EMU Drops Second Straight Overtime Decision

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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — For the first time in 31 years the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team played two overtime games in a row, but unlike the 1980 games, the Eagles dropped two in a row with the latest setback a 70-68 decision to a visiting UMKC team here Friday night, Dec. 9, in a non-conference game in the Convocation Center. Eastern lost its previous game, Dec. 3, at Michigan State in a 60-59 overtime heartbreaker.

In 1980 the Eagles defeated both Pittsburgh and Northern Michigan in back-to-back overtime games.

This time around the Eagles trailed by just two in overtime, 70-68, when senior guard Tavelyn James (Detroit, Mich.-Mumford), who entered the game needing 22 points to become the all-time EMU scoring leader, saw her three pointer to win the game slide off the rim with just 3.1 seconds left. EMU got the ball out of bounds after that miss, but the Eagles could not get another shot off as time expired, giving the visitors the two-point victory.

James led the Eagles, now 5-3, with 19 points, giving her 1,897 for her career, trailing all-time leader Laurie Byrd (1978-82) who scored 1,899 in her illustrious Hall of Fame career. Natachia Watkins (South Euclid, Ohio-Brush) scored 18, with Desyree Thomas (Waterford, Mich.-Mott) and Olivia Fouty (Toledo, Ohio-Sylvania Northview) added 11 each.

UMKC's Dayon Hall-Jones led all scorers with 27 points and teammate Kim Kezianya added 15 points for the Kangaroos, now 6-4 on the year.

Eastern shot just 37.1 percent from the field for the game, making just 23-of-62 attempts while UMKC was shooting 46.3 percent on 25-of-54 shooting. Eastern managed a 40-34 advantage on the boards and forced 21 Kangaroo turnovers.

The visitors jumped out to a quick 7-2 lead in the game's first three minutes before the Eagles went on a 12-0 run to take a 14-7 lead at the 14:13 mark on a triple by Thomas.

Eastern would build that first-half advantage to 11, 34-23, at the 1:49 mark on a short jumper by India Hairston (Flint, Mich.-Hamady).

The home squad would end the first half on a layup by Fouty with just 15 seconds left to give EMU a 36-27 lead heading into intermission.

James would lead all first-half scorers with 13 while Hall-Jones tallied 12 for the Kangaroos. Eastern shot 46.7 from the field in the first half, sinking 14-of-30 attempts while UMKC was making 9-of-24 for 37.5 percent. The two teams tied on the glass with 16 each.

The two teams traded buckets in the early stages of the second half before the Kangaroos began to slowly chip away at the EMU lead, cutting it to one, 40-39, with 17:01 left on a basket by Ashli Hill.

The visitors forced a 43-all tie at the 13:31 mark when Hall-Jones hit a jumper that bounced twice before finding the bottom of the net.

The lead see-sawed over the next seven minutes before the Kangaroos managed to take a three-point lead, 57-54, on three consecutive free throws by Dayon Hall-Jones with 6:24 left.

With the game tied at 61-all, both teams had chances to gain the win in regulation in the final 35 seconds. The Eagles turned it over on their opportunity and UMKC's Hall-Jones missed a long jumper with less than three seconds left as time expired, forcing the overtime session.

Eastern will swing right back into action Sunday, Dec. 11, when the Eagles host the University of Michigan Wolverines in a re-match from a 2011 Postseason WNIT game that was won by EMU.

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Team Stats

Tavelyn James

Natachia Watkins

Desyree Thomas

Olivia Fouty

Eastern Michigan Athletics