EMU's Rally Comes Up Short at Dayton

Box score.

DAYTON, Ohio – The Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team mounted a furious late second-half comeback, but the Eagles were unable to overcome a 15-point deficit, falling to the University of Dayton, 61-54, Sunday afternoon in the final non-conference test of the season at UD Arena

The Flyers used a 17-2 run midway through the second half to take a 47-32 lead with 8:49 remaining. But the Eagles would be unfazed by the big hole using solid defense and the sharp-shooting of sophomore guard Sydney Huntley-Rogers (Cincinnati, Ohio-Purcell Marian) to pull within a pair, 50-48, with four minutes still to go in the ballgame. However, Dayton would rebound and use an 11-6 run to seal seven-point victory.

With the victory the Flyers improve to 11-5 while the Eagles drop to 4-8.

In her return to southwest Ohio, Huntley-Rogers connected on a career-best four three-pointers for a total of 18 points on the afternoon. Freshman guard Tavelyn James (Detroit, Mich.-Mumford) notched 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting, while sophomore Cassie Schrock (Wadsworth, Ohio-Wadsworth) finished with 10 points.

Dayton had three players reach double figures led by Kristin Daugherty with 14 points. De’Sarae Chambers and Kendal Ross both had 11 points to go along with Justine Raterman’s 14 rebounds.

EMU shot just 32.2 percent (19-of-59) while Dayton managed a 40.7 percent (22-of-54) clip for the contest. Dayton also won the battle of the boards, 46 to 29, but lost the turnover margin (22 to 17).

Out of the gate both teams struggled find an easy shot, with Eastern Michigan missing on its first four attempts while UD’s Daugherty sank a jumper in the lane for the Flyers first score with nearly three minutes gone by. James ended the scoreless streak for the Eagles at the 15:18 mark to knot the game at a pair.

The offensive woes for both teams continued as Dayton held a slim 4-2 edge on a pair of Marie Rosche free throws with just over 11 minutes still remaining in the stanza. Then the scoring flood gates opened for both sides. Following a Flyer triple sophomore De’Ja Wills (Anderson, Ind.-Anderson) answered with trey of her own. Even with all the offense, the Green and White still found themselves in a slim two point hole, 14-12, as the clock headed under eight.

Following the media timeout, the host Flyers would utilize their size advantage in the post to roll off a 6-2 run to take a 20-14 lead with 5:08 still showing. But a 7-2 run keyed by a Schrock three-pointer brought the Eagles within a bucket, 22-19, with 3:22 remaining.

A put-back by Schrock and a runner off the glass by Brittany Simmons (Zion, Ill.-Zion-Benton) gave the Eagles their first lead of the contest at 25-22 with 1:35 remaining. However, Dayton closed the period on a 5-0 run to take a 25-25 advantage into the lockerroom.

For the frame Eagles shot just 30 percent (9-of-30) but held the Flyers to just a 40.0 percent (10-of-25) clip. Dayton controlled the glass, 22 to 15, but committed 12 turnovers to just seven for EMU. James led all scorers with 10 points while on the other side of the ledger Daugherty poured in eight points.

In the second 20 minutes of action Sydney Huntley-Rogers (Cincinnati, Ohio-Purcell Marian) promptly hit a three-pointer to give EMU the lead back at 28-27. But that was short lived as Raterman notched an old-fashion three-point play regain the edge, 30-28, with 19:16 to go in the half.

Schrock would tie the contest at 30, but then the Eagles went cold from the field managing just one bucket over the next 9:35. Dayton would go on a 17-2 spurt to take a 47-32 advantage on a Raterman free throw toss with 8:49 to go.

A trey by James ended the Eagles’ scoring drought with 8:02 left to make it 47-35. Unfazed the Eagles would methodically begin to chip away at the deficit, using stellar defense to post a 16-3 run of their own to pull within three points, 50-47, on a Wills three-pointer with 4:20 to play.

Huntley-Rogers added a free-throw at the 3:54 mark but Patrice Lalor answered down on the other end of the floor with her first score of the day. EMU turned the rock over on the ensuing possession and the Flyers would again capitalize with a three-point play to make it 55-48.

Huntley-Rogers was singled-handily keeping the Eagles in the contest, drilling consecutive three to make it 57-54.

However, Dayton would step up the defense to close the game on a 4-0 to take home the 61-54 victory.

EMU opens its 28th Mid-American Conference campaign Wednesday evening, Jan. 7, versus the Ball State University Cardinals. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at John E. Worthen in Muncie, Ind. The contest marks the 57th meeting between the Cardinals and Eagles, who first played during the 1979-80 season. EMU leads the series, 31-25, but Ball State has won the last four meetings by an average of seven points a game (59.0 to 66.0).

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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