EMU Survives with 74-71 Win At Buffalo

Box score.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – A pair of Alyssa Pittman (Elkhart, Ind.-Elkhart Memorial) free-throws with 3.9 seconds remaining sealed the Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team’s 74-71 victory over the University at Buffalo Saturday afternoon at Alumni Arena. The Eagles, who held the lead for most of the ballgame, placed four players in double figures but had to survive a three-point field goal barrage by Stephanie Bennett to escape with the Mid-American Conference cross-divisional win.

With the decision EMU ups its record to 10-8 overall and 4-2 in league action, while UB falls to 10-9 and 3-3 in the MAC.

Pittman led the Eagles with 19 points on 5-of-11 shooting to go along with 16 points from junior guard Canea Williams (Mansfield, Ohio-Mansfield Senior). Making her first collegiate start, junior guard Amanda Compton (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Huron) nearly notched a double-double with 11 points and a career-high nine rebounds in 28 minutes of action.Senior center Colleen Russell (Windsor, Ontario-Brennan) also chipped in 13 points on the afternoon.

Bennett drilled seven threes on the day to account for 25 of UB’s points. Heather Turner poured in 15 points and grabbed six rebounds to alongside Barbora Homolova’s 12 points and three caroms.

For the game Eastern shot 40.4 percent (23-of-57), including going 9-of-23 from beyond the arc, while Buffalo managed a 43.1 percent (25-of-58) clip for the game. The Eagles also notched 15 steals and 16 assists in the victory, but were out-rebounded 39 to 35.

Buffalo raced to a quick 7-2 advantage, connecting on its first three shots of the contest. But Eastern would take its first lead of the game at 9-8 following consecutive three-pointers by Pittman and Williams with 16:28 left in the first period. The sides would exchange scores and lead changes, as Turner and Homolva combined for 16 of UB’s first 18 points.

A Pittman trey with 7:57 showing gave the Eagles a four-point advantage, 28-24, however, the Bulls were able to battle back and knot the score at 32 with 1:55 to go. Consecutive three-pointers by Compton and Pittman ballooned the edge to six, 38-32, as EMU would take a 39-35 lead into the locker room at the half.

Williams sparked the Eagles with 12 points on 3-of-6 shooting off the bench, as Turner paced all scorers with 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting. For the frame EMU 42.9 percent (12-of-28) and grabbed just 11 rebounds compared to UB’s 48.1 percent (13-of-27) clip and 22 caroms.

Following the intermission, Eastern was able to expand the advantage to eight, 50-42, on a pair of Russell free throw tosses at the 14:32 mark. That time was also critical for the Bulls, as Turner picked up her fourth foul and had to depart the ballgame. However, instead of a hindrance, it instead sparked the Bulls on a 9-3 run over the next 3:08 to make it 53-51.

Eastern got the edge back to six points but the threes continued to rain for Buffalo as a Ashley Zuber twilighter made it 62-61 with 7:28 showing on the clock. UB was able to tie the game on a four point play with 5:06 left, but back-to-back lay-ups by Russell and Land pushed it right back in EMU’s favor, 69-65.

Bennett’s seventh three-pointer of the game cut it to one, 69-68, but a Williams free throw made it a two-point contest with 3:19 to play. But following that score, the scoring for both teams when silent. EMU had an opportunity to add some cushion with a minute to play but turned the ball over, but that was promptly followed by a UB miscue.

With time winding down Buffalo fouled Pittman with :13 seconds remaining, but she missed the front-end of the 1-and-1 opportunity. Luckily she was able to grab her own rebound and was once again fouled. However, this time made both free throw attempts to make it 72-68.

On the other side of the court, sophomore forward Kelly Watts (Gary, Ind.-East Chicago Central) fouled Bennett on a three-point attempt with five seconds to go. Bennett sank the trio of shots to once again make it a one-point game, 72-71. Needing to foul, Buffalo sent Pittman to the charity stripe once again. Pittman made both tries with 3.8 seconds remaining and Buffalo had one final heave that fell short as time expired.

Eastern Michigan gets back into home action Tuesday evening, Jan. 29, versus Miami University. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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