EMU Escapes the Steel City with a 79-77 Double Overtime Victory

Box score.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team escaped with a 79-77 double-overtime victory against Duquesne University here Friday afternoon at the A.J. Palumbo Center. In a game that featured 14 lead changes and eight ties, the Eagles overcame an 11-point second half deficit to force overtime. Eastern used clutch free-throw shooting and solid rebounding in both overtimes sessions to claim the thrilling victory.

In the second overtime and up just a point, 78-77, junior guard Canea Williams (Mansfield, Ohio-Mansfield Senior) made the first of two free-throws with :03.5 remaining before missing the second attempt. The ball found its way into the hands of freshman forward Tara Johnson (Flint, Mich.-Hamady) as the clock expired.

The Eagles, who were playing their first game in the city of Pittsburgh since 1987, improve to 6-5 on the season, while Duquesne falls to 7-6. The game marks EMU’s first overtime contest since 2003 and the first double-overtime game since 2000.

Four EMU players posted double-digit points, led by senior guard Kivilcim Yamanoglu (Antalya, Turkey-Antalya College) with a career-high 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting, to go along with six rebounds and four assists in 33 minutes of work. Senior center Colleen Russell (Windsor, Ontario-Brennan) notched 15 points, junior Amber Land (Kulm, N.D.-Kulm) had 12 points and Williams added 11.

Keri Pryor led Duquesne with 21 points on the night, Kristi Little had 17 and Amanda Peck poured in 11 in a losing effort.

For the game the Eagles shot 40 percent (30-of-75) compared to a 36.2 percent (25-of-69) clip for the Dukes. The teams were equal on the glass, with both sides grabbing 50 rebounds. Eastern also limited the turnovers to just 14 to go along with 19 assist.

Out of the gate the Eagles forced four Duke turnovers in the first four minutes to take an early 9-3 edge. The EMU margin would grow to its largest of the game at 10 points, 17-7, on freshman guard Cassie Schrock’s (Wadsworth,Ohio-Wadsworth) lay-up with 13:26 remaining in the stanza.

However, Duquesne would roll off a 16-6 run over the next eight minutes, capped by a Samantha Pollino layup to make it 26-17 with 5:11 showing on the clock. Eastern would retake the lead at 27-26 but would manage just one more field goal over the final 4:11 as Duquesne would take a 32-29 advantage into the locker room.

The Eagles were led by sophomore guard Alyssa Pittman (Elkhart, Ind.-Elkhart Memorial) with eight points on 3-of-4 shooting the first 20 minutes of action, including a perfect 2-of-2 from beyond the arc. Schrock would add six points on the half and Russell notched five. As a team, Eastern committed just seven turnovers but shot just 36.1 percent (13-of-36) for the period. Pollino and Peck paced DU with six points apiece as the Dukes shot 44.4 percent (12-of-27) during the half.

Following the intermission the Dukes would use a 6-0 run to push the deficit to nine, 38-29, with 18:07 left forcing head coach AnnMarie Gilbert to burn a timeout. Williams’ runner in the lane ended the EMU field goal drought with 16:13 left to make it 42-33.

That would key the EMU offense and defense, as the Green and White would begin a 16-7 run over the next 6:40 to pull within just two, 51-49, with 8:57 remaining in the contest. The run continued as Eastern would take its first lead since the first half, 54-53, as Land connected on a lay-up with 5:42 left.

The advantage would balloon to six, 60-54, but then the EMU offense went silent for the remaindered of regulation, as the Duquesne used a 6-0 run to force overtime.

In the first overtime the sides exchanged scores, but neither team was able to gain more than a two-point edge. A Little jumper with :14 seconds left knotted the game at 68 heading into the second extra period.

In the final five minutes of work and the score tied at 75, Russell kissed one off the glass with :59 seconds showing. Following a foul, Jocelyn Chandler made the first of two free-throw attempts to pull within one, 77-76, with 38 ticks left. Land would make one of two from the line to make it 78-76, and back down the court Peck made the second of two free-throws with :05 seconds left to make it 78-77.

Williams was fouled by Chandler, and the redshirt junior made the first of two tries with :03.5 seconds remaining. The final attempt missed left and was chased down by Johnson as time ran-out .

The Eagles return to action Saturday, Jan. 5, to close out the non-conference portion of the schedule against the University of Utah. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. MST in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Green and White then return home Wednesday, Jan. 9, for a 7 p.m. start versus Mid-American Conference foe Northern Illinois University.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

EMU Escapes the Steel City with a 79-77 Double Overtime Victory

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