Women's Basketball Falls Short Versus No. 21/22 Utah

Box score.

YPSILANTI, Mich. -- The Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team gave the nationally ranked Utah Utes (No. 21/22) all they could handle before the visitors recorded a 72-67 non-conference women’s basketball win here Wednesday night in the Convocation Center.

After trailing by as many as 10 points in the second half, 63-53, with just 4:00 left, the Eagles put on a charge and cut the Utes’ advantage to two, 68-66, on a three-point field goal by sophomore guard Patrice McKinney (Lansing, Mich.-Everett-MSU) with only 32 ticks on the clock.

EMU was foced into a fouling situation at that point and after Utah’s Shona Thorburn made the first of two free throws for a 69-66 lead, EMU guard Ryan Coleman (Detroit, Mich.-CMA) grabbed the rebound and raced up court to attempt a layup. Coleman missed the shot but teammate Nikki Knapp (Blue Springs, MO-Blue Springs South) rebounded and was fouled on the play. Knapp made the first shot but missed the second and Utah was awarded the ball out of bounds with a 69-67 lead and 17 seconds left.

The Eagles once again found themselves in a fouling situation and Utah’s Morgan Warburton made both free throws with 14 seconds remaining for a 71-67 advantage. Heidi Carlson added a free throw with one second left for the 72-67 final.

Knapp led the Eagles (4-5) with 21 points, connecting on 5-of-12 field goals and 11-of-14 free throws with six rebounds while Coleman added 13 points. Sarah VanMetre (Noblesville, Ind.-Noblesville) scored three points with a game-high nine rebounds.

Utah (8-2) was paced by senior guard Kim Smith with 29 points while Jessica Perry added 13 and Julie Larsen scored 10.

The Eagles opened the game with plenty of offensive firepower, as a Colleen Russell (Windsor, Ontario/Brennan) , Annie Malatinsky (Holt, Mich.-Holt) and Knapp all scored to give EMU an early 9-4 advantage with less than four minutes into the contest. Utah rallied with three consecutive layups by Smith to take a one point advantage, 9-8, with 13:34 remaining in the half.

Malatinsky’s second three-pointer of the half put EMU back on top, 12-9, but a Shauna Brouillard jumper knotted the game at 12. Both teams were held without a field goal for over three minutes until Coleman connected on a long range trey to put Eastern back on top, 15-12, with 9:02 left in the period.

The two teams traded points and leads until the Utes rolled off a quick 9-0 run on the strength of five points from Julie Larssen to take a 34-24 lead with 1:44 left in the half. The Green and White responded with a Knapp layup and Kendra Gallert (Lowell, Mich.-Lowell) three-pointer to pull within two, 34-32, heading into the locker room at the half.

Knapp paced the Eagles attack with 11 points, while Utah was led by Smith with 16 points. Eastern managed just 39.3 percent shooting (11-of-28) from the floor, while Utah shot 52.2 percent (12-of-23).

In the second half, an easy layup by Knapp which was followed up by a Coleman trey gave EMU a four point margin, 37-34, but Smith quickly retied the game with a trey at the 18:01 mark. The game remained tied until a Smith drained a triple to give the Utes a three point margin, 45-42, with 14:24 remaining. Melis Ulker (Istanbul, Turkey-Oradogu College) pulled Eastern back within one, but then the offenses went silent for the next two minutes.

Smith once again answered the call for a Utah score, connecting on her fourth trey of the contest with 12:22 left to make it 48-44. A Knapp free-throw got Eastern once again down just two, but then the offense went silent for nearly five minutes. Utah used a 8-0 run during that span until McKinney answered with 6:50 remaining in the game cut the deficit back to eight, 56-48.

Van Metre’s only field goal on the game pulled Eastern within five, but once again Utah used a 6-0 spurt to take its largest lead of the contest at 11, 63-52. EMU answered the challenge once again as a pair of Knapp free and a Ulker layup forced Utah to call a time out.

Eastern pulled within five, 66-61, on a McKinney layup following a Knapp missed free- throw. Utah missed struggled down the stretch at the free throw line allowing EMU to pull even closer. A McKinney three-pointer with 32 second remaining got Eastern back within two, 68-66. Another foul sent Utah’s Thorburn to the line, but she only managed to make only the second of a pair of free throws.

Eastern had a chance to tie the game as Knapp drove the lane and was followed on a drive to the basket. Knapp made the first charity toss but the second one fell short.

The Eagles take a few days off for the holidays before returning to action Friday, Dec. 30 when Canisius visits the Convocation Center at 7 p.m. Tickets are available by calling the EMU Ticket Office at 734.487.2282.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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