Eastern Michigan Athletics
Sunday, December 30
New Orleans, La.
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
2-10
58
vs
61
Mississippi
7-6
1
2
F
Ole Miss
35
26
61
Eastern Michigan
31
27
58
Photo by: Walt Middleton Photography
Rebels Outlast Eastern, 61-58, at DoubleTree Classic
12/30/2012 4:17:00 PM | Women's Basketball
After outshooting Ole Miss, EMU fell in its second game of the tournament
NEW ORLEANS, La. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team fell in its second straight at the 2012 Tulane DoubleTree Classic Sunday, Dec. 30. The Eagles fell, 61-58, at Devlin Fieldhouse to Southeastern Conference foe the University of Mississippi.
Eastern (2-10) was led offensively by Taylor Bird (Lawrence, Kan.-Lawrence) who posted a career-best 11 points and Desyree Thomas (Waterford, Mich.-Mott) who tied her season-best with 10. Sara Stone (Plymouth, Mich.-Salem) had a career day by posting nine points and nine rebounds, both of which are career-highs. Natachia Watkins (South Euclid, Ohio-Brush) notched nine points and six assists, while India Hairston (Flint, Mich.-Hamady) had six points and nine rebounds. From the floor, EMU shot 24-of-64 (37.5 percent) and 4-of-14 (28.6 percent) from beyond the arc.
For the Rebels (7-6) Valencia McFarland led the way with a team-high 16 points and eight rebounds. Kenyotta Jenkins posted 14 points and eight boards, while Diara Moore also had 10 points. Ole Miss shot 16-of-51 (31.4 percent) in field goal attempts, while hitting 5-of-16 (31.3 percent) from three-point land.
After Ole Miss opened up the scoring on a pair of free throws, but the Eagles came back to score four-straight giving them a quick 4-2, lead. After Jenkins knocked down a layup, Thomas gave EMU the lead back with a fastbreak bucket on the next possession.
Eastern pushed the tempo, using a 10-5 run to snag a nine point, 18-9, lead at the 11:37 mark in the first half. The Eagles continue to play up-tempo at both ends of the floor extending their lead to double-digits, 23-11 with just under 10 minutes to play in the half. However, the Rebels pushed back with five-straight points to cut EMU's lead to seven, 23-16.
The Rebels saw an opening and after trailing 28-18, went on a 13-0 run to take their first lead, 31-28, since they were up 2-0 in the early going. Watkins responded with EMU's first bucket since near the six minute mark with a three-ball at the 1:37 mark, ending an almost six minute scoring drought. However, Ole Miss capped the half with the final four points, making it 35-31 heading into the locker room.
Watkins paced the Eagles in the first half with eight points, while Stone poured in seven first half. Hairston and Bird each notched six points. Hairston also pulled down a team-high six rebounds and Stone had five caroms in the first half. Watkins posted five assists in the first 20 minutes of play. As a team, EMU shot 12-of-34 (35.3 percent) from the floor, while hitting 3-of-6 (50.0 percent) from the three-point line.
Despite trailing at the half, EMU held the Rebels to just 9-of-29 (31.0 percent) shooting, and 3-of-9 (33.3 percent) from beyond the arc. The difference in the score was found in Ole Miss' free-throw shooting. The Rebels went 14-of-18 (77.8 percent) from the charity stripe.
Thomas opened up the scoring in the second half with six-straight points to give EMU a quick 37-35 lead with just under 18 minutes left in the game. The Eagles and Rebels started to trade buckets keeping the game close, 41-40, in favor of Ole Miss at the first timeout of the second half.
With the last bucket coming at the 15:10 mark, Eastern broke the scoring drought for both teams with 11:40 left in the game on a layup from Chelsea Hite (Ligonier, Ind.-West Noble) that gave the Eagles a 44-43 edge. Ole Miss did not go away without a fight, the Rebels continued to claw against EMU re-taking the lead, 56-53, with just over five minutes remaining in the contest.
McFarland hit a jumper in the lane with 1:52 on the clock to put the Rebels up five, but Stone responded with a bucket of her own, to keep it a one possession game, 61-58, with just over a minute left in the game. Miranda Tate (Bolingbrook, Ill.-Bolingbrook) put up a last second three-point shot but it fell short and the Eagles dropped 61-58 decision.
The Eagles return home for their next contest Saturday, Jan. 5, when they play host to the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers. It will be Eastern's last non-conference game before opening Mid-American Conference play. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Convocation Center.
Eastern (2-10) was led offensively by Taylor Bird (Lawrence, Kan.-Lawrence) who posted a career-best 11 points and Desyree Thomas (Waterford, Mich.-Mott) who tied her season-best with 10. Sara Stone (Plymouth, Mich.-Salem) had a career day by posting nine points and nine rebounds, both of which are career-highs. Natachia Watkins (South Euclid, Ohio-Brush) notched nine points and six assists, while India Hairston (Flint, Mich.-Hamady) had six points and nine rebounds. From the floor, EMU shot 24-of-64 (37.5 percent) and 4-of-14 (28.6 percent) from beyond the arc.
For the Rebels (7-6) Valencia McFarland led the way with a team-high 16 points and eight rebounds. Kenyotta Jenkins posted 14 points and eight boards, while Diara Moore also had 10 points. Ole Miss shot 16-of-51 (31.4 percent) in field goal attempts, while hitting 5-of-16 (31.3 percent) from three-point land.
After Ole Miss opened up the scoring on a pair of free throws, but the Eagles came back to score four-straight giving them a quick 4-2, lead. After Jenkins knocked down a layup, Thomas gave EMU the lead back with a fastbreak bucket on the next possession.
Eastern pushed the tempo, using a 10-5 run to snag a nine point, 18-9, lead at the 11:37 mark in the first half. The Eagles continue to play up-tempo at both ends of the floor extending their lead to double-digits, 23-11 with just under 10 minutes to play in the half. However, the Rebels pushed back with five-straight points to cut EMU's lead to seven, 23-16.
The Rebels saw an opening and after trailing 28-18, went on a 13-0 run to take their first lead, 31-28, since they were up 2-0 in the early going. Watkins responded with EMU's first bucket since near the six minute mark with a three-ball at the 1:37 mark, ending an almost six minute scoring drought. However, Ole Miss capped the half with the final four points, making it 35-31 heading into the locker room.
Watkins paced the Eagles in the first half with eight points, while Stone poured in seven first half. Hairston and Bird each notched six points. Hairston also pulled down a team-high six rebounds and Stone had five caroms in the first half. Watkins posted five assists in the first 20 minutes of play. As a team, EMU shot 12-of-34 (35.3 percent) from the floor, while hitting 3-of-6 (50.0 percent) from the three-point line.
Despite trailing at the half, EMU held the Rebels to just 9-of-29 (31.0 percent) shooting, and 3-of-9 (33.3 percent) from beyond the arc. The difference in the score was found in Ole Miss' free-throw shooting. The Rebels went 14-of-18 (77.8 percent) from the charity stripe.
Thomas opened up the scoring in the second half with six-straight points to give EMU a quick 37-35 lead with just under 18 minutes left in the game. The Eagles and Rebels started to trade buckets keeping the game close, 41-40, in favor of Ole Miss at the first timeout of the second half.
With the last bucket coming at the 15:10 mark, Eastern broke the scoring drought for both teams with 11:40 left in the game on a layup from Chelsea Hite (Ligonier, Ind.-West Noble) that gave the Eagles a 44-43 edge. Ole Miss did not go away without a fight, the Rebels continued to claw against EMU re-taking the lead, 56-53, with just over five minutes remaining in the contest.
McFarland hit a jumper in the lane with 1:52 on the clock to put the Rebels up five, but Stone responded with a bucket of her own, to keep it a one possession game, 61-58, with just over a minute left in the game. Miranda Tate (Bolingbrook, Ill.-Bolingbrook) put up a last second three-point shot but it fell short and the Eagles dropped 61-58 decision.
The Eagles return home for their next contest Saturday, Jan. 5, when they play host to the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers. It will be Eastern's last non-conference game before opening Mid-American Conference play. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Convocation Center.
Team Stats
UM
EMU
FG%
.314
.375
3FG%
.313
.286
FT%
.774
.545
RB
39
43
TO
18
19
STL
9
14
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
2
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