Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
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Women's Basketball Rolls in Season Opener, 93-69
11/17/2006 11:23:17 PM | Women's Basketball
Five Eagles score in double figures
EMU-UNO Box score
MSU-GSU Box score
YPSILANTI, Mich. — Senior Sarah VanMetre (Noblesville, Ind.-Noblesville) led all scorers with 21, including five Eagles in double-figures, as the Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team rolled past the University of New Orleans, 93-69, in the opening round of the Sixth Annual Eagle Classic, here in the Convocation Center. Junior Patrice McKinney (Lansing, Mich.-Everett (Michigan State)) posted her seventh career double-double, putting in 18 points and pulling down 11 rebounds, to open the 2006-07 season.
With the win, the Eagles advance to the championship round of the tournament and will face Morehead State at 4 p.m., Nov. 16. MSU defeated Grambling State, 75-52 in the opening round. The Tigers and UNO will square-off in the consolation game at 2 p.m.
EMU led by as many as 32 points as the Eagles defense swarmed the Privateers, forcing 25 turnovers. Reaching the 20-point plateau for the sixth-time in her career, VanMetre scored a game-high 21 points, on 6-of-11 shooting from the field, including connecting on her first three three-point attempts. The senior forward also grabbed seven rebounds.
Freshman Alyssa Pittman (Elkhart, Ind.-Elkhart Memorial) and junior tranfer Brittany Tyson (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Huron (WMU)), each playing in their first game in a Green and White uniform, registered 13 points for the EMU offense. Junior Colleen Russell (Windsor, Ontario-Brennan) put in 10 points and snagged five boards. McKinney added five steals and five assists to accompany her 18 points and 11 rebounds as the Eagles scored more then 90 points for the first time since a 93-73 decision over Marshall, Feb. 26, 2005.
The Privateers made the first basket of the game, but would never lead again as EMU pulled away to 24-14 advantage with 9:46 remaining in the first half. UNO would cut the margin to one after a 12-3 run to put the score at 27-26 with 4:17 on the clock. A 12-4 run by the Eagles would close out the first half at 39-30.
The Green and White scored the first 13 points of the second half to pull ahead, 52-30. A stingy Eagle defense limited UNO to just eight points over the first 11:15 of the second half, pulling out to a 68-38 lead. EMU led by as many as 32, 71-39, with 8:36 remaining, and cruised to its first victory of the season.
