Eastern Michigan Athletics
Wednesday, January 7
Muncie, Ind.
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
55
at
62
Ball State
Women’s Basketball Drops MAC Opener to Ball State, 62-55
1/7/2009 9:10:46 PM | Women's Basketball
Sophomore Sydney Huntley-Rogers finishes with a career-high 33 points
Box score.
MUNCIE, Ind. – Despite a career-best 33 points from sophomore guard Sydney Huntley-Rogers (Cincinnati, Ohio-Purcell Marian), the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team dropped its Mid-American Conference opener 62-55 to Ball State University Wednesday evening, Jan. 7, here at Worthen Arena.
MUNCIE, Ind. – Despite a career-best 33 points from sophomore guard Sydney Huntley-Rogers (Cincinnati, Ohio-Purcell Marian), the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team dropped its Mid-American Conference opener 62-55 to Ball State University Wednesday evening, Jan. 7, here at Worthen Arena.
The Eagles had to weather a scoring drought of nearly nine minutes during the first half, before using a 16-7 run to open the second half to retake a 37-36 lead via a Huntley-Rogers three-pointer with 16:27 to go in the ballgame.
The teams would exchange scores but once again Ball State was able to build an eight-point cushion, 50-42, with 9:57 left. Eastern would continue to battle down the stretch but were unable to get any closer than five points the rest of the way as Ball State was 8-for-8 from the free throw line with under a minute to play.
The teams would exchange scores but once again Ball State was able to build an eight-point cushion, 50-42, with 9:57 left. Eastern would continue to battle down the stretch but were unable to get any closer than five points the rest of the way as Ball State was 8-for-8 from the free throw line with under a minute to play.
With the setback Eastern Michigan slips to 4-9 overall and 0-1 in league action. On the flipside, Ball State ups its record to 8-6 (1-0 MAC).
Huntley-Rogers notched her career-best 33 points on 11-of-24 shooting, with six of the field goals occurring beyond they three-point arc. Sophomore guard Cassie Schrock (Wadsworth, Ohio-Wadsworth) was the only other Eastern Michigan player in double-figures with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Four Cardinals managed double-digits led by Danielle Gratton with 17 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Jade Barber notched 12 points, all in the first half for the MAC West Division preseason favorite, along with 10 each from Emily Maggert and Porchia Green.
Turnovers were a problem for both teams, with EMU posting 25 miscues and BSU with 24. The Cards also rejected eight Eagle shots on the night, while Eastern finished without a blocked shot. For
The action out of the gate was fast-and-furious with Ball State pulling out to a 10-5 edge on a Maggert put-back with 15:52 showing on the clock. However, Huntley-Rogers and Schrock answered for EMU with 5-0 run to tie the contest at 10. However, Ball State would notch another 5-0 run.
The tide was turning in EMU's favor as the defense and quickness were wreaking havoc on BSU. The Green and White held the Cardinals without a field goal for the next 6:01 and during that span the Eagles were able to post a 6-0 run to take a 21-15 advantage on a trey from Tavelyn James (Detroit, Mich.-Mumford) with 8:36 to go.
Just a quickly the tables turned when Ball State rolled off 14 straight to retake the advantage at 29-15 as the squads headed into the locker room at the half. Barber provided a major spark for the Cardinals, scoring 12 of those 14 BSU points, while helping hold Eastern Michigan was scoreless for the remainder of the half. The Eagles had their chances, but the shots would not drop as EMU missed it final 13 shots of the stanza.
Huntley-Rogers led all scorers with 13 points in the half and Barber keyed the Cardinals with 12 points in just seven minutes of work. EMU shot just 23 percent (7-of-30) compared to 37 percent (11-of-29) for BSU.
Eastern was able to break out of the skid when Huntley-Rogers drained a three from the top of the key with just 41 seconds gone in the period. After going nine minutes without a score, the flood gates opened for the Eagles who would go on a 16-4 run in less then three minutes to reclaim the 37-36 lead on another triple from Huntley-Rogers.
The one-point edge would be short lived, however, as the teams would exchange scores. And then with just over 10 minutes remaining Ball State would once up the margin to eight, 50-42.
Eastern would continue to battle down the stretch but were unable to get any closer than five points the rest of the way as Ball State was 8-for-8 from the free throw line with under a minute to play.
The Eagles return home Saturday, Jan. 10, to host instate rival Central Michigan University. The game is the first leg of a doubleheader with the EMU men's basketball team playing host to Ball State University following the conclusion of the women's game which begins at 2 p.m. The contest marks the 62nd meeting between the Chippewas and Eagles, who first met during the 1976-77 season. CMU leads the overall series, 32-29, but Eastern currently holds a 16-game winning streak over the Maroon and Gold dating back to the 2000-01 season.
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