Eagles Drop Heartbreaker to Seattle University

SEATTLE, Wash. (EMUEagles.com) — Last second free throws pushed the contest just out of reach for the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team in the championship game of the Washington Dental Service Holiday Hoops Classic, as they dropped a closely fought, 75-72, battle here to host Seattle University at KeyArena this afternoon.

Senior guard Tavelyn James (Detroit, Mich.-Mumford) was selected to the All-Tournament team alongside Seattle's Kacie Sowell, Saint Louis' Jacy Bradley, Saint Francis' Alli Williams and Tournament Most Valuable Player, Seattle's Talisa Rea.

The Eagles held a two-point lead over Seattle with just 34.1 seconds remaining in the game, but a foul on Seattle's Ashley Ward granted her the opportunity to give her team the lead on three shots from the charity stripe. She successfully converted on all three attempts to give the Redhawks a one-point advantage. That would be all the home team needed, as they would close out the contest, 75-72.

The Eagles (7-5) shot 42.7 percent (32-of-75) compared to the Redhawks' 55.6 (25-of-45) effort from the floor. EMU did not sink a single three-point attempt, while Seattle connected on 9-of-19 (47.4 percent) from long range.

Natachia Watkins (South Euclid, Ohio-Brush) drained a career-best 11 field goal attempts to lead the Eagles with a 22-point performance. Olivia Fouty (Toledo, Ohio-Sylvania Northview) chipped in with 18 points and seven boards, while James tallied 12 points for the Eagles. Desyree Thomas (Waterford, Mich.-Mott) snagged a career-high 12 boards and dished out seven assists while swiping the ball five times.

After winning the opening tip, the Eagles' offense surged to 10 unanswered points to start the contest, ignited by a quick bucket by James in the first six seconds of the game. A layup by Thomas and a pair of free throws from Fouty and Paige Redditt (Kansas City, Mo.-Belton) made it 8-0 in favor of the Green and White. James pushed the Eagles ahead 10-0 after laying one off the glass, but the Redhawks would respond with a 7-0 run of their own to close the gap to three.

An idle EMU offense through the next two minutes of play allowed Seattle University to build a one-point lead mid-way through the half., the Eagles finally found the bottom of the net on a hard fought bucket by Redditt in the post to set the score at 16-15 in favor of EMU.

From there, both teams fought in what would turn out to be a true seesaw battle, as they sought to claim a lead that changed seven times throughout the first 20 minutes of play. The Redhawks would eventually take advantage of Eagle foul trouble and turnovers in the waning minutes of the half to pull ahead by four heading into the locker room.

Seattle clung its lead throughout the first 10 minutes of the second half, but the Eagles would claw back to within two at the 9:55 mark thanks to a perfectly executed pass by Thomas over a Redhawk defender that found James on the fast break. Back-to-back buckets by Fouty would give the Eagles their first lead since the 8:02 mark in the first half, and another two points from James pushed the Green and White ahead by four.

Seattle's Rhea would tie the score for the fifth time in the contest with 3:45 remaining on a long range bucket beyond the arc, however a Thomas jumper on the other end would shift the lead in the Eagles' favor. The Redhawks evened it up once again on two free throws with just over a minute of play remaining, but once more with 56 ticks left on the clock.

Seattle's Ward drained her three free throws and another two points by Sylvia Shephard would finalized the score at 75-72.

The Eagles will return to action on Jan. 2 at the Convocation Center when they host Wyoming. Tip is slated for 2 p.m.

All-Tournament Team:
MVP - Kacie Sowell, Seattle U
Talisa Rhea, Seattle U
Tavelyn James, Eastern Michigan
Jacy Bradley, Saint Louis
Alli Williams, Saint Francis

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Team Stats

Natachia Watkins

Olivia Fouty

Tavelyn James

Paige Redditt

Eastern Michigan Athletics