EMU Falls to North Carolina State in Junkanoo Jam Finale

Box score.

FREEPORT, Bahamas – The Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team ran into a veteran North Carolina State University squad here Saturday afternoon in the championship game of the Fifth Annual Junkanoo Jam at St. George’s High School. The Eagles battled extremely hard but the Wolf Pack used a big second half to claim the 63-41 decision.

The Eagles, 4-1 on the season, shot 53 percent (8-of-15) in the first half to stay close and trailed by just one late in the period. But the Green and White then connected on just 24 percent (7-of-29) of its tries after halftime.

Eastern Michigan got a season-high 18 points from junior guard Canea Williams and 14 from sophomore guard Alyssa Pittman. For their efforts both Williams and Pittman were named to the All-Tournament team. Sophomore forward Kelly Watts tallied seven points and senior Colleen Russell chipped in a pair.

Tournament MVP Khadijah Whittington scored 26 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead NC State (6-1). Megan Zullo added 12 points en route to being selected to the All-Tournament team. Additionally, Shayla Fields had 11 points and five assists.

Eastern took an early 3-0 edge on a Pittman three-point field goal just :31 seconds into the contest and held NC State without a score on its first four possessions until the 18:10 mark. The tide was beginning to turn though as the Wolf Pack found their stride and would go on an 18-5 run over the next five minutes to expand the margin to 10, 18-8, with 12:38 left.

Solid defense by EMU was causing trouble for the taller NCSU squad, as the Green and White would chip away pulling within a score on consecutive treys by Williams to make it 22-21 with 5:49 showing on the clock. The teams would remain close for the remaining moments of the half, but it was the Wolf Pack heading to the intermission with the lead at 31-23.

Williams and Pittman both finished the frame with nine points a piece while Washington and Zullo eached notched 12. Statistically speaking both sides were equally matched during the first 20 minutes but turnovers were limiting Eastern’s looks at the bucket. EMU managed just 15 shots compared to 28 for NCSU.

In the second period, N.C. State forced Eastern Michigan into 3-for-22 shooting during the first 16 minutes of the second half, an impressive stat considering the Eagles arrived in the Bahamas averaging more than 82 points per game.

Earlier in the day in the third place game Alabama, who EMU upended 52-43 yesterday, cruised to a 29-point victory, 66-37, over Washington State University

Eastern will stay on the road next week with a trip to the state of Utah Thursday, Nov. 29, for a 7 p.m. MST contest with Weber State University. The Green and White then return to the friendly confines of the Convocation Center Sunday, Dec. 2, for a 2 p.m. game against Illinois State University.

Other Tournament Notes:

Junior Canea Williams won the tournament’s three-point shooting contest Thursday evening. The Mansfield, Ohio native connected on 15 treys to capture the coveted title. Sophomore Alyssa Pittman finished second with 12 long-distance bombs. Players from the University of Southern California and Virginia Tech also took part in the event.
The Eagles are 23-14 during in-season tournament games since the 1998-99 campaign. Eastern has captured the tournament crown in 9-of-16 tournaments that it has participated in over that period of time.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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