EMU Falls In a 113-107 Double Overtime Thriller at CMU

Box score.

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – It was an instant classic Saturday afternoon here at the Rose Center, however, it was the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team on the short side of the 113-107 double-overtime decision at Central Michigan University.

The contest, which featured 40 lead changes and 24 ties, saw the Eagles and Chippewas combine for 220 points to break the Mid-American Conference record for most combined points in a league contest. The previous standard of 214 points in a 121-93 victory by Bowling Green over Kent State, Feb. 23, 1991, had stood for 19 seasons.

It also marked the first time in EMU history both teams had scored more than 100 points, and it bested the 191 combined points between EMU (93) and BGSU (98) in another double overtime thriller, ironically exactly 11 years to the date, Feb. 20, 1999, at Anderson Arena in Bowling Green, Ohio.

Defense for both teams was at a premium, with the teams exchanging scores nearly every trip down the court. Eastern Michigan finished the contest 37-of-77 from the field, including equaling the school record with 16 three-point field goals, for a 48.1 percent clip. Central Michigan was even more proficient, notching a 54.4 percent field goal (37-of-68) rate to go along with a 31-for-38 advantage at the free throw stripe.

Five Eagles reached double figures in points led by Sydney Huntley (Cincinnati, Ohio-Purcell Marian) with a personal-best 36 points on 12-of-22 shooting. The Cincinnati, Ohio native tied the school record with eight three pointers on the afternoon, as she at one point scored 17 consecutive points for the Eagles in the second half. Huntley's 36 points are the most ever for an EMU player off the bench, and the total ranks tied for third most in the EMU single-game annals.

Sophomore Pagie Redditt (Kansas City, Mo.-Belton) poured in a career-most 23 to go along with eight rebounds despite playing with four fouls for the majority of the second half. Junior De'Ja Wills (Anderson, Ind.-Anderson) had 15, while freshman Lindsey Mahone (Corpus Christi, Texas- Mary Carroll) and junior Cassie Schrock (Wadsworth,Ohio- Wadsworth) added 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Britni Houghton paced five Chippewas in double digits, connecting on a CMU record 38 points on 16-of-21 shooting in 47 minutes of work. Houghton scored 38 points, the last three coming on a game-tying three-pointer at the end of the first overtime, breaking the old mark of 36 held by Sylvia Odum (vs. Toledo, 1985) and Sue Nissen (vs. EMU, 1988).

With the game tied at 105 with 3:46 left in the second overtime, CMU (11-14, 8-5 MAC) got buckets from Skylar Miller and Shonda Long to take a four-point edge. EMU (18-7, 8-5 MAC) would cut the lead to two on the next possession, but Long and Heidi Warczinsky would sink back-to-back layups for the final margin and CMU's largest lead of the game. Neither team led by more than six in the contest at any point.

Eastern Michigan took its six-point lead, 40-34, with 2:33 to play in the first half. A three-point play by Houghton cut the lead in half but the Eagles went into the break up one, 44-43.

Tied at 66 with 9:31 to go in regulation, Huntley caught fire. She scored the Eagles next 17 points over a five-minute stretch, including five threes to make it 83-80 with 4:34 to play in regulation.

Despite the surge by Huntley, Central Michigan was able to again pull in front 90-89 with a Houghton layup with 27 seconds to go. Back down the court, a CMU foul put Huntley at the line for a pair of free throws, but she only managed a split to know the game up at 90.
CMU would have one final go at it, but Rachel Mauk's runner in the lane would not drop as time expired.

In the first extra session, a pair of free throws Reddit free throws gave the Eagles a 102-99 lead with 35 ticks left on the clock. But it was Houghton playing the spoiler with a three with 20 seconds left to again knot the score at 102. EMU would have it shot to end the game though, but a pair of attempts under the basket by Schrock would fall off the mark as time expired.

With the EMU loss, the two teams are now tied for second in the West Division, a game back of Akron (15-11, 9-4 MAC) for the fourth and final bye in next month's MAC Tournament.

Eastern Michigan returns to the friendly confines of the Convocation Center Wednesday, Feb. 24, for the annual Pink Zone contest against Western Michigan University at 7 p.m. EMU Pink Zone t-shirts will be available for $10 and a silent auction of EMU memorabilia and apparel will be held with all proceeds benefiting the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund. Cash donations will also be accepted at a donation table located outside of section 101. For tickets, call 734.487.2282.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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