EMU Upends Northern Illinois, 64-57

Box score.

DeKALB, Ill. – The Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team moved even closer to a share of the Mid-American Conference West Division title, posting a 64-57 victory over Northern Illinois University Saturday afternoon at the NIU Convocation Center. Behind senior center Colleen Russell’s (Windsor, Ontario-Brennan) 25 points and eight rebounds, the Eagles led from wire-to-wire to sweep the season series with the Huskies.

Eastern Michigan, now 16-11 (10-5 MAC), remains tied with Ball State atop the West Division with just one game remaining in the regular season. Earlier in the day, the Cardinals (14-14, 10-5 MAC) knocked Western Michigan (12-17, 9-6 MAC) out a tie for the top spot with a 74-69 victory at Worthen Arena in Muncie, Ind. A victory Wednesday, March 5, over instate rival Central Michigan University, will give the Green and White at least a share of the divisional title. A win over the Chippewas also mean the Eagles will keep the Michigan MAC trophy for the third consecutive season.

Additionally with today's win, Eastern Michigan and Ball State have clinched a first round bye in the upcoming Kraft MAC Tournament. The Cardinals holds both tiebreakers against EMU and WMU, courtesy of the season series sweep. Eastern Michigan secured a first round bye, as it holds a tiebreaker over Western Michigan.

Besides Russell’s 25 points, junior guard Canea Williams (Mansfield, Ohio-Mansfield Senior) poured in 10 points, five rebound and five assists. Sophomore guard Alyssa Pittman (Elkhart, Ind.-Elkhart Memorial) added 10 points to go along with senior guard Kivilcim Yamanoglu (Antalya, Turkey-Antalya College) nine points and five rebounds.

Northern Illinois, now 10-15 (6-6 MAC), was paced by Whitney Lowe with 16 points and six rebounds in 37 minutes of work. No other Huskies reached double figures, even though seven other players cracked the ledger.

The Green and White shot 44.7 percent (21-of-47) for the contest, including just 6-of-13 from beyond the arc. Northern Illinois won the turnover battle, 17-20, but were outrebounded, 39-32. The Eagles converted those boards into 13 second-chance points.

Eastern opened the contest of a 6-0 run that featured a Williams layup followed by back-to-back jumpers in the lane by Russell. The EMU edge hovered around six points until the seven minute mark when consecutive treys by Pittman and junior guard Amanda Compton (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Huron) ballooned the margin to 12, 22-10.

The sides would exchange scores for the remainder of the half, as NIU was able to get back within eight, 28-20, as the teams headed into the locker room at the break. Lowe led all-scorers in the first 20 minutes with 11 points while Russell paced EMU with 10 points. For the period, Eastern out-shot 47.8 percent (11-of-23) to just 24.1 percent (7-of-29) for Northern.

Following the intermission Northern Illinois came out on fire, using a 15-5 run to open the half and knot the score at 35 on a Kylie York three-pointer with 16:12 remaining in the game. The two teams went scoreless for the next two minutes.

Facing adversity, the Eagles were able to fend off the Huskie assault and never relinquish the lead. A Cassie Schrock (Wadsworth,Ohio-Wadsworth) free throw with 13:54 showing gave the Eagles are slim one-point cushion, 36-35. The EMU momentum continued with the advantage growing to 10, 50-40, on another Russell jumper in the paint with 7:41 to go.

NIU would mount one finally rally, cutting the deficit to three, 51-48, on an Ebony Ellis layup at the 5:59 mark. But that would be all the closer the Cardinal and Black would get, as Eastern push the lead back to eight, 57-49, as Russell kissed one off the glass with 3:15 remaining.

The Green and White close out the regular season Wednesday, March 5, at the Convocation Center versus instate rival Central Michigan University. Game time is set for 7 p.m. with the Eagles honor seniors Brittany Tyson (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Huron-WMU), Russell and Yamanoglu prior to tip-off. The contest can be seen on Comcast Television (digital cable channel 900 in the Ypsilanti area) with Ben Holden and Cheryl Dozier calling the action.

Additional Notes:
The Eagles picked up the program’s 400th victory with today's win. The Green and White have posted a 400-449 mark since the school began awarding scholarships in 1976-77 as a part of Title IX legislation

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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