YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team will look to earn its fifth consecutive victory when it welcomes Ball State University to town for a Mid-American Conference matchup Saturday, Jan. 23. Tipoff is slated for 12:04 p.m. The game will serve as the front end of a women's/men's doubleheader.
Eastern (8-5, 5-3 MAC) is looking to stay hot after securing its most impressive win of the season, a 70-67 victory at Central Michigan, in its last game, Jan. 20. Meanwhile, Ball State (5-5, 3-3 MAC) will see game action for the first time since Jan. 13. Its two most recent scheduled games were postponed.
Fans can watch the game on ESPN3, where Ryan Wooley (play-by-play) and Dannie Rogers (analyst) will have the call. The game will also be aired on WEMU 89.1 FM. Tom Helmer will offer the play-by-play via that outlet.
APPROACHING 1,000: When combining her 119 career points at Oklahoma State and her 726 points at EMU thus far, redshirt senior guard Areanna Combs is approaching the 1,000-career point mark (845 total). Although she still has 155 points to go, her 20.1 points per game average should help her to hit the mark this season. Combs is on pace to score 1,000 points in her EMU career alone as well.
NEARING 100: Seniors Autumn Hudson and Corrione Cardwell are both nearing 100 career games. Hudson has 99 games of experience, while Cardwell has 97. Phillis Webb is Eastern's all-time games leader with 134. Hudson and Cardwell could both break into the top-15 if they are able to reach the 113 mark.
GOT ONE AT HOME: EMU recorded its first home win of the season when it defeated Akron, 64-46, Jan. 16, inside the Convocation Center. Prior to the game, Eastern had six wins on the season, but was 0-3 home.
EMU has 191 wins all-time in the Convo. The team is 29-27 in Ypsilanti under Fred Castro.
TWO FROM 400: The EMU men's and women's basketball programs have called the Convocation Center home since the beginning of the 1998-99 seasons. In that time, the two programs have combined for 398 victories in Ypsilanti (men - 207, women -191). If both team's are able to win their games on Saturday, Jan. 23, the 400-win milestone would be achieved.
ONE MORE TO GO: With his victory over Central Michigan, Jan. 20, fifth-year Head Coach Fred Castro has now picked up at least one win over every MAC opponent, with the exception of the University at Buffalo. Castro was 0-9 against CMU ahead of Wednesday's victory, and is currently 0-5 in his meetings with the Bulls. He'll have a shot to take down Buffalo when the team heads to the Empire State, Feb. 6.
RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR: Eastern is 4-2 in the month of January this season. With three more games before the calendar turns, the Eagles have a chance to post their best new-year record in the Fred Castro era (2016-Pres.). Eastern has twice previously finished the month of January with a 5-3 record (2017-18, 2019-20) in that span, but is yet to eclipse that mark.
ROAD WARRIORS: EMU may be just 1-3 at home this season, but its play on the road has been nearly perfect. The Eagles are 6-1 away from Ypsilanti this season, a record which includes four wins over conference opponents. EMU's lone loss came at the hands of Bowling Green, which bested Eastern, 71-64, Dec. 11.
WILD, WILD WEST (KIND OF): The Mid-American Conference elected to move away from divisional play in 2020-21, but nevertheless, Eastern has dominated its traditional MAC West Division opponents this season. The Green and White is 3-0 against its usual divisional rivals this year: Ball State - Dec. 2, Western Michigan - Jan. 10, Central Michigan - Jan. 20. Eastern's average margin of victory in those contests has been nine points.
ENDING THE STREAK: Coming into its game at CMU, Jan. 20, Eastern had lost 13 straight games to the Chippewas. That streak, which was EMU's longest current drought against any MAC foe, ended with the Eagles' 70-67 win over the Maroon and Gold on Wednesday.
SENIOR STEPPING UP: Redshirt senior Corrione Cardwell put together her most impressive outing of the season at Central Michigan, Jan. 20. The Cleveland, Ohio native was one of three Eagles to score in double figures, and recorded season-highs in points (20), minutes (38), field goals (7), three-pointers (3), free throws (3), and rebounds (9). Her three makes from deep also tied a career-high, and was her second-career game as the team's leader in that category.
Cardwell was also involved in perhaps the two most impactful moments of the contest. Up seven, 63-56, with just over four minutes left in the game, Cardwell hit a contested, step-back three-pointer that gave EMU a 10-point advantage, 66-56. That bucket proved absolutely critical, as Central eventually went on a 9-0 run of its own to pull within one, 68-67. Up one, it was Cardwell who got another opportunity to lift her team, this time at the free throw line. She split a pair of attempts to build EMU's lead back to two, 69-67, with under 90 seconds to play, before forward Ce'Nara Skanes added the final free throw to seal EMU's win, 70-67.
ANOTHER ONE: Redshirt sophomore forward Ce'Nara Skanes continues to dominate the post in Mid-American Conference play. After her 19-point, 10-rebound performance at Central Michigan, Jan. 20, Skanes now has seven double-doubles on the season. That number, which leads all active EMU roster members, lifted her to 12th all-time in program history in that category.
In addition to being the league's best shot blocker (16) and double-double candidate (7), she is top-five in numerous other areas, including FG% (49.1 - No. 3), free throws made (63 - No. 2), rebounds (ranked first – 136), and rebounds per game (ranked first – 10.5).
BEST OF THE BUNCH: The Eagles allow just 60.6 points per game, which is the best of any team in the MAC by more than three points per game. EMU's field goal percentage defense is also first, as opponents shoot just 36.4 percent against the Green and White.
OFFENSIVE OUTBREAK: Eastern's offense was electric in the first half at CMU, Jan. 20. The team put up a season-best 44 first-half points, the most this season.
CRAZY CONSISTENT: Consistency has been the name of the game for EMU's offense this season. Eastern, which averages 65.8 points per game, has only two true outliers, both of which saw the team score 70+ points. EMU put up a season-best 77 in a win over Ball State, Dec. 2. Most recently, the Green and White scored 70 to slip past Central Michigan, 70-67, Jan. 20.
CAN'T FORGET ABOUT COMBS: While many have focused on the impressive efforts of her teammates, redshirt senior Areanna Combs is in the midst of a season-long bid for MAC Player of the Year. The Oklahoma City native is averaging 20.1 points per game, which ranks sixth in the league and 33rd in the nation. Moreover, she has scored 10+ points in 12 of EMU's 13 contests, has led the team in scoring nine times, has notched 20+ points in seven games, and has been EMU's three-point leader in four contests.
Combs is first in the MAC in steals (41), and steals per game (3.15), and ranks inside the league's top-five in points (261- No. 4), field goals (96 - No. 3), attempts (243 - No. 1), and minutes played (461 - No. 2).
ELEVATING IN MAC PLAY: As good as Areanna Combs has been, she has been that much better in the games that matter most: conference games. Combs averaged an impressive 16.8 points per game, 5.6 rebounds per game, and 2.4 steals per game in Eastern's five non-conference affairs this season. In her six games against MAC opponents, those numbers have all improved. Against league foes, she has put up 22.1 points per game, 7.3 rebounds per contest, and has averaged 3.6 thefts per game. Those averages rank fourth, 10th, and second, respectively, among all MAC players in conference play this season.
BALDWIN BADDIE: Junior guard Jenna Annecchiarico is again proving to be one of the best floor generals in the conference this season. In addition to her 10.2 ppg average, which ranks third on the team, she has been incredible at dishing the rock. The Baldwin, N.Y. native ranks sixth in the conference in assists (53), and second in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0). Annecchiarico has led the conference in the latter in each of the previous two seasons.
LINE OF IMPROVEMENT: Perhaps the biggest bright spot for the Eagles this season has been their improvement at the charity stripe. The Eagles rank fifth in the league with a 72.4 percent clip from the line in conference play. That number is impressive given that EMU has finished last in the league in free throw percentage each of the last two seasons, including a best mark of 61.2 percent in 2019-20.
CAN'T LET THEM SCORE 70: Although many factors contribute to the end result of a game, one thing is for certain; 70 is kryptonite for Eastern Michigan. This season, the team is 0-3 when allowing 70 points in a game. Moreover, EMU is 8-31 when allowing 70+ points since the start of the 2016-17 season.
When Eastern scores 70, it is 2-0 this season and 14-7 since the 2016-17 campaign.
KEEP THEM UNDER 60: While a team scoring 70 typically favors EMU's opponent, the Eagles are dominant when holding their competition under 60 points in a game. This season, the team is 5-0 when holding its opponents under the 60-point plateau. Furthermore, Eastern is 33-6 during the Fred Castro era (2016-Pres.) when keeping its competition below 60 points.
FIRST HALF FORTUNES: It is often said that games are won in the second half, but Eastern Michigan's stats disagree. EMU is 6-0 this season when leading at the break, and just 2-5 when attempting a second-half comeback. Since the start of the 2016-17 campaign, the Eagles are 34-14 when holding an intermission lead, and just 16-66 when trailing at the half.
SHOOT WELL, AND YOU WILL WIN: The team that has shot the highest percentage from the floor has emerged victorious in 11 of EMU's 13 games this season. That trend holds consistent during the last five seasons; the Eagles are 43-14 when outshooting opponents in that stretch, and are just 10-65 when scoring at a lesser clip than its competition.
PLAY ALL DAY: Junior guard Jenna Annecchiarico is one of the most relied upon players in all of Division I basketball. No player in the MAC has logged more minutes than Annecchiarico this season, who checks in at 490 through 13 games. Her 37.7 minutes per game average is the best in the conference, and ranks 17th nationally.
STEAL THE DEAL: Last season, the Eagles were fantastic at stealing the rock, finishing fourth in the Mid-American Conference with 8.57 steals per game. Redshirt senior Areanna Combs was first on the team and fourth in the MAC with a 2.2 SPG average in 2019-20.
The Eagles appear to be off to a great start on the defensive end of the floor once again in 2020-21. Combs and junior Jenna Annecchiarico are first and fifth in the MAC, and second and 16th nationally, with their respective 3.2 and 2.5 steals per game averages. Annecchiarico's nine steals against Miami, Jan. 13, is a personal record and is the best by any player in the MAC this season.
ALL-TIME AGAINST THE CARDS: The Eagles will meet Ball State on the hardwood for the 85th time in program history Jan. 23. Holding a 45-39 lead in the all-time series, the Eagles have taken three straight over BSU, including a 77-58 dismantling of the Muncie, Ind.-based squad earlier this season, Dec. 2.
LAST TIME AGAINST BALL STATE: Eastern cruised to a dominant win over Ball State, 77-58, inside Muncie's Worthen Arena, Dec. 2, 2020.
On the court, it was Areanna Combs that stole the show as she dropped 26 points on 11-of-24 shooting. She added 11 rebounds to notch her fifth-career double-double in just her second year playing with the team. The game was her 27th-consecutive with better than 10 points. Combs' Sooner State sister, Ce'Nara Skanes, was fantastic as well. She added 20 points and eight rebounds of her own to follow up her 30-point game against UIC, Nov. 29.
A WIN WOULD: Give Eastern a four-game win streak over BSU, its best since it handed the Cardinals four straight losses between Jan. 20, 2010 and Feb. 16, 2011.
EASTERN ROOTS IN MUNCIE: Two Eastern Athletics staff members have direct roots to Muncie. Eastern Michigan head volleyball coach Darcy Dorton is originally from the Delaware County city, while Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee both completed his undergraduate degree at Ball State (1997), and also served as a graduate assistant in its ticket office from 1997-99.
ON THE HORIZON: EMU will remain at home as it welcomes Ohio University to the Convocation Center for the first meeting between the teams this season. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27.
"ball" - Google News
January 22, 2021 at 02:35AM
https://ift.tt/3qDwhOb
Women's Hoops Returns Home to Host Ball State - EMU Eagles
"ball" - Google News
https://ift.tt/39CKzGV
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
No comments:
Post a Comment