EMU Women's Hoops Rallies Past Butler In Overtime, 81-76

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team kept an unblemished record as the Eagles defeated Butler in thrilling fashion with an 81-76 overtime victory at the Convocation Center Wednesday night, Nov. 13. With the win EMU improves to 2-0 overall on the season, while Butler falls to 1-1 overall.

The Green and White were led by freshman Janay Morton (Brooklyn Park, Minn.-Osseo) who netted a career-high 23 points, while Olivia Fouty (Toledo, Ohio-Sylvania Northeview) tied a career-best with 20 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for her second double-double in as many games. Desyree Thomas (Waterford, Mich.-Mott) had 12 points on the night, while Jamaica Bucknor (New Haven, Conn.-Weaver (ASA College)) contributed nine points and six rebounds for the EMU offense.

Eastern came away with the win despite shooting at a worse percentage than the Bulldogs. EMU shot 27-of-76 from the floor for a 35.5 percent clip while Butler made 40 percent of its shots (28-of-70). While BU doubled up the Eagles' points in the paint, 48-24, Eastern's bench out-scored the bench of Butler, 21-5.

The Eagles were a heavy threat on defense as they forced Butler to turn the ball over 21 times, including one 10-second violation in the back court. EMU notched 12 steals on the night as Fouty and Cha Sweeney (Toldeo, Ohio-Rogers) each contributed two to the effort.

Butler scored the first four points of the contest in a quick 30 seconds before the Eagles were able to convert on a pair of points after Fouty drew a foul under the basket and sunk her first free throws for the evening. On EMU's next trip down the court, Fouty was found behind the arc by Thomas to give the Green and White a 5-4 lead.

The Bulldogs were able to use the tall frames of their post players to score a handful of points in the paint, but the Green and White counteracted, utilizing its quickness to sink outside shots as a Morton three-pointer knotted up the contest, 10-10. The matchup continued to be a back-and-forth battle between EMU and Butler before the Bulldogs built a four-point advantage off of back-to-back baskets from Liz Stratman under the hoop with nine minutes remaining in the half.

A Fouty three put the Eagles within two points, still trailing, as the Bulldogs continued to find ways to increase their lead before Sweeney followed up with a triple of her own and Morton landed a free throw to tie the score at 25 points apiece. Fouty sunk her third three pointer to give the Eagles their first lead in five minutes as the score stood at 28-27.

The Green and White were able to force a pair of Bulldog turnovers while Natachia Watkins (South Euclid, Ohio-Brush) scored four-straight points for the squad. A pair of free throws by Morton extended the lead to six, the largest scoring margin for either team in the first half of the contest.

The first half closed out as Daress McClung dropped in an uncontested two-pointer, but the Eagles left the court with an advantage as the squad headed to the locker room with a 36-33 edge. Fouty led on the offensive front with 11 points in the half after shooting 3-of-4 in three-point field goals. She also pulled down three rebounds, tied for a team-high with Sweeney and Watkins. Eastern nabbed six steals from Butler, led by Sweeney with three grabs, while forcing an additional five turnovers. The duo of McClung and Stratman yielded the majority of the points for the Bulldogs as the pair combined for 28 points.

Eastern held a slight advantage until the 10:48 mark of the second half when a three-pointer from Taylor Schippers allowed Butler to take a 50-49 lead over the Eagles. The Green and White would go on a quick eight-point run as Bucknor made a short jumper outside the paint to give the Eagles a one-point advantage. A Haley Moore (Milford, Neb.-Milford) shot from beyond the arc and a Morton fast break layup that turned into a three-point play extended the Eastern lead to seven.

Butler would continue to fight its way back into the game as the Bulldogs would take another one point advantage on a Schippers three pointer, giving Butler the 60-59 lead going into the final media timeout of the contest. Fouty sunk her third three of the contest from deep in the corner with 2:33 left in the second half to knot the score at 64-64, but the tie would not last long as Butler would score on its next trip down the court to take a 67-64 advantage.

The Bulldogs would look to put the game away when Schippers connected on two free throws with 33 seconds left in the contest but after a timeout called by the Eagles, Morton would drain a three from way beyond the arc to knot the score at 69-69. Neither team was able to capitalize on its final second shots, sending the game into overtime.

Morton turned on the offense in the second half of play as she scored a team-high 13 points, while Bucknor added six and Fouty grabbed five rebounds for Eastern.

Much like regulation time, the contest would be a back-and-forth battle between the two squads as the overtime period saw two ties and four lead changes in the first three minutes. With both teams in double bonus, Fouty reached the foul line and knotted the score at 76-76 when she went 1-for-2 from the charity stripe. A Morton fast break layup off a defensive rebound from Fouty allowed the Green and White to take a 78-76 edge with just 27 seconds left to play.

Fouty tied her career-high 20 points when she had a second opportunity at the line to extend the Eagle lead to 79-76 with 19 seconds left. After two missed threes from Butler the Bulldogs were forced to foul with two seconds left of play as Thomas connected on two free throws to allow EMU to take a 81-76 victory.

Eastern Michigan will hit the road for the first time of the 2013-14 season, Sunday, Nov. 17 when it travels to Cleveland State for a 2 p.m. matchup against the Vikings.

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Team Stats

Janay Morton

Olivia Fouty

Desyree Thomas

Jamaica Bucknor

Eastern Michigan Athletics