Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Cleveland State
Women’s Hoops Defeats Cleveland State in Convo Thriller
12/29/2009 9:19:18 PM | Women's Basketball
Eagles rebound way into record books to win fourth straight
Box score.
Click Here to Re-Watch the Game on Eagle All-Access.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team defeated Cleveland State University, 73-61, in a high-tempo, non-conference thriller here at the Convocation Center Tuesday night, Dec. 29. With the win, the Eagles eclipsed last season's win total as they move to 9-2 overall.
EMU shot an abysmal 1-of-10 from three in the opening frame and Tavelyn James (Detroit, Mich.-Mumford) single-handedly revived the Eagles' outside shooting in the second half. After opening the game 0-of-5 from long range, the sophomore drilled five of her first eight three-point attempts in the second half while leading the Eagles to 9-of-25 from behind the arc for the game.
Cassie Shrock (Wadsworth, Ohio-Wadsworth) turned in another solid all-around performance with 11 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Raina Spencer (Cleveland, Ohio-Fordham U.) chipped in 14 points off the bench in her second game back with the Eagles. Chenise Miller (Oak Park, Mich.-West Bloomfield) added seven points and 10 boards off the bench as well.
EMU set a Convocation Center record with 62 team rebounds, out-rebounding the Vikings by 17 in the game. They broke the previous arena record of 61 set on Nov. 18, 2005 against Central Connecticut State University. The Eagles also set a record for most offensive rebounds at the Convocation Center with 29, while both teams combined for 107 rebounds, breaking the old record of 104.
It was 44-39 before a Spencer three-pointer sparked a 13-2 run that stretched the lead to 57-41 forcing the Vikings to call a timeout. They would respond with a 9-0 run led by Stephanie Crosley, who finished with a team-high 16 points.
With three minutes remaining in regulation, Cleveland State's Kailey Klein hit a three-point basket to cut the Viking deficit to five points at 62-57, but James answered with her sixth three-pointer of the game to push the lead back to eight. She finished with a game-high 24 points on 9-of-23 shooting and 6-of-14 from long distance. The Eagles kept the game out of reach with free throws at the end.
Neither team shot exceptionally well in the first half as Eastern Michigan was 31.6 percent (12-of-38) and Cleveland State shot 29.7 percent (11-of-37). The Eagles led by as many as eight points with an 18-10 lead, but the Vikings scratched and clawed their way back to tie the game at 20 and eventually take a 24-22 lead before the Eagles charged back to close out the half with a 30-28 edge.
EMU held an impressive, 20-11, rebounding edge early on before finishing the first half with a 28-25 rebound advantage. Paige Redditt (Kansas City, Mo.-Belton) led all players with nine first-half boards and finished with 15, one shy of tying the Convocation Center record before fouling out with four minutes left in regulation.
Eastern Michigan will host the next two games at home beginning with North Dakota at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 4 at the Convocation Center.
