Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, February 26
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
3 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
67
at
68
Central Michigan
Photo by: Scott W. Grau/Icon SMI
Late-Game Heroics by CMU Sink EMU, 68-67
2/26/2011 6:48:38 PM | Women's Basketball
Kaihla Szunka connects on the game-winner with 11.9 seconds to play
Box score.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – With the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team holding a slim one-point lead with 11 seconds to play, Central Michigan University's Kaihla Szunko drained a jumper in the lane to lift the Chippewas past the Eagles, 68-67, Saturday, Feb. 26, in a Mid-American Conference West Division tilt here at McGuirk Arena.
Eastern Michigan had a chance for the win on the ensuing possession, but turned the ball over at midcourt to give CMU the ball back with less than a second remaining in regulation.
With the loss, the Green and White slip to 9-6 in the league and 18-11 on the season. Meanwhile, Central Michigan moved to 19-8 overall and clinched the second-seed in the MAC West Division with an 11-4 mark. It also gives CMU a first round bye in the upcoming MAC Tournament. The Eagles still have a shot for a bye, but would need to win its regular season finale and have Kent State University also lose on Wednesday, March 2, against the University of Akron.
Foul trouble plagued the Eagles with both Cassie Schrock (Wadsworth,Ohio-Wadsworth) and Paige Redditt (Kansas City, Mo.-Belton) fouling out late in the contest. Tavelyn James (Detroit, Mich.- Mumford) led all scorers with 24 points on 10-of-20 shooting, as Sydney Huntley (Cincinnati, Ohio-Purcell Marian) finished with 21 points.
Four Chippewas reached double figured in points, led by Shonda Long's 23 points. Freshman Taylor Johnson had 16 points and eight caroms before fouling out, to go along with 10 from Szunko and Brandie Baker.
For the contest, EMU shot 44.8 percent (26-of-68) from the field and grabbed 45 rebounds. The Eagles again struggled from the free throw line, making just eight of 16 attempts. CMU, the nation's third-most prolific offense, was limited to just 25-of-73 shooting for a 34.2 percent clip and 10-of-32 from long-range.
After a 40 minute delay to start the contest due to clock malfunctions, the decision was made to play without a shot clock viewable inside the arena. The public address announcer instead counted down the 30 second possession clock in five second increments until it reached zero.
Eastern again got out to the quick start with a 7-2 edge following a three-pointer from James with 16:47 left in the period. The Chippewas missed their first six shots from beyond the arc before Long connect on a triple to cut the edge to 13-11. The three point barrage continued for CMU, pulling the Maroon and Gold on top, 25-23, with 7:23 showing.
Unphased, the Eagle offense responded with a 13-3 run of their own over the next 4:20 to retake the advantage at 36-28. Eastern would head into the lockerroom at the half with a seven point cushion at 38-31. For the period, EMU shot 45.7 percent (16-of-35) to just 30.0 percent (12-of-40) clip for CMU.
After CMU cut the edge to just two following the intermission, James hit a fast-break runner in the lane and a three in the far corner to push it to 43-36. Another defensive stop gave the rock back to Eastern with James finding Redditt in the low-post for the layup and the foul for EMU's biggest lead of the game at nine points, 45-36, with 15:58 still showing.
The potent CMU offense answered with a 10-2 run of its own to slice the margin to one, 47-56, on a Jalisa Olive steal and breakaway from the hoop.
With foul trouble mounting for Eastern and the contest deadlocked at 50, James took control with a pair of layup at the 8:02 mark to give the lead back to the Green and White. Huntley got in on the action with a basket and the quick foul to get the cushion back to six, 58-52. On the play CMU's Johnson fouled out to shorten an already limited bench.
Three pointers continued to fall for both sides with James draining a shot from long-range to make it 67-62 at the 4:13 mark. However, the EMU offense would go silent the rest of the way, allowing CMU to go on a 6-0 run to capture the victory.
Eastern Michigan returns home Wednesday, March 2, to close out the regular season versus Western Michigan University at 7 p.m. in the Convocation Center. The March 2 contest at the Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, Mich. marks the 69th meeting between the Western Michigan Broncos and Eastern Michigan Eagles, who first played during the 1976-77 season. Prior to the game, the Eagles will honor seniors Sydney Huntley, Tara Johnson, Cassie Schrock, Raina Spencer, Kristin Thomas and De'Ja Wills.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – With the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team holding a slim one-point lead with 11 seconds to play, Central Michigan University's Kaihla Szunko drained a jumper in the lane to lift the Chippewas past the Eagles, 68-67, Saturday, Feb. 26, in a Mid-American Conference West Division tilt here at McGuirk Arena.
Eastern Michigan had a chance for the win on the ensuing possession, but turned the ball over at midcourt to give CMU the ball back with less than a second remaining in regulation.
With the loss, the Green and White slip to 9-6 in the league and 18-11 on the season. Meanwhile, Central Michigan moved to 19-8 overall and clinched the second-seed in the MAC West Division with an 11-4 mark. It also gives CMU a first round bye in the upcoming MAC Tournament. The Eagles still have a shot for a bye, but would need to win its regular season finale and have Kent State University also lose on Wednesday, March 2, against the University of Akron.
Foul trouble plagued the Eagles with both Cassie Schrock (Wadsworth,Ohio-Wadsworth) and Paige Redditt (Kansas City, Mo.-Belton) fouling out late in the contest. Tavelyn James (Detroit, Mich.- Mumford) led all scorers with 24 points on 10-of-20 shooting, as Sydney Huntley (Cincinnati, Ohio-Purcell Marian) finished with 21 points.
Four Chippewas reached double figured in points, led by Shonda Long's 23 points. Freshman Taylor Johnson had 16 points and eight caroms before fouling out, to go along with 10 from Szunko and Brandie Baker.
For the contest, EMU shot 44.8 percent (26-of-68) from the field and grabbed 45 rebounds. The Eagles again struggled from the free throw line, making just eight of 16 attempts. CMU, the nation's third-most prolific offense, was limited to just 25-of-73 shooting for a 34.2 percent clip and 10-of-32 from long-range.
After a 40 minute delay to start the contest due to clock malfunctions, the decision was made to play without a shot clock viewable inside the arena. The public address announcer instead counted down the 30 second possession clock in five second increments until it reached zero.
Eastern again got out to the quick start with a 7-2 edge following a three-pointer from James with 16:47 left in the period. The Chippewas missed their first six shots from beyond the arc before Long connect on a triple to cut the edge to 13-11. The three point barrage continued for CMU, pulling the Maroon and Gold on top, 25-23, with 7:23 showing.
Unphased, the Eagle offense responded with a 13-3 run of their own over the next 4:20 to retake the advantage at 36-28. Eastern would head into the lockerroom at the half with a seven point cushion at 38-31. For the period, EMU shot 45.7 percent (16-of-35) to just 30.0 percent (12-of-40) clip for CMU.
After CMU cut the edge to just two following the intermission, James hit a fast-break runner in the lane and a three in the far corner to push it to 43-36. Another defensive stop gave the rock back to Eastern with James finding Redditt in the low-post for the layup and the foul for EMU's biggest lead of the game at nine points, 45-36, with 15:58 still showing.
The potent CMU offense answered with a 10-2 run of its own to slice the margin to one, 47-56, on a Jalisa Olive steal and breakaway from the hoop.
With foul trouble mounting for Eastern and the contest deadlocked at 50, James took control with a pair of layup at the 8:02 mark to give the lead back to the Green and White. Huntley got in on the action with a basket and the quick foul to get the cushion back to six, 58-52. On the play CMU's Johnson fouled out to shorten an already limited bench.
Three pointers continued to fall for both sides with James draining a shot from long-range to make it 67-62 at the 4:13 mark. However, the EMU offense would go silent the rest of the way, allowing CMU to go on a 6-0 run to capture the victory.
Eastern Michigan returns home Wednesday, March 2, to close out the regular season versus Western Michigan University at 7 p.m. in the Convocation Center. The March 2 contest at the Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, Mich. marks the 69th meeting between the Western Michigan Broncos and Eastern Michigan Eagles, who first played during the 1976-77 season. Prior to the game, the Eagles will honor seniors Sydney Huntley, Tara Johnson, Cassie Schrock, Raina Spencer, Kristin Thomas and De'Ja Wills.
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