EMU Falls to #17 DePaul, 64-49, in Rainbow Wahine Classic Opener

Box score.

HONOLULU, HI -- The Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team came up short against No. 17 DePaul in the opening round of the 27th Annual Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic here at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Sophomore guard Canea Williams (Mansfield, Ohio-Mansfield Senior) paced the Eagles’ attack with 18 points, including connecting on 4-of-12 three-point field goals. Junior Sarah VanMetre (Noblesville, Ind.-Noblesville) added 14 points with seven rebounds while Nikki Knapp (Blue Springs, MO.-Blue Springs South) grabbed 11 boards.

The loss drops the EMU to 2-1 on the year. DePaul, now 3-0 on the year, was paced by Allie Quigley with 21 points and six rebounds.

Head Coach Suzy Merchant’s Eagles held the high-powered Blue Demons to 28 points under their season average of 92.0 points per game while allowing DePaul just 33.3 percent shooting from the field (21-of-62).

The Eagles opened the game with plenty of offensive firepower, as senior forward Melis Ulker (Istanbul, Turkey/Oradogu College) hit her first two shot attempts to tie the score at 7-7 after seven minutes.

After taking a quick 17-15 lead, the Eagles offense went silent managing just one field goal during the half’s final eight minutes. The Green and White defense withstood the challenge, holding the Blue Demons scoreless over the frame’s closing two minutes. DePaul took a season-low five point advantage, 24-19, into the locker room at halftime.

VanMetre led all scorers in the first 20 minutes with seven points while sophomore Patrice McKinney (Lansing, Mich./Everett (Michigan State)) grabbed seven caroms.

DePaul opened the second half with offensive flurry, building a 10-point lead, 35-25, with 15:00 left in the game. Eastern would not quit, going on a 7-1 run over the next four minutes to cut the deficit to four, 36-32. After another DePaul run, EMU go within four points once more with 6:25 remaining, 42-38, forcing DePaul to call a timeout.

Down the stretch the Big East Conference Blue Demons would pull away, closing the game on a 22-11 run over the contest’s final six minutes, to claim a hard-fought 64-49 decision.

The Eagles will square off with tomorrow with California State Northridge Saturday, Nov. 26, at 12:40 p.m. HST/5:40 p.m. EST in the consolation round. The Matadors fell to Texas A&M, 76-52, in one of the earlier quarterfinal matchups. The tournament wraps up on Sunday when the Eagles face Washington State or Idaho State at either 11 a.m. or 1:10 p.m. HST.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

EMU Falls to #17 DePaul, 64-49, in Rainbow Wahine Classic Opener

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