Eagles Fall to Cardinals, 64-53

Box score.

YPSILANTI, Mich. -- The Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team mounted a furious second-half comeback, but the Eagles were unable to overcome a large first half deficit, falling to Ball State University, 64-53, this afternoon in a Mid-American Conference West Division game at the Convocation Center.

After trailing by as many as 19 points in the first half, the Eagles cut the deficit to two, 48-46, with 5:47 remaining, but a 7-0 run by the Cardinals put the game out of reach.

With the loss, the Eagles fall to 14-11 (8-5 MAC) and the Cardinals improve to 12-14 (8-5 MAC). The loss dropped EMU into a tie with Ball State for second place in the MAC west after Western Michigan took over the top spot with a win over Central Michigan today.

Leading the way for EMU was senior center Colleen Russell (Windsor, Ont.-Windsor) with 15 points and six boards. Sophomore Alyssa Pittman (Elkhart, Ind.-Memorial) chipped in 14, with freshman Cassie Schrock (Wadsworth, Ohio-Wadsworth) hitting for 11. The Eagles shot 39.6 percent (19-of-48) from the field, while the Cardinals hit for 49.0 percent (24-of-49).

The Cardinals raced out to an early 19-8 lead, hitting 5-of-7 from beyond the arc, forcing an Eagle timeout with 13:50 to go in the first half. The Eagles struggled to find their rhythm offensively, not scoring for nearly eight minutes. A Russell jumper with 8:06 remaining finally ended the drought to make the score 28-11.

A Pittman fast break layup ignited a 6-0 run for EMU, to bring the Eagles within 13, 34-21 at the break. EMU shot 36.0 percent (9-of-25) in the first half, compared to a 46.4 percent (13-of-28) clip for the Cardinals. BSU was 6-of-12 from behind the arc, while EMU was only 2-of-10. The Eagles were led by Pittman with eight points at the half, while Audrey McDonald paced the visitors with 12.

After Ball State rattled off the first four points of the second half, the Eagles responded with a 14-2 run of their own, capped by a Schrock long ball to bring the Eagles within five, 40-35, with 11:57 remaining.

A Russell jumper with 6:20 on the clock cut the Cardinal lead to four, 48-44. Schrock forced a turnover on the ensuing Cardinal possession and hit both free throws to cut the margin to two with 5:47 remaining.

Ball State responded with a 7-0 run to push the lead back to double digits, 56-46, with 3:38 on the clock, helping put the game out of reach for EMU.

The Eagles will be in action again Wednesday, Feb. 27, when they travel to Toledo, Ohio to take on the Rockets in a key West Division showdown at Savage Hall. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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