Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Ball State
Women's Basketball Escapes with 63-57 Victory at Ball State
2/13/2010 4:54:37 PM | Women's Basketball
Junior Cassie Schrock comes up with 16 second half points in the victory
Box score.
MUNCIE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – Junior guard Cassie Schrock (Wadsworth, Ohio-Wadsworth) scored 16 second half points to lift the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team to a 63-57 road victory at Ball State University Saturday afternoon, Feb. 13, at Worthen Arena.
The victory completes the Eagles' first season sweep of the Cardinals since the 2005-06 campaign, and pushes EMU's record to 18-6 overall and 8-4 in Mid-American Conference action. Meanwhile, BSU drops to 10-15 overall and 4-8 in conference play.
With the win the Eagles equal the 2001-02 squad for the fourth most victories in a season. Also, EMU's 10-game improvement from eight wins in 2008-09 to 18 victories surpasses the previous standard of a nine-game turnaround during the 2003-04 campaign, when the Eagles went from 13 victories to 22 wins en route to the MAC Tournament championship.
Schrock, who was held scoreless in the first half, finished with a team-best 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting. She also chipped in six rebounds and a pair of assists in 27 minutes of work. Sophomore Tavelyn James (Detroit, Mich.-Mumford) was held under her season average of 21.7 points per game, notching just 13 points on 3-of-16 shooting. However, James still managed to surpass Kristy Maska's EMU scoring mark for points by sophomore with 513 points in 24 contests.
Audrey McDonald poured in a game high 20 points to lead the Cardinals, connecting on four three-pointers to expand her already MAC leading total. Emily Maggert tallied her 16th double-double of the season with 13 points and 12 caroms in 38 minutes of work.
A defensive struggle, Eastern Michigan shot just 37.7 percent (20-of-53) for the contest compared to 31.1 percent (19-of-61) for Ball State. The Green and White held a slim edge on the glass, 46 to 41, but turned the rock over 21 times.
After taking a seven-point edge into the lockerroom at the half, Ball State sliced the deficit to four, 35-31, on a McDonald triple with 17:20 to play. Unphased, Eastern Michigan would push the margin back to 10 points at 43-33 via a pair of Schrock charity tosses at the 12:40 mark.
Each side would exchange scores over the next few minutes, before the Eagles again pushed the margin to 11, 55-44, on a Schrock old-fashion three with 4:31 left.
However, the three-time defending MAC West Champions would give one final push with a 10-3 run over the next 3:29 to pull within four points. Four consecutive free throws by McDonald made it 58-54 with 40 seconds still showing, as the sides combined for just one field goal over the contest's final four minutes.
Needing to make free throws down the stretch, Eastern Michigan finished a solid 9-of-13 over the contest's final five minutes. James was a 5-of-8 during that stretch, including a make with 26 seconds to go to push the margin back to seven, 61-54.
BSU's Ty'Ronda Benning drilled a three point field goal with 22 ticks left, but James and Kristin Thomas (Winter Park, Fla.-Edgewater-Hillsborough C.C.) converted at the line to seal the 63-57 decision.
After a slow start to the contest, Maggert gave the Cardinals' their largest lead of the contest at 7-4 edge with 15:39 to go in the opening stanza. Sydney Huntley (Cincinnati, Ohio-Purcell Marian) gave the Eagles' a kick-start with a steal and fastbreak layup to key a 19-4 run over the next 7:50.
Shannon Klei ended Ball State's skid with a triple of her own to make it 23-14 with 5:11 still to play in the period.
Eastern's advantage would hover around double digits for the remainder of the period, taking a 31-24 into the lockerroom at the break.
Eastern Michigan will take a rare midweek date off before returning to the hardwood again Saturday, Feb. 20, at the Rose Center in Mount Pleasant, Mich. against instate rival Central Michigan. Tip time is set for 2 p.m.
