EMU Downed by Utah, 70-56

Box score.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team put fourth a valiant second half effort and nearly overcame a 21-point deficit, but in the end it was not enough as the Eagles fell to the University of Utah, 70-56, Saturday afternoon in non-conference action at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. The Green and White used a 29-14 run to open the second half and cut the lead to just two, however, the Utes closed the game on a 19-7 run to seal the victory.

With the loss EMU closed out the non-conference portion of the schedule with a mark of 6-6. On the other side of the court Utah improves to 11-3 on the season.

Eastern Michigan was led by junior guard Canea Williams (Mansfield, Ohio-Mansfield Senior) with 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting in 40 minutes of work. Senior center Colleen Russell (Windsor, Ontario-Brennan) notched 11 points and two blocks to go along with junior Amber Land’s (Kulm, N.D.-Kulm) nine points.

Leilani Mitchell keyed Utah with 21 points and a game-high six assists on the afternoon. Kalee Whipple scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Morgan Warburton had 15 points and eight boards.

For the game, Eastern shot just 32.8 percent (20-of-61) including a solid 40 percent (12-of-30) clip in the second half. Utah shot 47.1 percent (24-of-51) from the floor, including 60 percent (9-of-16) from beyond the arc. The Eagles committed just 11 turnovers, but were out-rebounded by eight (40 to 32).

The Utes raced out to an early 9-3 advantage with 16:23 showing on the clock, but the Eagles were able to slice the margin back to just a pair on back to back buckets by Williams and Russell with 14:58 left in the period. However, Utah would respond with a 16-4 run over the next five to expand the margin to 14, 25-11, with 10:22 remaining. During the run the scoring duo of Whipple and Warburton combined for 14 of the team’s points.

Eastern continued to struggle from the field, managing just two Williams’ treys the rest of the half as Utah headed into the locker room up 37-20. The Green and White struggled from the field for the stanza, shooting just 25 percent (8-of-31) compared to a 54 percent (13-of-34) clip for Utah. The Utes’ Whipple led all scorers with 13 points, while EMU’s Williams had with 11.

Following the break Russell notched five consecutive points to key a quick 10-4 run to get EMU back within 11, 41-30, with 16:47 left in the contest. The margin got even smaller when Williams drained a pair of free throws with 10:38 to go to make it 47-39.

The momentum was shifting in the Eagles’ favor. Back-to-back threes by Pittman and Williams along with a lay-up by Russell pulled Eastern within four, 51-47, the closest the visitors had been since the opening moments of the first half. A Watts put back at the 7:35 mark made it 51-49.

But the Utes would close the game on a 19-7 run to claim the hard-fought victory.

The Eagles return to the friendly confines of the Convocation Center Wednesday, Jan. 9, to open Mid-American Conference play versus Northern Illinois University. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. Tickets are available by calling the EMU Ticket office at 734.487.2282.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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