Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Miami
Women’s Basketball Rolls to 78-55 Win Over Miami
2/11/2006 5:30:07 PM | Women's Basketball
Three players in double figures for league-leading Eagles
Box score.
YPSILANTI, Mich.-- The Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in a 78-55 win over a visiting Miami University squad here Saturday in a Mid-American Conference cross-divisional game in the Convocation Center. The game was part of Hall of Fame Day as EMU introduced eight new members of the Athletic Hall of Fame in a halftime ceremony.
Eastern (16-6; 10-1) was led by senior guard Ryan Coleman (Detroit, Mich.-CMA) with 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists while senior Nikki Knapp (Blue Springs, Mo.-Blue Springs South) added 20 points and six rebounds and sophomore Patrice McKinney (Lansing, Mich.-Everett-Michigan State) scored 10 points with eight rebounds.
Miami (7-15; 2-9) was led by Cindi Merrill and Stephanie Ford with 12 points each.
The Eagles shot 51.7 percent from the floor (31-of-60) while holding the RedHawks to just 45. percent (21-of-46). EMU also won the battle of the boards, 35-28. The EMU defense forced Miami into 28 turnovers in the game and the Eagles registered a Convocation-Center 22 steals.
Coleman started the game on fire, ripping off six of the first 10 EMU points to stake the Eagles to a 12-4 lead after five minutes of play. Melis Ulker (Istanbul, Turkey-Oradogu College) boosted the Eagles’ lead to 11, 19-8, at the 11:33 mark on a bucket in the lane.
McKinney scored on a layup with 4:41 left and Knapp followed with two free throws to give the Eagles their biggest lead of the half at 19 points, 33-19.
Coleman put an exclamation point on the first half with a three-point field goal from the top of the circle for a 44-21 lead heading into the intermission.
The Eagles opened the second half, much like the first, with a flurry of fast-break points to take a 56-21 lead with 16 minutes left in the game.
From that point on it was all academic as both teams emptied their benches over the final 10 minutes of the contest.
The Class of 2005 that was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame included: Tommy Asinga-track and field, Dan Boisture-football coach, Ben Braun-men’s basketball coach, Hamilton Morningstar-men’s track and field, Dr. Waldomar Roeser-team doctor, Danny Schmitz-baseball, Sara Seegers-softball, and Harold Simons-men’s basketball player and coach and men’s golf coach.
The Eagles swing back into Wednesday, Feb. 15, when they travel to DeKalb, Ill., for a MAC West Division game against the Huskies of Northern Illinois. Game time in NIU’s Convocation Center is 7:05 p.m.
