Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Central Michigan
EMU Downs Central Michigan, 59-51, to Cap 15-1 MAC Season
3/1/2006 9:43:33 PM | Women's Basketball
Coleman shines in last game at the Convo with 18 points
Box score.
MAC Tournament Bracket.
YPSILANTI, Mich
.-- The Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team outlasted a visiting Central Michigan University squad, 59-51, here Wednesday on senior night at the Convocation Center. The Eagles used an 18-3 run midway through the second half to take a 10-point lead, but had to hold off a late Chippewa run in the waning minutes to claim the victory.With the win, the Eagles improve to 21-6 on the season with an 15-1 Mid-American Conference mark, while the Chippewas fall to 16-11 and 7-9 in league action. The two squads could square off once more this season in next week’s Kraft MAC Tournament Quarterfinal at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
In her final game in the Convocation Center, senior guard Ryan Coleman (Detroit, Mich.-CMA) led the attack with 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Sophomore Patrice McKinney (Lansing, Mich.-Everett (MSU) added 14 points, five rebounds and five assists of her own.
The Chippewas were led by Chasidy Myers with 16 points and nine rebounds while Casey Manning added 15 points and four assists off the bench.
Down the stretch free throw shooting proved to be the key as the Eagles shot 87.5 percent (14-of-16) for the game from the line. Both Coleman and McKinney went 4-for-5 from the charity stripe while seniors Nikki Knapp (Blue Springs, Mo-Blue Springs South) and Melis Ulker (Istanbul, Turkey-Oradogu College) and junior Sarah VanMetre (Noblesville, Ind.-Noblesville) combined for a perfect 6-for-6.
Controlling the glass was another strong point for the Eagles, out rebounding the instate rival by 13 boards (34 to 21). Eastern also helped itself to the victory with a strong defensive effort, recording seven steals and five blocks while forcing 14 turnovers.
Both teams opened the gate cold from the field as neither team scored until Central’s Sharonda Hurd drilled a three-pointer at the 17:05 mark to give the Chipps the early edge. After missing its first six shots, Knapp got the Eagles on the board with 15:19 left before the half. The scoring became more frequent with Eastern holding a slight 10-9 advantage with 10:00 to play in the first half.
Neither team would take a lead larger than three-points the rest of the way as the teams headed to the locker room tied at 23. McKinney was lone star for EMU in the period, going 3-for-5 from the floor and perfect from the line (3-for-3) for a total of nine points. For the Chippewas, Myers was making an impact going 4-for-5 from the floor with eight points.
The two teams are no strangers to being tied at the half. In their last meeting, Jan. 21 at Rose Arena in Mt. Pleasant, the score was at a 20-20 stalemate after 20 minutes of play. The Eagles went on to claim a 58-45 victory.
Following the intermission the Chippewas used a 7-2 run to take a five point advantage, 30-25, with 14:20 to play. The Eagles stormed back, using a 11-0 run of their own as a VanMetre trey with 10:49 left made the score 37-30. The Eastern edge would grow to 10, 43-33, on a Coleman layup at the 9:11 mark.
The Chippewas would not go quietly, piecing together an 11-4 run over the next four minutes to cut the deficit to three on a Hurd layup with 5:20 remaining. A quick four points by EMU would push the margin back to seven 51-44, as Coleman once again laid one off the glass. Unfazed, CMU continued to chip away getting with in a field goal on a couple of occasions as just over a minute to play the Eagles held a slim 53-51 lead.
With Central Michigan trading possession for Eastern Michigan free throws, the Eagles made it count, making all six free throws the team took during the closing minutes. An Ulker layup with 53 seconds remaining sealed the eight point victory and the season sweep of the instate rival.
The Eagles will next be in action a week from tonight, March 8, at Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena in the Quarterfinals of the Kraft MAC Tournament. Eastern, the top-seed in the West, will play the winner of Central Michigan/Ohio with tip-off set for 1 p.m.
