Eastern Michigan Athletics
Women's Hoops 2022-23 Season In Review
3/20/2023 4:12:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Eagles finished the season leading the MAC in Blocks Per Game
FINAL GAME NOTES
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team closed out its 2022-23 season as the No. 7 seed in the Mid-American Conference tournament, held in Cleveland, Ohio inside the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Eagles (15-15, 7-11 MAC) fell to Bowling Green State University (27-6, 14-4 MAC) in the first round of the tournament in a 70-36 decision, March 8.
Overall, the team was an even 15-15 to end the season (.500), an improvement from the 2021-22 campaign when the Eagles posted a 7-20 record. As a member of the MAC, the Green and White earned seven wins against league foes, three more than it did in the previous season.
IN THE MAC STANDINGS: The Green and White finished the 2022-23 season leading the MAC in blocks per game with 4.2, a category the team led in for the entirety of the season. A good portion of the teams 4.2 blocks per game can be credited to sophomore Tayra Eke who led the league in both total blocks (51) and blocks per game (1.70) for the majority of the season until the final two weeks when Central Michigan University's Rochelle Norris took the cake with 1.73 blocks per game. Despite dropping to the No. 2 spot in blocks per game, Eke continues to share the top spot in total blocks with Ball State University's Marie Keifer, who also collected 51 stops in the season.
EMU ranked third in the MAC in rebounds per game, collecting an average of 37.47 boards in 30 outings. Ce'Nara Skanes was a force to be reckoned with when collecting rebounds as her 7.9 boards per game was good for sixth in the league. Eke followed in the No. 9 position with 7.0 rebounds per game.
On the defensive side, the team did a great job forcing turnovers as it ranked fourth in turnovers forced per game with 15.67. Lachelle Austin finished seventh in the league with 1.86 steals per game while Skanes followed in ninth with 1.75.
NATION WIDE: Eastern Michigan produced an average of 4.2 blocks per game in the 2022-23 season, good for first in the league and 46th nationally. Last season, the team averaged 3.3 blocks per game, showing a significant improvement in the 2022-23 campaign. Additionally, Tayra Eke, who led both the Green and White and the MAC in total blocks with 51, ranks 41st in the nation in total blocks and 44th in blocks per game, producing an average of 1.70.
EMU IN THE MAC TOURNAMENT: Eastern played in its 54th MAC tournament game when it took the court against Bowling Green once more in the opening round, March 8, after doing so in the 2021 MAC Tournament. EMU is 28-26 all-time in its league tournament appearances, which date back to the 1981-82 season. Eastern has twice captured the tournament crown and reached the NCAA tournament via an automatic bid, first in 2004, and most recently in 2012.
UNDER FRED CASTRO: The Green and White are 4-5 in MAC Tournament play under seventh-year Head Coach Fred Castro. The team's best win under Castro came in the 2020 MAC Tournament, as his No. 7-seeded Eagles defeated No. 2-seeded Ball State, 64-63, in the quarterfinal round in Cleveland. EMU never got to play its semifinal game as the tournament was halted due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
MAC TOURNAMENT GAMES AGAINST BGSU: The first-round matchup marked the ninth time that Eastern Michigan and Bowling Green have met in the Mid-American Conference Tournament. Bowling Green holds a 6-3 advantage in those games, which date back to the opening round of the 1990 event. The last tournament matchup between the two schools came in the opening round of the 2021 tournament, a contest that Bowling Green won, 63-47 inside Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
FACING BOWLING GREEN IN CLEVELAND: Of the nine tournament matchups between EMU and BGSU, just six have been played in Cleveland. The Falcons are 5-1 in those games. Two of the matchups have come in the title game, with EMU winning its 2004 championship over BGSU, and Bowling Green returning the favor in 2011. The teams have met twice in the tournament's semifinal as well, with Bowling Green earning victories in both 2005 and 2007. The additional contests were first-round, site games.
AS THE NO. 7: 2023 marked the fifth time Eastern Michigan had entered the MAC Tournament as the No. 7 overall seed. The Green and White are 4-5 in games played when the team entered the tournament in the seventh position, advancing in all but two appearance, when the 2000-01 team, under former Head Coach Suzy Merchant, lost to Ohio, 80-75, and today, March 8.
AGAINST THE NO. 2: EMU has matched up against the No. 2 seed nine times in the MAC Tournament, and holds a 2-7 record in those games. Eastern's two wins over a No.2-seed came in 2015, when No. 6 EMU bested No. 2 Ball State, 75-65, in the semifinal game of the tournament before doing it again over the Cardinals in the 2020 tournament, when No. 7 EMU defeated No. 2 BSU in a tight, 64-63, semifinal game.
NOW THIS IS MARCH MADNESS: EMU has posted a 46-47 record during the month of March over the last 24 seasons, including a program-best 8-2 mark during the 2014-15 season. The team finished the 2022-23 season with a 1-2 record in games played in March this year.
EMU AT ROCKET MORTGAGE: Eastern Michigan is very familiar with the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse floor, as the school has posted a 15-14 record there, including capturing the 2004 and 2012 championships. The team went 0-1 at the venue during the 2022-23 campaign.
HALFTIME LEADERS: Last season, the Green and White headed to the locker room leading its opponent in halftime in just eight outings. This season, the team led its opponents after the first 20 minutes of play in 14 games, almost a 50 percent improvement. The team finished the 2022-23 regular season 11-3 in games when the Eagles are leading at the half.
DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORERS: EMU saw three or more players score in double-digit figures in the same game in 20 of the 30 contests this season, topping last season's 17. Leading the Green and White with the most double-digit performances was Ce'Nara Skanes who hit the double-figures mark in 19 outings. Following close behind was Lachelle Austin who posted 18 double-digit scoring games.
20+ POINT SISTERS: With both Lachelle Austin and Ce'Nara Skanes entering the 20-point plateau against Ohio, March 4, it marked the first and only time this season in which the Eagles had two or more players with 20 or more points in a single game. The last time the feat was accomplished was Jan. 23, 2019, when former Eagles Corrione Cardwell and Courtnie Lewis dropped 20 points each at Western Michigan.
20-PIECE PERFORMANCES: This season, five Eagles posted 20-plus scoring performances for the Green and White. After dropping 21 against Ohio, March 4, Ce'Nara Skanes led the team with five contests recording 20 or more points setting a season high 26 against WMU, Feb. 11. Following Skanes was Lachelle Austin, who collected 25 points against the Bobcats improving her record to four games recording the feat, with the 25 being her highest. Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu posted two games hitting the 20-point plateau with the 26 scored at Akron, Feb. 15, marking as her season-high. ZaNiya Nelson and Olivia Smith each recorded a single game posting 20 or more points to round out the five Eagles accomplishing the feat.
SHUT-EM DOWN: The Eagles held their opponents from shooting above 40 percent from the field in 15 of the 30 games this season (50%). In all instances but three, Eastern had out-shot its competitors. The Green and White finished 11-4 in games where its competitors shot less than 40 percent from the field. Additionally, the Eagles finished 14-1 when shooting better than its foe.
BUILDING A BETTER WALL: EMU registered a total of 126 blocks in the 30 games played (4.2 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 the team finished the season tied for 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.
Additionally, with 126 total blocks in 30 games, the Eagles finished in the No. 3 spot in team single-season blocked shots in the EMU record book, just three blocks away from No. 2, held by the 2009-10 team that recorded 129 blocks in 31 games. Holding the top spot with 137 season blocks is the 2010-11 team which did it in 37 games.
LOPSIDED: Eastern Michigan was no stranger to lopsided games this year in terms of scoring margin. In Eastern's 15 wins, the Eagles upended their competition by an average of 10.9 points per contest. Meanwhile, the team's 15 setbacks came by an average of 12.4 points. With the 61-57 victory over Buffalo, Feb. 23, just four games this season were 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.
BOARD GAMES: The addition of sophomore Tayra Eke with 500-Rebounds Club member Ce'Nara Skanes made quite the impact on the defensive rebounds count for Eastern Michigan. This season, the team recorded 801 defensive boards in 30 games (26.7 drpg), ranking them fourth in the MAC, with help from Eke's 147, and Skanes' 165. Last season, the Green and White collected just 685 defensive rebounds in 27 games (25.4 rpg).
Moreover, EMU is out-rebounding its opponents, 1,123-1,038, in the 2022-23 campaign. Last season, the Eagles lost the rebounding battle, 1,029-1,008.
HOME STINT: The home contest against Kent State, Feb. 25 was the last in-house game of the 2022-23 season with EMU finishing 9-7 at home, four games better than the last season's clip of 5-9. With only 15 seasons recording nine or more home wins, the 2022-23 team is in a five-way tie for fourth most home victories in program history, dating back to 1976 (42 years).
The 2010-11 (12-6 at home), 2009-10 (12-2 at home), and 2005-06 (12-2 at home) teams each produced 12 winning outcomes with the 2009-10 and 2005-06 tying for the best home season record. The 2004-05 (11-1 at home), 2011-12 (11-1 at home), 2001-02 (11-2 at home), and 2014-15 (11-4 at home) teams follow tied for second most home wins in program history in order of best season records. Following those seasons tied for third most EMU favored home contests is the 2003-04 (10-2 at home), 2015-16 (10-4 at home), and 2013-14 (10-7 at home) in order of best records. Finally, with nine home wins each, the 1980-81 (9-2 at home), 1879-80 (9-3 at home), 2000-01 (9-4 at home), 1999-00 (9-6 at home), and 2022-23 (9-7 at home) seasons follow as listed.
CASTRO IN THE NEST: In his seventh season at the helm of the women's basketball program at EMU, Head Coach Fred Castro (2016-Pres.) has accumulated a 45-48 home record, a 48 percent winning clip. The 45 victories rank Castro as the fourth winningest coach when playing at home in program history. Of the nine total commanders, Kathy Hart (1976-87), the first ever, holds the title with a 78-40 home record in 11 seasons, which ranks her as the longest coach at the helm, thus far. Trailing Hart for the most home wins is Suzy Merchant (1998-07), who led the Eagles for nine seasons going 75-28, holding the best winning percentage at 73 percent.
WELCOME TO THE 1K CLUB, SKANES: With her made layup two minutes into the fourth quarter against Kent State, Feb. 25, Ce'Nara Skanes became 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). Her 10 points against the Golden Flashes put the junior at 1,001 total points at EMU and 1,251 career points (including the 250 points at Florida International).
BACK IN #MACTION: Eastern's 2022-23 campaign marked the 42nd season EMU has competed as a member of the Mid-American Conference. Playing a league schedule since the 1981-82 campaign, EMU has compiled a 305-402 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: Eastern Michigan's 2022-23 season has come to a close. The team will enjoy rest before beginning preparations for the 2023-24 campaign.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team closed out its 2022-23 season as the No. 7 seed in the Mid-American Conference tournament, held in Cleveland, Ohio inside the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Eagles (15-15, 7-11 MAC) fell to Bowling Green State University (27-6, 14-4 MAC) in the first round of the tournament in a 70-36 decision, March 8.
Overall, the team was an even 15-15 to end the season (.500), an improvement from the 2021-22 campaign when the Eagles posted a 7-20 record. As a member of the MAC, the Green and White earned seven wins against league foes, three more than it did in the previous season.
IN THE MAC STANDINGS: The Green and White finished the 2022-23 season leading the MAC in blocks per game with 4.2, a category the team led in for the entirety of the season. A good portion of the teams 4.2 blocks per game can be credited to sophomore Tayra Eke who led the league in both total blocks (51) and blocks per game (1.70) for the majority of the season until the final two weeks when Central Michigan University's Rochelle Norris took the cake with 1.73 blocks per game. Despite dropping to the No. 2 spot in blocks per game, Eke continues to share the top spot in total blocks with Ball State University's Marie Keifer, who also collected 51 stops in the season.
EMU ranked third in the MAC in rebounds per game, collecting an average of 37.47 boards in 30 outings. Ce'Nara Skanes was a force to be reckoned with when collecting rebounds as her 7.9 boards per game was good for sixth in the league. Eke followed in the No. 9 position with 7.0 rebounds per game.
On the defensive side, the team did a great job forcing turnovers as it ranked fourth in turnovers forced per game with 15.67. Lachelle Austin finished seventh in the league with 1.86 steals per game while Skanes followed in ninth with 1.75.
NATION WIDE: Eastern Michigan produced an average of 4.2 blocks per game in the 2022-23 season, good for first in the league and 46th nationally. Last season, the team averaged 3.3 blocks per game, showing a significant improvement in the 2022-23 campaign. Additionally, Tayra Eke, who led both the Green and White and the MAC in total blocks with 51, ranks 41st in the nation in total blocks and 44th in blocks per game, producing an average of 1.70.
EMU IN THE MAC TOURNAMENT: Eastern played in its 54th MAC tournament game when it took the court against Bowling Green once more in the opening round, March 8, after doing so in the 2021 MAC Tournament. EMU is 28-26 all-time in its league tournament appearances, which date back to the 1981-82 season. Eastern has twice captured the tournament crown and reached the NCAA tournament via an automatic bid, first in 2004, and most recently in 2012.
UNDER FRED CASTRO: The Green and White are 4-5 in MAC Tournament play under seventh-year Head Coach Fred Castro. The team's best win under Castro came in the 2020 MAC Tournament, as his No. 7-seeded Eagles defeated No. 2-seeded Ball State, 64-63, in the quarterfinal round in Cleveland. EMU never got to play its semifinal game as the tournament was halted due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
MAC TOURNAMENT GAMES AGAINST BGSU: The first-round matchup marked the ninth time that Eastern Michigan and Bowling Green have met in the Mid-American Conference Tournament. Bowling Green holds a 6-3 advantage in those games, which date back to the opening round of the 1990 event. The last tournament matchup between the two schools came in the opening round of the 2021 tournament, a contest that Bowling Green won, 63-47 inside Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
FACING BOWLING GREEN IN CLEVELAND: Of the nine tournament matchups between EMU and BGSU, just six have been played in Cleveland. The Falcons are 5-1 in those games. Two of the matchups have come in the title game, with EMU winning its 2004 championship over BGSU, and Bowling Green returning the favor in 2011. The teams have met twice in the tournament's semifinal as well, with Bowling Green earning victories in both 2005 and 2007. The additional contests were first-round, site games.
AS THE NO. 7: 2023 marked the fifth time Eastern Michigan had entered the MAC Tournament as the No. 7 overall seed. The Green and White are 4-5 in games played when the team entered the tournament in the seventh position, advancing in all but two appearance, when the 2000-01 team, under former Head Coach Suzy Merchant, lost to Ohio, 80-75, and today, March 8.
AGAINST THE NO. 2: EMU has matched up against the No. 2 seed nine times in the MAC Tournament, and holds a 2-7 record in those games. Eastern's two wins over a No.2-seed came in 2015, when No. 6 EMU bested No. 2 Ball State, 75-65, in the semifinal game of the tournament before doing it again over the Cardinals in the 2020 tournament, when No. 7 EMU defeated No. 2 BSU in a tight, 64-63, semifinal game.
NOW THIS IS MARCH MADNESS: EMU has posted a 46-47 record during the month of March over the last 24 seasons, including a program-best 8-2 mark during the 2014-15 season. The team finished the 2022-23 season with a 1-2 record in games played in March this year.
EMU AT ROCKET MORTGAGE: Eastern Michigan is very familiar with the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse floor, as the school has posted a 15-14 record there, including capturing the 2004 and 2012 championships. The team went 0-1 at the venue during the 2022-23 campaign.
HALFTIME LEADERS: Last season, the Green and White headed to the locker room leading its opponent in halftime in just eight outings. This season, the team led its opponents after the first 20 minutes of play in 14 games, almost a 50 percent improvement. The team finished the 2022-23 regular season 11-3 in games when the Eagles are leading at the half.
DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORERS: EMU saw three or more players score in double-digit figures in the same game in 20 of the 30 contests this season, topping last season's 17. Leading the Green and White with the most double-digit performances was Ce'Nara Skanes who hit the double-figures mark in 19 outings. Following close behind was Lachelle Austin who posted 18 double-digit scoring games.
20+ POINT SISTERS: With both Lachelle Austin and Ce'Nara Skanes entering the 20-point plateau against Ohio, March 4, it marked the first and only time this season in which the Eagles had two or more players with 20 or more points in a single game. The last time the feat was accomplished was Jan. 23, 2019, when former Eagles Corrione Cardwell and Courtnie Lewis dropped 20 points each at Western Michigan.
20-PIECE PERFORMANCES: This season, five Eagles posted 20-plus scoring performances for the Green and White. After dropping 21 against Ohio, March 4, Ce'Nara Skanes led the team with five contests recording 20 or more points setting a season high 26 against WMU, Feb. 11. Following Skanes was Lachelle Austin, who collected 25 points against the Bobcats improving her record to four games recording the feat, with the 25 being her highest. Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu posted two games hitting the 20-point plateau with the 26 scored at Akron, Feb. 15, marking as her season-high. ZaNiya Nelson and Olivia Smith each recorded a single game posting 20 or more points to round out the five Eagles accomplishing the feat.
SHUT-EM DOWN: The Eagles held their opponents from shooting above 40 percent from the field in 15 of the 30 games this season (50%). In all instances but three, Eastern had out-shot its competitors. The Green and White finished 11-4 in games where its competitors shot less than 40 percent from the field. Additionally, the Eagles finished 14-1 when shooting better than its foe.
BUILDING A BETTER WALL: EMU registered a total of 126 blocks in the 30 games played (4.2 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 the team finished the season tied for 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.
Additionally, with 126 total blocks in 30 games, the Eagles finished in the No. 3 spot in team single-season blocked shots in the EMU record book, just three blocks away from No. 2, held by the 2009-10 team that recorded 129 blocks in 31 games. Holding the top spot with 137 season blocks is the 2010-11 team which did it in 37 games.
LOPSIDED: Eastern Michigan was no stranger to lopsided games this year in terms of scoring margin. In Eastern's 15 wins, the Eagles upended their competition by an average of 10.9 points per contest. Meanwhile, the team's 15 setbacks came by an average of 12.4 points. With the 61-57 victory over Buffalo, Feb. 23, just four games this season were 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.
BOARD GAMES: The addition of sophomore Tayra Eke with 500-Rebounds Club member Ce'Nara Skanes made quite the impact on the defensive rebounds count for Eastern Michigan. This season, the team recorded 801 defensive boards in 30 games (26.7 drpg), ranking them fourth in the MAC, with help from Eke's 147, and Skanes' 165. Last season, the Green and White collected just 685 defensive rebounds in 27 games (25.4 rpg).
Moreover, EMU is out-rebounding its opponents, 1,123-1,038, in the 2022-23 campaign. Last season, the Eagles lost the rebounding battle, 1,029-1,008.
HOME STINT: The home contest against Kent State, Feb. 25 was the last in-house game of the 2022-23 season with EMU finishing 9-7 at home, four games better than the last season's clip of 5-9. With only 15 seasons recording nine or more home wins, the 2022-23 team is in a five-way tie for fourth most home victories in program history, dating back to 1976 (42 years).
The 2010-11 (12-6 at home), 2009-10 (12-2 at home), and 2005-06 (12-2 at home) teams each produced 12 winning outcomes with the 2009-10 and 2005-06 tying for the best home season record. The 2004-05 (11-1 at home), 2011-12 (11-1 at home), 2001-02 (11-2 at home), and 2014-15 (11-4 at home) teams follow tied for second most home wins in program history in order of best season records. Following those seasons tied for third most EMU favored home contests is the 2003-04 (10-2 at home), 2015-16 (10-4 at home), and 2013-14 (10-7 at home) in order of best records. Finally, with nine home wins each, the 1980-81 (9-2 at home), 1879-80 (9-3 at home), 2000-01 (9-4 at home), 1999-00 (9-6 at home), and 2022-23 (9-7 at home) seasons follow as listed.
CASTRO IN THE NEST: In his seventh season at the helm of the women's basketball program at EMU, Head Coach Fred Castro (2016-Pres.) has accumulated a 45-48 home record, a 48 percent winning clip. The 45 victories rank Castro as the fourth winningest coach when playing at home in program history. Of the nine total commanders, Kathy Hart (1976-87), the first ever, holds the title with a 78-40 home record in 11 seasons, which ranks her as the longest coach at the helm, thus far. Trailing Hart for the most home wins is Suzy Merchant (1998-07), who led the Eagles for nine seasons going 75-28, holding the best winning percentage at 73 percent.
WELCOME TO THE 1K CLUB, SKANES: With her made layup two minutes into the fourth quarter against Kent State, Feb. 25, Ce'Nara Skanes became 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). Her 10 points against the Golden Flashes put the junior at 1,001 total points at EMU and 1,251 career points (including the 250 points at Florida International).
BACK IN #MACTION: Eastern's 2022-23 campaign marked the 42nd season EMU has competed as a member of the Mid-American Conference. Playing a league schedule since the 1981-82 campaign, EMU has compiled a 305-402 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: Eastern Michigan's 2022-23 season has come to a close. The team will enjoy rest before beginning preparations for the 2023-24 campaign.
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