ATHENS, Ohio- The Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team picked up a 62-56 victory outlasting Ohio University here Wednesday night at the Convocation Center. The Eagles, who led by as many as 19 points in the first half, held off the Bobcat charge as senior Ryan Coleman sank a pair of free throws and forced a turnover with less than a second left to seal the victory.
The victory marked EMU first win in Athens since a 93-70 decision back on Jan. 27, 1999, and just the fifth win in the program's history in the OU Convocation Center.
Junior Sarah VanMetre paced the Eagle attack with 19 points and two rebounds. With the decision EMU improves to 15-6 overall and 9-1 in the Mid-American Conference. Coleman contributed to the attack by scoring 15 points and pulling down six rebounds, while Kendra Gallert added 12 points.
The Bobcats were led by Ciara Inglehart with 20 points as Ohio drops to 7-14 (4-6 MAC). Rachel Ferderick also added 11 points and pulled down five rebounds.
Both teams looked out of sync to begin the game, as the Eagles turned the ball over four times in its first five possessions. Ohio had the same troubles turning it over three times in five try. Finally, at the 16:37 mark OU’s Quintana Ward opened the scoring with a runner in the lane to make it 2-0.
But for the next four minutes it was as Eastern Michigan, as the Eagles went on a 17-0 run keyed by a pair of three-pointer by Gallert to make it 17-2 with 12:03 left in the period. A bucket by Rachel Frederick ended the scoreless drought for the Bobcats, but another pair of treys by Gallert pushed the Eastern edge to 19, 23-4, with 9:17 left before the half.
Despite playing without their best player Simone Redd due to injury, Ohio clawed back into it using a 15-4 run over the next five minutes. The Bobcats used seven consecutive points by Ciara Iglehart to pull back within eight points, 27-19, with 3:52 left.
The two squads exchanged scores of the half remaining minutes, as the Eagles took a 32-23 advantage heading into the locker room at the half. EMU was paced by Gallert who equaled a career-best with 12 points while VanMetre added six points. Ohio was lead by Iglehart with 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting.
Following the intermission the Eagles had trouble scoring again to open a period, as Ohio outscored the EMU 7-4 over the first four minutes to cut the deficit to six, 36-30. The Bobcat run continued as a layup and accompanying free throw by Domenica Silva at the 12:55 mark gave Ohio a 39-38 advantage, its first lead since the opening minutes of the contest.
The Eagles responded as senior Melis Ulker and VanMetre were the only EMU players to score over the next five minute, tallying seven points between the two to give Eastern a one-point lead 47-46 with 7:54 left in the game.
With both teams in the bonus, free throw shooting was key down the stretch. Ohio missed a front ends of a pair of one-and-ones, but on the other end of the floor Eastern was able to convert pushing its lead back to five, 51-46, with 6:14 to go.
With 3:09 remaining, Frederick went to the line with the Cats down a pair. Frederick converted both ends, tying the game at 53-53. Coleman hit a free throw and another jumper to put Eastern Michigan on top by three, but Iglehart responded with a free throw to cut the lead to two. The Eagles went back up by four, until Quintana Ward laid in a runner for two with eight seconds left, pulling Ohio to within a bucket. From there, Coleman converted a pair of free throws and tossed in a layup to finish off the Bobcats.
The Eagles return home Saturday, Feb. 11, for a 2 p.m. contest versus Miami University. The game is slated to be the MAC "Game of the Week" and will be televised by Comcast Local and FSN Ohio.
