Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Morehead State !
EMU Rolls to Eagle Classic Title
11/18/2006 11:52:17 PM | Women's Basketball
Head Coach Suzy Merchant records her 200th head coaching win
Grambling-New Orleans Box.
YPSILANTI, Mich. — Ninth-year head coach Suzy Merchant picked up her 200th career victory in dominating fashion, as the Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team rolled over Morehead State University, 90-66, in the championship game of the Eagle Classic Saturday afternoon here at the Convocation Center. Senior Sarah VanMetre and junior Patrice McKinney both turned in double-doubles as the Eagles captured the tournament crown for the fifth time in six tries.
With the victory Eastern improves to 2-0 on the young season while Morehead State drops to 1-2. In the tournament's consolation game, New Orleans defeated Grambling State, 85-73.
McKinney, who was named the MVP of the tournament, posted a career-best 25 points to go along with her game-high 13 rebounds. VanMetre turned in a solid 12 point , 10 board and six assist performance while junior Kivilcim Yamanoglu racked up a personal-best 18 points, on 7-of-11 shooting, as the duo were selected to the All-Tournament team. Also for the second straight day, freshman Alyssa Pittman reached double-figures in points with 12, connecting on a trio of three-point field goals.
The Lady Eagles of Morehead State were keyed by All-Tournament selections LaKrisha Brown and Amanda Green. Brown nearly turned in a double-double, tallying 15 points and grabbing nine rebounds, while Green scored 14 points in 34 minutes of action.
Eastern opened the game on fire, cruising to a 15-4 lead just four minutes into the contest. MSU was able to cut the deficit to six, 17-11, via a 7-2 run but the host Eagles would not faulter as they expanded the edge to 15, 27-12, with a 10-1 run of their own.
EMU’s biggest lead of the period came with 3:57 to go in the half, as Pittman drilled a triple to make it 42-25. Morehead would control the waning moments of the stanza, as Jessie Plante connected on a three-pointer of her own to send the teams into the break with EMU holding a 51-43 advantage.
Following the intermission, Morehead State cut the lead to just 53-50 with 17:49 left on the clock but the talented group from Ypsilanti pushed the lead back to double-digits on buckets by McKinney and VanMetre.
MSU would have one more run at the Eagles pulling within three once more, 67-64, with 8:40 left on two Suzie Owens’ free throws. But that would be all the closer they could get, as Eastern Michigan would close the game on a 23-2 run over the contest’s final eight minutes.
The defense came together for the defending Mid-American Conference West Division Champions, as EMU held Morehead State without a field goal for the last 9:04. MSU managed just a pair of Brittany Bass free throws with 6:04 remaining, as the Eagles cruised to the 90-66 decision
Eastern’s 90 points marked the second consecutive day that the Green and White has reached the 90 point plateau. The last time the Eagles had done that was during the 2003 Eagle Classic, Nov. 21-22, 2003, when they posted a 90-46 victories over Lamar and a 92-40 decision over Mercer.
Besides garnering her 200th career win this weekend, head coach Suzy Merchant has tied Kathy Hart for the most wins as the head coach in the program’s 31-year history at 146. In 12 years as a collegiate head coach, Merchant is 200-119, and at EMU she is 146-90.
Merchant and her Eagles will look to continue their winning ways Wednesday night, Nov. 22, hosting Oakland University here at the Convocation Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
