Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
OGBR Legends (Exhibition)
Women's Basketball Falls in Exhibition Opener
10/31/2007 11:07:09 PM | Women's Basketball
Ohio Legends rally to top Eagles
Box score.
YPSILANTI, Mich. — In the debut of first-year head coach AnnMarie Gilbert, the Eastern Michigan women’s basketball team fell short in its exhibition game here in the Convocation Center, Wednesday night against the Ohio Legends.
The visitors out scored the Eagles 9-2 over the final three minutes to record a 68-63 win. Eastern will close out exhibition play here Saturday (Nov. 3) afternoon at 2 p.m. against Wayne State University.
EMU out-rebounded its opponent, 38-28, but was out-shot, 44.7 percent to 38.2. The Ohio Legends shot 50 percent from three-point range (11-of-22) to the Eagles’ 23.5 percent (4-of-17). Sophomore guard Alyssa Pittman (Elkart,Ind.- Elkart Memorial) scored a team-high 15 points to lead the Eagles. Sophomore Kelly Watts (Gary, Ind.-Chicago Central) also chipped in with 11 points, on 4-of-8 shooting and grabbed a team-best eight rebounds. The Legends were led by Larecha Jones who scored 14 points and was 3-for-5 on three pointers.
The Eagles built a 41-39 halftime lead, but the visitors closed the gap in the early stages of the second half. The two teams exchanged leads heading into the final three minutes of the game.
EMU’s Watts made two free throws to give EMU a 61-59 lead with 2:58 remaining in the game. The visitors than went on a 9-2 run in the game’s final 2:37 to post the five point victory. A field goal by Monique Davis with 39.7 seconds remaining gave the Legends a 64-61 lead that they would not relinquish. The lone Eagles’ points during the last two inutes were two Pittman free throws.
The Eagles opened the game strong with an 11-1 run and led by as many as 15 points in the first half. Pittman led the Eagles in scoring at the break with nine points on 3-of-3 field goals. Junior Canea Williams (Mansfield, Ohio - Mansfield Senior) contributed with five assists and Watts had five rebounds to lead EMU.
