Women’s Basketball Drops Battle of Division Leaders

Box score.

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – In a defensive struggle between Mid-American Conference division leaders, Bowling Green State University rallied to defeat Eastern Michigan University, 57-43, Saturday evening in front of a raucous crowd at Anderson Arena. The Eagles held the lead throughout most of the contest, but the three-time defending MAC Champion Falcons used a 22-3 run over the final 8:09 to claim the victory.

Eastern Michigan, now 13-10 (7-4 MAC), was led by senior center Colleen Russell (Windsor, Ontario-Brennan) with a game-high 18 points and eight rebounds in 24 minutes of work. Junior guard Canea Williams (Mansfield, Ohio-Mansfield Senior) was the only other Eagle in double figures with 10 points. Sophomore guard Alyssa Pittman (Elkhart, Ind.-Elkhart Memorial) added five points off the bench, while sophomore forward Kelly Watts (Gary, Ind.-East Chicago Central) and freshman guard Cassie Schrock (Wadsworth,Ohio-Wadsworth) each added four point.

Bowling Green, now 19-6 (8-3 MAC), was paced by Lauren Prochaska with 17 points and eight rebounds in 40 minutes of work. Jen Uhl chipped in 13 points for the Falcons while senior guard Kate Achter notched six points and nine assists on the evening.

The top two defensive teams in the MAC proved up to their billings, as both sides struggled to shoot the rock. Eastern Michigan managed just a 26.2 percent (16-of-61) field goal percentage while Bowling Green was slightly better at 35.3 percent (18-of-51). EMU cleaned the glass, grabbing 46 rebounds to 37, but committed 23 turnovers to just 18 miscues for BGSU.

The Falcons jumped out to an early 6-2 edge via back-to-back three-pointers by Lindsay Goldsberry and Prochaska just over three minutes into the contest. Russell would answer for EMU with a layup at the 16:21 mark but then the scoring went silent for both sides. EMU would go without a bucket until 13:10, when Russell would again bank one off the glass to knot it at six. However, less than a minute later, the 6-foot-5 center would have to head to the bench for the remainder of the period after picking her second foul at the 12:17 mark.

Despite having one of its main scoring threats on the sideline, Eastern would expand the lead to six points, 14-8, on a Schrock jumper with 11:11 showing on the clock. A Jen Uhl three-pointer ended a nearly seven minute field goal drought for BGSU and cut the deficit back to a trio, 14-11. However, Eastern would continue the offensive rally with an 8-2 run to push the advantage to eight, 19-11, on a Watts’ three with 6:51 remaining in the period.

Bowling Green would continue to struggle to score, opening the game making just three of its first 20 shots. But the tide would quickly turn in favor of the Orange and Brown, who would post a 7-0 run to cut it to just four points, 22-18, with 3:54 to go in the half.

Neither side would score for the remainder of the stanza, as EMU entered the locker room up, 22-18. For Eastern, Williams had eight points and two assists to pace the Green and White to go along with six points and four rebounds for Russell. Prochaska keyed BG with six points and four rebounds. Eastern shot 24.3 percent (9-of-37) from the floor in the first 20 minutes compared to just 16.7 percent (4-of-24) for Bowling Green. EMU controlled the glass in the frame, out-rebounding BGSU, 30 to 19, however turnovers plagued both sides as the teams (EMU 10, BGSU 11).

Following the break, BG’s run continued as the Falcons knotted the game at 22 on a Tara Breske layup just 1:25 into the second half. The tie would be short lived though, as a 7-0 run by EMU over the next 3:19 once made it a seven point edge, 29-22, with 15:00 to go.

The Falcons roared back with a 9-2 run of their own over the next 2:23, which included six straight points by Uhl to tie the game at 31 with 12:21 left. EMU would again prove up to the challenge with 9-4 run that was capped off with a pair of Russell charity tosses with 8:42 to play.

The game’s final minutes would belong to the home standing Falcons though. Bowling Green would outscore EMU 22-3 to close the game. A Crystal Murdaugh jumper at the 6:52 mark gave BGSU its first lead, 41-40, since the opening moments of the game. That was promptly followed by a trilighter from Prochaska and a Murdaugh putback to make it 46-40 with 5:33 left. A Pittman fast break layup with 4:53 ended a nearly four minute scoring drought for the Eagles to pull back within four, 46-42.

Russell would add a free throw with 2:16 to play but that would be all EMU could muster down the stretch, as BG would capture the 57-42 come-from-behind decision.

The Green and White return to West Division action Tuesday, Feb. 19, traveling to Kalamazoo, Mich. for a showdown with Western Michigan University. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at University Area. Brian Nemerovski and Ryan Wooley will call the action on WEMU 89.1 FM beginning at 6:50 p.m.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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