EMU High-Octane Offense Rolls In 91-46 Win

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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team raced out to a big first-half lead and never looked back in a 91-46 win over the University of Akron here Saturday, Jan. 28, in a Mid-American Conference cross-divisional game in the Convocation Center.

Head Coach AnnMarie Gilbert's Eagles, now 14-7 overall and 6-2 in league action, scored 51 first-half points while holding the visitors to just 19. The Eagles would also win the battle of the second half, 40-27, to record the win.

Eastern had three players in double-figure scoring and two with double-double scoring-rebounding efforts. Senior guard Tavelyn James (Detroit, Mich.-Mumford) led the way with 31 points while sophomore forward Natachia Watkins (South Euclid, Ohio-Brush) turned in the first double-double of her career with 26 points and a career-best 13 rebounds. Senior forward Paige Redditt (Kansas City, Mo.-Belton) also had a double-double, her fifth of the season, with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Akron, now 9-13 overall and 3-5 in league play, was led by Carly Young with nine while Candace Martino added eight.

Eastern would finish the game shooting 44.7 percent from the field, making 38-of-85 attempts while also recording a 59-34 advantage on the boards. Akron would be held to just 24.5 percent, making only 13-of-53 shots. The Zips also turned it over a whopping 27 times.

The Eagles' high-octane offense started the game with a flurry of buckets to take an early 15-4 lead in the first six minutes and freshman guard Iesha Collins (Chicago, Ill.-Bogan) made it 17-4 on a steal at mid court followed by a twisting layup at the 12:40 mark.

Eastern would go on to its biggest lead of the half at 35 points, 51-16, with 1:06 left and the half would close with the home team up by a 51-19 count.

James and Watkins paced the Eagles in the first half with 21 and 14 points respectively. Eastern shot 50 percent in the half, making 22-of-44 attempts while also connecting on 4-of-9 triples for 42.9 percent from beyond the arc.

Akron made just 5-of-30 field-goal attempts and committed 14 turnovers over the first 20 minutes.

The Eagles kept its offensive surge going in the second half, keeping the lead in the 30 points or more through the final 20 minutes on the way to the 45-point victory.

Eastern will now hit the road for Athens, Ohio Wednesday, Feb. 1, to take on the Ohio University Bobcats in a 7 p.m. game.

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Team Stats

Tavelyn James

Natachia Watkins

Paige Redditt

Olivia Fouty

Eastern Michigan Athletics