Eagles Edge Rockets, 65-59

Box score.

YPSILANTI, Mich.- The Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team made it two straight Mid-American Conference wins to open the season with a 65-59 win over a visiting Toledo team here Saturday afternoon in the Convocation Center.

The Eagles opened the league season Wednesday with a home win over Northern Illinois and the Green and White kept that momentum rolling into today’s game with the six-point win over the Rockets.

Eastern was led by the duo of Colleen Russell (Windsor, Ont.-Brennan) and Alyssa Pittman (Elkhart, Ind.-Elkhart Memorial), who scored 22 and 18 points respectively.

With the win, EMU improves to 8-6 (2-0 MAC), while the Rockets fall to 8-6 (1-1 MAC). Toledo was playing without its leading scorer and rebounder Allie Clifton (17.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg), who missed the game with a foot injury.

For the game, the Green and White shot 44.3 percent (27-of-61), compared to 33.9 percent (20-of-59) for the Rockets. Toledo out-rebounded the Eagles by one, 41-40, but committed 19 turnovers to EMU’s 13. Kelly Watts (Gary, Ind.-Chicago Central) and Amber Land (Kulm, ND-Kulm) both grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.

After trailing by seven at the half, UT went on a 12-4 run over the first five minutes of the half to briefly take a 35-34 lead, until a Canea Williams’ (Mansfield, Ohio-Mansfield Senior) three-pointer gave the Eagles back the lead, 37-35, with 15:10 showing on the clock.

With the Eagles leading, 51-46, with 8:39 remaining, the Rockets would go on an 8-2 run to retake the lead, 54-53, with 5:31 left. Pittman then gave the Eagles back the lead with an 18-foot jumper from the top of the key. Williams then hit a three from the corner to put the Eagles up by four. A Cassie Schrock (Wadsworth, Ohio-Wadsworth) free throw pushed the Eagle lead to five with 3:30 to go in the game.

Just when it seemed like the Eagles were pulling away, Toledo’s Olivia Terry answered with a three-pointer to bring the visitors back within a basket. A shot clock violation for EMU gave Toledo back the ball with 2:13 to go in the contest.

With the shot clock winding down, junior Amber Land missed a three-pointer, but Russell grabbed the offensive rebound and laid one off the glass to put the Eagles up by four, 61-57, with 1:20 remaining.

A steal by junior Amanda Compton (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Huron) gave EMU back the ball with :40 seconds showing on the clock, forcing the Rockets to foul on the possession. After missing the free throw, Watts grabbed the board and put it off the glass to give EMU a six point advantage, 63-57, with :25 seconds to go. Both teams hit two more free throws apiece to account for the final score.

The Eagles got off to a quick start, with Russell scoring back-to-back baskets on the first two possessions. A jumper by Pittman gave the home team a 6-0 advantage.

UT then went on a 15-3 run over the next six minutes, forcing an Eagle timeout with the Rockets leading 15-9. Following the timeout, a Land put-back pulled the Eagles within four, 15-11.

EMU went into the locker room with a 30-23 lead, with Pittman leading all scorers with 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting. Jessica Williams led the way for the Rockets at the break with six points. EMU shot 43.3 percent for the half (13-of-30), compared to only 29.6 percent (8-of-27) for the visitors.

Up next for the Eagles is a road trip to Muncie, Ind., to take on the Ball State University Cardinals, Tuesday, Jan. 15. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

Related News

Next Event

Related Videos