Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, February 25
Ypsilanti, Mich.
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
Kent State
Back In Action: Women's Hoops Honors Two Seniors; Hosts Kent State
2/24/2023 1:01:00 PM | Women's Basketball, General
The women's game is the first part of a women's-men's doubleheader
| Women's Basketball vs. Kent State | |
| Date | Saturday, Feb. 25 | 1 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), Reggie Butler (analyst) |
| Listen | WEMU (89.1 WEMU-FM) | The Varsity Network App | Eastern Insider Podcast |
| @EMUWBB | @EMUAthletics | |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team plays host once more in the 2022-23 season, this time to the Golden Flashes of Kent State University, Saturday, Feb. 25, as the first part of a women's-men's doubleheader. 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 begin approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of the women's game.
EMU (14-12, 6-9 MAC) is looking to build momentum after claiming a 61-57 victory in its most recent contest, over the University at Buffalo, Feb. 23, while the Golden Flashes (10-5, 18-8 MAC) enter the contest after an 82-56 dismantiling over Ohio University, Feb. 22.
Saturday's game will broadcast on ESPN3, where Ryan Wooley (play-by-play) and Reggie Butler (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.
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 two seniors Saturday, Feb. 25. Both Natalia Pineda and Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu will be honored during an on- court celebration prior to the contest against Kent State, Feb. 25.
RECORD BOOK WATCH: With her 11 points against the Bulls, Feb. 23, Ce'Nara Skanes sits just nine points away from becoming EMU's 25th 1,000-point scorer. 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).
SWOOPY SNACK VALUE PACK: The Swoopy Snack Value Pack includes admission to both games of the double header. Cups, snacks, and scavenger hunt details can be picked up in the atrium (Entrance A) before you enter the main gate.
SWOOPY SNACK VALUE PACK PRICE: The value pack is just $40 and includes four tickets with two 17oz color changing cups filled with Swoop-y Snacks! With each value pack purchase, fans will be entered into a drawing for a $500 grocery gift card! For entry into another drawing for an additional $500 grocery gift card, complete the mystery scavenger hunt that can be found inside your color changing cups!The cups can be used during our happy hour that will run through the tip-off (3:30 p.m.) of the Men's Basketball game. During this happy hour, beers will be $2 off and fans can also purchase a $5 mystery beer.
A WIN WOULD: A win Saturday would keep the Eagles in the top-eight seeds in the Mid-American Conference standings. Additionally, a win would give Head Coach Fred Castro his second over KSU and break a four-game streak over the Eagles.
A LOOK AT THE STANDINGS: Prior to the Eastern-Buffalo game, Feb. 28, the Green and White were in a three-way tie for the No. 7 spot with both Miami University and Western Michigan University, holding the tie-breaker over the two. With the 61-57 win over the Bulls, Feb. 23, the Eagles are now in the No. 6 spot, holding the tie-breaker over Northern Illinois, and Miami.
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. 6 seed and would face No. 3 Toledo. However, the Eagles have three more games in the regular season to climb the MAC standings, with the highest seed possible for EMU being No. 5.
DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORERS: EMU saw four players score in double-digit figures against the Bulls, Feb. 23, highlighted by Tayra Eke's 17, Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu's 14, ZaNiya Nelson's 13, and Ce'Nara Skanes' 11. The group's 55 collective points accounted for 90 percent of the team's scoring output with Lachelle Austin (4), and Olivia Smith (2) contributing the other six. Additionally, it was the 18th game in which the team has registered three or more players in double figures, topping last season's 17. Furthermore, it was the seventh game with four Eagles in double-digit points.
TEAM-LEADING TAYRA: Tayra Eke's 17 points against the Bulls, Feb. 23, led the Eagles in scoring which marked as the sophomores first time leading the team in scoring. Additionally, her total marked a career-high for the sophomore as she topped her previous 15 points, which she scored on three separate occasions.
HOT STARTS LEAD TO WINS: Eastern Michigan scored 17 points in the first quarter against the Bulls, Feb. 23. It was the 13th time that the Green and White scored at least 15 points in the opening stanza of a contest in the 2022-23 season. It was also the 14th time that the Eagles led its opponents after the first 10 minutes of play and the first in the last five outings. The last time EMU led in the first quarter was against Central Michigan, Feb. 4, when they took a 15-7 lead over the Chippewas after the first 10 minutes of competition.
BUILT DIFFERENT: Tayra Eke added another block against UB, Feb. 23, to bring her season total to 46 in 26 games, a team best. The sophomore has dominated the MAC in terms of both blocks per game (1.8) and total blocks (46), as she's led the league in both categories for the majority of the season and continues to do so.
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 she connected on two shots from beyond the arc in the game against Buffalo, Feb. 23. It marked her 12th contest with a single made three and her eighth with multiple in a single game. Moreover, the Oklahoma City native has knocked down 23 three-pointers in the 2022-23 season after hitting just one in her previous campaigns.
SKANES' SCORING SHEET: Ce'Nara Skanes scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the win against UB, Feb. 23. Skanes has been in the double-digit plateau in 17 games this season and 54 in her career, the most by any current Eagle. Last year, she dropped double figures in 18 total games, the second best on the team behind Areanna Comb's 22 on the season.
HALFTIME LEADERS: The Eagles did a great job holding its lead over the Bulls, Feb. 23, as the team headed into the locker room with a 31-24 halftime lead. It was the 13th time that EMU has led its opponents at the half. The team is 10-3 in games when the Eagles are leading at the half.
WELCOME BACK: ZaNiya Nelson made no hesitation in her first game back from an injury as she scored 13 points, her seventh double-digit performance of the season, and collected two steals for her eighth game earning multiple cookies.
CAUTION WET PAINT: The Eagles scored 46 points in the paint, Feb. 23. The total is the third most scoring output EMU has had in the paint this season. The team's highest-scoring performances from the paint were both 48 points, Jan. 4, against Miami and then at Kent State, Jan. 18.
SHUT-EM DOWN: The Eagles held the Bulls to only 35.3 percent (18-of-51) shooting from the field in the game, Feb. 23. It was the 14th time this season the team has kept its opponent from shooting above 40 percent from the field. Eastern has out-shot its competitors in all instances but three. The Green and White are 9-4 in games where its competitors shoot less than 40 percent from the field. Additionally, the Eagles are 13-1 when shooting better than its foe.
CONQUERING THE BULLS: With the winover UB, Feb. 23, EMU pushed Buffalo's losing streak to six and ended an eight-game drought for the Eagles against the Bulls. The win also gave Head Coach Fred Castro his first over the New York team, which was the only remaining MAC school in which Castro had not beaten during his tenure.
ALL-TIME VERSUS KENT STATE: Saturday's matchup will mark the 73rd meeting between Eastern and Kent State. KSU leads the all-time series, 44-28, with Kent State coming away with the most recent win, Jan. 18, 2023. The Eagles look to break a four-game losing streak to the Golden Flashes that started in the 2020-21 shortened season. However, EMU holds its second longest win streak against a MAC member with eleven straight against KSU from 2010-16.
KSU IN YPSI: In most recent seasons, the Golden Flashes have done a good job at taking wins from the Eagles inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center, coming away with the last five contests held in Ypsilanti. However, prior to the last five, EMU held a five-game win streak against Kent State when played in its home court, going 5-5 in the last ten home games against KSU.
LAST TIME AGAINST THE GOLDEN FLASHES: EMU saw a 33-point performance from the bench, but fell, 79-66, to Kent State on the road, Jan. 18. The Eagles had two players score in double figures, led by Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu, who had 22 points, six rebounds, and two steals. Lachelle Austin added 10 points and three steals and Ce'Nara Skanes added seven points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Led by Skanes' four offensive rebounds, Eastern Michigan did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 10 boards that resulted in three second-chance points. Eastern Michigan forced 16 Kent State turnovers. The Eagles turned those takeaways into 16 points on the offensive end of the floor. Additionally, Austin's three steals led the way for EMU.
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. Additonally, 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 112 blocks in the 26 games played (4.3 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 three games left in the regular season, EMU could uphold its higher blocking percentage which would be good for a program record. Additionally, with 112 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 bpg.
LOPSIDED: Eastern Michigan has been no stranger to lopsided games this year in terms of scoring margin. In Eastern's 14 wins, the Eagles have upended their competition by an average of 10.8 points per contest. Meanwhile, the team's 12 setbacks have come by an average of 13.5 points. With the 61-57 victory over Buffalo, Feb. 23, just four games this season have been decided by five or fewer points (vs. Akron, Feb. 15; vs. Miami, Jan. 4; vs. NIU, Jan. 21). Last season, just four games were also decided within that margin.
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.
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 11 defensive boards in the contest against Buffalo, Feb. 23, with Skanes coming out with six of them. This season, the team has recorded 692 defensive boards in 26 games (26.6 drpg), ranking them third in the MAC, with help from Eke's 133, and Skanes' (151). 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, 988-912, in the 2022-23 campaign. Last season, the Eagles lost the rebounding battle, 1,029-1,008. Additionally, the team needs just 20 more rebounds to top last season's number.
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 305-400 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: With its regular home season over, the Green and White will travel to its opponents just two more times to end the regular season. The Eagles will first visit the Huskies of Northern Illinois for a second time this season, Wednesday, March 1 for 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.
EMU (14-12, 6-9 MAC) is looking to build momentum after claiming a 61-57 victory in its most recent contest, over the University at Buffalo, Feb. 23, while the Golden Flashes (10-5, 18-8 MAC) enter the contest after an 82-56 dismantiling over Ohio University, Feb. 22.
Saturday's game will broadcast on ESPN3, where Ryan Wooley (play-by-play) and Reggie Butler (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.
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 two seniors Saturday, Feb. 25. Both Natalia Pineda and Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu will be honored during an on- court celebration prior to the contest against Kent State, Feb. 25.
RECORD BOOK WATCH: With her 11 points against the Bulls, Feb. 23, Ce'Nara Skanes sits just nine points away from becoming EMU's 25th 1,000-point scorer. 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).
SWOOPY SNACK VALUE PACK: The Swoopy Snack Value Pack includes admission to both games of the double header. Cups, snacks, and scavenger hunt details can be picked up in the atrium (Entrance A) before you enter the main gate.
SWOOPY SNACK VALUE PACK PRICE: The value pack is just $40 and includes four tickets with two 17oz color changing cups filled with Swoop-y Snacks! With each value pack purchase, fans will be entered into a drawing for a $500 grocery gift card! For entry into another drawing for an additional $500 grocery gift card, complete the mystery scavenger hunt that can be found inside your color changing cups!The cups can be used during our happy hour that will run through the tip-off (3:30 p.m.) of the Men's Basketball game. During this happy hour, beers will be $2 off and fans can also purchase a $5 mystery beer.
A WIN WOULD: A win Saturday would keep the Eagles in the top-eight seeds in the Mid-American Conference standings. Additionally, a win would give Head Coach Fred Castro his second over KSU and break a four-game streak over the Eagles.
A LOOK AT THE STANDINGS: Prior to the Eastern-Buffalo game, Feb. 28, the Green and White were in a three-way tie for the No. 7 spot with both Miami University and Western Michigan University, holding the tie-breaker over the two. With the 61-57 win over the Bulls, Feb. 23, the Eagles are now in the No. 6 spot, holding the tie-breaker over Northern Illinois, and Miami.
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. 6 seed and would face No. 3 Toledo. However, the Eagles have three more games in the regular season to climb the MAC standings, with the highest seed possible for EMU being No. 5.
DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORERS: EMU saw four players score in double-digit figures against the Bulls, Feb. 23, highlighted by Tayra Eke's 17, Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu's 14, ZaNiya Nelson's 13, and Ce'Nara Skanes' 11. The group's 55 collective points accounted for 90 percent of the team's scoring output with Lachelle Austin (4), and Olivia Smith (2) contributing the other six. Additionally, it was the 18th game in which the team has registered three or more players in double figures, topping last season's 17. Furthermore, it was the seventh game with four Eagles in double-digit points.
TEAM-LEADING TAYRA: Tayra Eke's 17 points against the Bulls, Feb. 23, led the Eagles in scoring which marked as the sophomores first time leading the team in scoring. Additionally, her total marked a career-high for the sophomore as she topped her previous 15 points, which she scored on three separate occasions.
HOT STARTS LEAD TO WINS: Eastern Michigan scored 17 points in the first quarter against the Bulls, Feb. 23. It was the 13th time that the Green and White scored at least 15 points in the opening stanza of a contest in the 2022-23 season. It was also the 14th time that the Eagles led its opponents after the first 10 minutes of play and the first in the last five outings. The last time EMU led in the first quarter was against Central Michigan, Feb. 4, when they took a 15-7 lead over the Chippewas after the first 10 minutes of competition.
BUILT DIFFERENT: Tayra Eke added another block against UB, Feb. 23, to bring her season total to 46 in 26 games, a team best. The sophomore has dominated the MAC in terms of both blocks per game (1.8) and total blocks (46), as she's led the league in both categories for the majority of the season and continues to do so.
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 she connected on two shots from beyond the arc in the game against Buffalo, Feb. 23. It marked her 12th contest with a single made three and her eighth with multiple in a single game. Moreover, the Oklahoma City native has knocked down 23 three-pointers in the 2022-23 season after hitting just one in her previous campaigns.
SKANES' SCORING SHEET: Ce'Nara Skanes scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the win against UB, Feb. 23. Skanes has been in the double-digit plateau in 17 games this season and 54 in her career, the most by any current Eagle. Last year, she dropped double figures in 18 total games, the second best on the team behind Areanna Comb's 22 on the season.
HALFTIME LEADERS: The Eagles did a great job holding its lead over the Bulls, Feb. 23, as the team headed into the locker room with a 31-24 halftime lead. It was the 13th time that EMU has led its opponents at the half. The team is 10-3 in games when the Eagles are leading at the half.
WELCOME BACK: ZaNiya Nelson made no hesitation in her first game back from an injury as she scored 13 points, her seventh double-digit performance of the season, and collected two steals for her eighth game earning multiple cookies.
CAUTION WET PAINT: The Eagles scored 46 points in the paint, Feb. 23. The total is the third most scoring output EMU has had in the paint this season. The team's highest-scoring performances from the paint were both 48 points, Jan. 4, against Miami and then at Kent State, Jan. 18.
SHUT-EM DOWN: The Eagles held the Bulls to only 35.3 percent (18-of-51) shooting from the field in the game, Feb. 23. It was the 14th time this season the team has kept its opponent from shooting above 40 percent from the field. Eastern has out-shot its competitors in all instances but three. The Green and White are 9-4 in games where its competitors shoot less than 40 percent from the field. Additionally, the Eagles are 13-1 when shooting better than its foe.
CONQUERING THE BULLS: With the winover UB, Feb. 23, EMU pushed Buffalo's losing streak to six and ended an eight-game drought for the Eagles against the Bulls. The win also gave Head Coach Fred Castro his first over the New York team, which was the only remaining MAC school in which Castro had not beaten during his tenure.
ALL-TIME VERSUS KENT STATE: Saturday's matchup will mark the 73rd meeting between Eastern and Kent State. KSU leads the all-time series, 44-28, with Kent State coming away with the most recent win, Jan. 18, 2023. The Eagles look to break a four-game losing streak to the Golden Flashes that started in the 2020-21 shortened season. However, EMU holds its second longest win streak against a MAC member with eleven straight against KSU from 2010-16.
KSU IN YPSI: In most recent seasons, the Golden Flashes have done a good job at taking wins from the Eagles inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center, coming away with the last five contests held in Ypsilanti. However, prior to the last five, EMU held a five-game win streak against Kent State when played in its home court, going 5-5 in the last ten home games against KSU.
LAST TIME AGAINST THE GOLDEN FLASHES: EMU saw a 33-point performance from the bench, but fell, 79-66, to Kent State on the road, Jan. 18. The Eagles had two players score in double figures, led by Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu, who had 22 points, six rebounds, and two steals. Lachelle Austin added 10 points and three steals and Ce'Nara Skanes added seven points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Led by Skanes' four offensive rebounds, Eastern Michigan did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 10 boards that resulted in three second-chance points. Eastern Michigan forced 16 Kent State turnovers. The Eagles turned those takeaways into 16 points on the offensive end of the floor. Additionally, Austin's three steals led the way for EMU.
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. Additonally, 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 112 blocks in the 26 games played (4.3 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 three games left in the regular season, EMU could uphold its higher blocking percentage which would be good for a program record. Additionally, with 112 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 bpg.
LOPSIDED: Eastern Michigan has been no stranger to lopsided games this year in terms of scoring margin. In Eastern's 14 wins, the Eagles have upended their competition by an average of 10.8 points per contest. Meanwhile, the team's 12 setbacks have come by an average of 13.5 points. With the 61-57 victory over Buffalo, Feb. 23, just four games this season have been decided by five or fewer points (vs. Akron, Feb. 15; vs. Miami, Jan. 4; vs. NIU, Jan. 21). Last season, just four games were also decided within that margin.
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.
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 11 defensive boards in the contest against Buffalo, Feb. 23, with Skanes coming out with six of them. This season, the team has recorded 692 defensive boards in 26 games (26.6 drpg), ranking them third in the MAC, with help from Eke's 133, and Skanes' (151). 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, 988-912, in the 2022-23 campaign. Last season, the Eagles lost the rebounding battle, 1,029-1,008. Additionally, the team needs just 20 more rebounds to top last season's number.
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 305-400 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: With its regular home season over, the Green and White will travel to its opponents just two more times to end the regular season. The Eagles will first visit the Huskies of Northern Illinois for a second time this season, Wednesday, March 1 for 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.
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