Media Stats
Watch ESPN+ | Ryan Wooley (pxp), Lexi Ayala (analyst)
Listen WEMU (89.1 WEMU-FM) | The Varsity Network App | Eastern Insider Podcast
Twitter @EMUWBB | @EMUAthletics
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team plays host to the University at Buffalo, Wednesday, Feb. 22, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. The contest marks the second meeting between the two schools this season after the Bulls defeated the Eagles, 78-59, Jan. 14, on their home court.
   EMU (13-12, 5-9 MAC) is coming off an 84-64 road loss to the University of Toledo, Feb. 18, while the Bulls (9-14, 4-10 MAC) enter the contest after a 72-67 defeat at the hands of Miami University, Feb. 18. EMU looks to capitalize on UB's five-game losing streak and split the season series, ultimately breaking an eight-game losing streak against the Bulls dating back to Feb. 15, 2017.
   Wednesday's game will broadcast on ESPN+, where Ryan Wooley (Play-by-Play) and Lexi Ayala (Analyst) will have the call. Fans can also
tune in via WEMU (89.1 FM) or the Varsity Network app, where Tom
Helmer, the voice of EMU, will provide the commentary. 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: Ce'Nara Skanes is on pace to reach the 1,000-point plateau in 2023 with 980 points. Already a 1,000-point collegiate scorer (1,220, including 250 at Florida International in 2018-19), Skanes would become EMU's 25th 1,000-point scorer if she can hit the mark (20 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).
 
A WIN WOULD: A win Wednesday would push UB's losing streak to six and end a eight-game drought for the Eagles against the Bulls. A win would also give Head Coach Fred Castro his first over the New York team.

A LOOK AT THE STANDINGS: Prior to Saturday's set of games, EMU had sole possession of the No. 6 spot, holding the tie-breaker over WMU and NIU. After the loss to Toledo, Feb. 18, the Eagles dropped to a three-way tie for No. 7 with Miami and WMU.
   The top eight teams at the end of regular season play will earn berths into the MAC Tournament, which is slated to be held March 8-11, inside the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio.
 
IF THE SEASON ENDED TODAY: If the season ended today, the Eagles would be the No. 7 seed and would face No. 2 Bowling Green. However, the season does not end today and the Eagles have four more games in the regular season to climb the MAC standings.
 
HITTING FROM DEEP: The Green and White as a team made 11 long-range buckets at Toledo, Feb. 18. The 11 makes mark as a team-high, topping the eight three's recorded in five other instances (vs. North Dakota State, Dec. 1, 2022; vs. North Dakota, Dec. 4, 2022; vs. Hillsdale, Dec. 4, 2022; vs. Ball State, Feb. 8; at Bowling Green, Jan. 7).
   Additionally, the 50 percent shooting performance from three marked the team's season-high, topping its previous 44 percent set against Florida A&M, when the team shot 7-of-16 from the arc. Moreover, it was just the fourth game in which EMU has shot 45 percent or better from three-point land.
 
SHE'S BAA-CKKKK: Freshman Olivia Smith nailed a three-pointer in the opening quarter against Toledo, Feb. 18, her first in the last three contests. Earlier in the season, Smith drilled a make from beyond the arc in 13 consecutive games (at Xavier, Dec. 17- vs. Ohio, Feb. 1), the longest stretch of any current Eagle. With her four makes against the Rockets, the rookie has ended her three-point shooting drought.
 
SHARP-SHOOTING SMITH: In addition to her make in the opening stanza, Olivia Smith proceeded to connect on three more shots from beyond the arc in the contest at Toledo, Feb. 18. The four makes tied her career-high and marked the rookie's eighth outing with three or more triples, and her fourth game hitting four. Furthermore, her 45 season makes from the three-point line are just 25 shy of cracking EMU's top-10 in single-season three-pointers made. Holding the 10th spot is former Eagle Cha Sweeney who made 70 treys in the 2015-16 season.
 
KEEP EM' COMING CHELLE: Lachelle Austin contributed three triples at Toledo, Feb. 18. It marked the seventh consecutive contest in which the sophomore has registered a made three-pointer and the 17th this season. Last year, Austin recorded a made three in just 14 outings. Additionally, with her three makes form beyond the arc, Austin has hit her career-high three triples in five games this season. 
 
FOLLOW THE ROOKIE: With her 18 points against the Rockets' defense, Feb. 18, Olivia Smith recorded her eighth career contest hitting the double-digit mark, tying her career-high previously set against Miami, Jan. 4. Additionally, it was the freshman's fourth time leading her team in scoring and her 10th leading the team in triples (4).
 
SKANES FROM beyond THE ARC: Ce'Nara Skanes has added the three-point shot to her repertoire this season and continues to do so as the junior connected on two shots from beyond the arc in the game against Toledo, Feb. 18. It marked the junior's 11th contest with a single made three and her seventh with multiple in a single game.      
   The Oklahoma City native has knocked down 21 three-pointers in the 2022-23 season after hitting just one in her previous campaigns.
 
THE TRIPLES QUAD: Lachelle Austin, Ce'Nara Skanes, Olivia Smith, and Elena Cabello all recorded multiple made triples in the contest against UT, Feb. 18. It was the 11th game this season in which two or more Eagles made more than one made three in the same game. Of those 11, four have included both Austin and Smith in the same performance.
 
(E)LENA ON THE RISE: In just her 17th game appearance, freshman Elena Cabello connected on three shots from the field, including two from beyond the arc, Feb. 18. Additionally, with her two triples against the Rockets, the Spaniard has collected a made three in five contests overall.
 
EKE'S GOING TO COLLECT: Tayra Eke recorded two steals at Toledo, Feb. 18. It marked the seventh contest in which the center has collected multiple cookies in a single game. Additionally, with her 10 boards, Eke has recorded double-digit rebounds in eight contests, thus far.
 
ADDING TO THE COOKIE JAR: Ce'Nara Skanes collected five steals in the game at Toldeo, Feb. 18. The last time an Eagle player collected five or more robberies in a single game was also Ce'Nara Skanes when she earned six against Ohio, Feb. 1.
 
DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORERS: EMU saw four players score in double-digit points against the Rockets, Feb. 18, highlighted by Olivia Smith's 18, Lachelle Austin's 11, and both Ce'Nara Skanes' and Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu's 10. The group's 49 collective points accounted for 77 percent of the team's scoring output. Additionally, it was the 17th game in which the team has registered three or more players in double figures. Last season, the Green and White also accomplished the feat in 17 outings. Furthermore, it was the sixth game with four Eagles in double-digit points.
 
ALL-TIME VERSUS BUFFALO: Wednesday's matchup will mark the 32nd meeting between Eastern Michigan and Buffalo. The Bulls lead the all-time series, 16-15, with Buffalo coming away with the last eight. Despite dominating the New York team from 2003-2010, the Eagles have won just two of the last 10 meetings. However, 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 eight, starting Feb. 15, 2017, after UB defeated EMU, 56-52, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. Since then, Head Coach Fred Castro has been in search of his first victory over the Bulls.
 
LAST TIME AGAINST THE BULLS: EMU produced a 19-point performance from the bench, but fell, 78-59, to the Buffalo Bulls on the road, Jan. 14. The Eagles had two players score in double figures, led by Ce'Nara Skanes, who had 11 points and seven rebounds. ZaNiya Nelson added 10 points off of the bench and Lachelle Austin added nine points, nine rebounds, and two steals. Eastern Michigan out-rebounded Buffalo, 43-32, in the game, led by Austin's nine boards. The Eagles also collected 19 offensive rebounds and scored 18 second-chance points.
 
SCOUTING BUFFALO: Buffalo currently sits tied for 10th in the Mid-American Conference standings, boasting a 4-10 record in league play. Also sharing 4-10 MAC records is Central Michigan and Ohio, which as a group are all one game out of the No. 8 spot.
   The Bulls rank second in the league in fouls per game (13.7), which can and should be capitalized by the Green and White as the Eagles are averaging 11.7 free-throws made per game. Leading UB is senior Zakiyah Winfield, who's strong rebounding leads the MAC in defensive rebounds per game with 8.4. Additionally, Winfield's 13 double-doubles on the season ranks her second, behind NIU's A'Jah Davis' 18.
 
BUILDING A BETTER WALL: EMU has registered a total of 111 blocks in the 25 games played (4.5 blocks per game). A season ago, the Green and White earned 88 blocks in 27 games (3.3 blocks per game). Not only did the Eagles surpass the previous season's total in almost half the amount of games, but they are on pace to have the most successful blocking average in program history. 
   Prior to this season, the 2009-10 team held the highest blocking average at 4.2 blocks per game. With four games left in the regular season, EMU could uphold its higher blocking percentage which would be good for a program record. Additionally, with 111 total blocks, the Eagles currently sit in the No. 3 spot in team single-season blocked shots in the EMU record book. Holding the top spot with 137 season blocks is the 2010-11 team that finished with a 3.3 blocks per game average. 
 
LOPSIDED: Eastern Michigan has been no stranger to lopsided games this year in terms of scoring margin. In Eastern's 13 wins, the Eagles have upended their competition by an average of 11.3 points per contest. Meanwhile, the team's 12 setbacks have come by an average of 13.5 points. With the 70-72 loss to Akron, Feb. 15, just three games this season have been decided by five or fewer points (vs. Miami, Jan. 4; vs. NIU, Jan. 21). Last season, four games were decided within that margin.

BOARD GAMES: The addition of sophomore Tayra Eke with 500-Rebounds Club member Ce'Nara Skanes has made quite the impact on the defensive rebounds count for Eastern Michigan. The pair collected a total of 12 defensive boards in the contest against Toledo, Feb. 18, with Eke coming out with seven of them. This season, the team has recorded 665 defensive boards in 25 games (26.9 drpg), ranking them third in the MAC, with help from Eke (128), and Skanes (146). Last season, the Green and White collected 685 defensive rebounds in 27 games (25.4 rpg). The Eagles are on pace to top the previous season's defensive rebounding average.
   Moreover, EMU is out-rebounding its opponents, 953-878, in the 2022-23 campaign. Last season, the Eagles lost the rebounding battle, 1,029-1,008. Additionally, the team needs just 78 more rebounds to top last season's number.
 
EAGLES IN THE MAC: Four Eagles rank in various statistical categories throughout the MAC. Holding the highest ranking for the Green and White is sophomore Tayra Eke, who leads the league in total blocks (45) and blocks per game (1.8).  Additionally, Eke's 7.3 rebounds per game is good for seventh in the league. Sophomore Lachelle Austin's 1.9 steals per game is good for sixth in the conference. Junior Ce'Nara Skanes' 8.1 rebounds per game ranks her fourth in the league and her 195 total boards ranks her fifth. Additionally, her 44.9 field goal percentage ranks 10th. Lastly, rookie Olivia Smith has made her way back into the top 10 within the league in three-pointers per game with 1.8.
 
BACK IN #MACTION: Eastern's 2022-23 campaign marks the 42nd season Eastern Michigan has competed as a member of the Mid-American Conference. Playing a league schedule since the 1981-82 campaign, EMU has compiled a 304-400 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 Eagles play host once more in the 2022-23 season, this time to the Golden Flashes of Kent State, Saturday, Feb. 25, as the first part of a women's-men's double-header. The contest will serve as both teams' Senior Days, honoring both Natalia Pineda and Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu during the start of the women's game and Derek Ballard Jr. in the men's which is scheduled to bgein approximatly 30 minutes following the conclusion of the women's game.
 
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.
 
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