Eagles Clipped by RedHawks, 81-70

Box score.

YPSILANTI, Mich.- After being down by as many as 20, the Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team’s valiant comeback fell just short, as they dropped an 81-70 Mid-American Conference decision to a visiting Miami University team.

The Eagles were down by 20 points in the second half, before storming back to within six, 72-66, with 2:50 remaining. The RedHawks answered every Eagle run, hanging on for the tough road victory.

With the loss, the Eagles fall to 10-9 (4-3 MAC), while Miami improves to 12-9 (4-3 MAC). For the game, EMU shot 40 percent (28-of-70), compared to 45.9 percent (28-of-61) for the RedHawks. The Eagles dominated the glass, out-rebounding MU by 10, 46-36.

Leading the way for Eastern was senior center Colleen Russell (Windsor, Ont.-Brennan), who just missed a double-double with 18 points and nine rebounds. Sophomore Kelly Watts (Gary, Ind.-East Side) notched her third double-double of the season with 12 points and 14 rebounds.

Senior Amanda Jackson notched a game-high 22 points for the RedHawks, with Jenna Schone chipping in 20. Courtney Reed came off the bench to score 15 points, all in the first half.

The RedHawks struck first off the opening tip when Jackson drove for a lay-up. Amanda Compton (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Huron) answered right back for the Eagles with a three-pointer. Alyssa Pittman (Elkhart, Ind.-Memorial) drilled a trey of her own on the next possession to take a 6-2 lead and forcing an early Miami timeout, only 1:06 into the contest.

MU went on a 9-0 run of its own to retake the lead, 11-6 with 16:22 remaining. EMU answered with back to back baskets by Watts and Amber Land (Kulm, N.D.-Kulm) to pull within one, 11-10 less than two minutes later.

Miami rattled off the next six points, forcing an Eagle timeout with the RedHawks leading 24-17. Both teams heated up following the timeout, combining for 13 points over the next 1:45, with Miami still holding a six-point advantage, 30-24 with just under five minutes to go in the first frame.

Miami closed the half on an 11-2 run, taking a 41-26 lead into the locker room. The RedHawks had two players in double figures at the break, with Reed coming off the bench to notch 15 points. Schone chipped in 14 for the visitors, who shot 16-of-32 (50 percent), including 7-of-14 from beyond the arc.

Leading the way for EMU at the break was Watts with seven points and Compton with six. The Eagles struggled offensively, shooting only 32.4 percent (11-of-34) and committing 11 turnovers.

Coming out after the break, EMU scored first, off a Russell jumper. MU would then score the next six points to push the lead to 20, forcing head coach AnnMarie Gilbert to burn a timeout.

After facing their largest deficit of the evening, the Eagles responded with an 11-4 run of their own, forcing a Miami timeout. The timeout did nothing to deter the Eagle attack, as the Green and White scored the next six points, cutting the margin to only seven, 52-45 with 10:59 remaining.

With the Miami lead back to 12, EMU came back with a 9-3 run to cut the deficit to six, 60-54 with 7:19 to go. The RedHawks answered again, with Ashley Hawkins making a lay-up while getting fouled. After grabbing two offensive rebounds, Schone connected on a trey to push the lead back to 11.

Eastern did not go away quietly, with Watts nailing a baseline jumper to pull the Eagles back within eight with 5:39 to go. Russell then scored four points of her own, but the RedHawks once again answered when Jackson converted a three-point play with 3:59 remaining to put the visitors up 72-61.

Kivilcim Yamanoglu (Antalya, Turkey-Ozel Antalya) then rattled off five points of her own, to once again bring the home team back within six, with less than three minutes remaining. Miami once again answered on the ensuing possession, keeping the lead at eight. The RedHawks hit six free throws down the stretch to hang on for the victory.

The Eagles will be back in action this Saturday, Feb. 2, when they play host to MAC East opponent Kent State. Game time is set for 2 p.m. at the Convocation Center.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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