Women's Hoops Drops Regular Season Finale, 63-56, to CMU

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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team fell, 63-56, in its final regular-season game to Central Michigan University, Wednesday evening, March 6, at the Convocation Center.

Wednesday's tilt was the final home game for seniors Taylor Bird (Lawrence, Kan.-Lawrence (JCCC)), India Hairston (Flint, Mich.-Hamady) and Chelsea Hite (Ligonier, Ind.- West Noble).

Eastern Michigan (8-21; 6-10 MAC), shooting 24-for-60 (40 percent), was led by junior Natachia Watkins(South Euclid, Ohio.-Brush) with 18 points. Hite chipped in 13 to tie a career- high and Desyree Thomas (Waterford, Mich.-Mott) added 12 points and five steals. Sara Stone (Plymouth, Mich.-Salem) grabbed 10 rebounds, while Hairston pulled down five off the glass.

Central (18-11; 12-4 MAC), shooting 21-for-57(36.8 percent), was led by Crystal Bradford, who notched a double-double with14 points and 17 boards.

The two teams traded buckets back and forth during the first six minutes of the game before Eastern Michigan put together a 7-2 run to pull ahead by six, 16-10, with 10:40 left. After trading baskets, the Chippewas put up eight unanswered points over the next 1:29 to take the lead, 20-18. A jumper by Thomas stopped the Chippewas' momentum and knotted the score at 20.

Central put up another five points before Hairston fired back with a bucket of her own. After alternating shots, Hite scored back-to-back baskets to pull the Eagles within two, 30-28, heading into the half.

Continuing her offensive surge of the first half, Watkins evened the score at 30 after grabbing the rebound off of a missed jumper. The Eagles took a one-point lead on a free throw by Stone, but Central responded and went up by six, 39-33, with 13:26 remaining in the game.

The Green and White would close the gap to two, 42-40, on a Watkins bucket, but the visitors would string together a 12-5 run over the next 4:48 to take a nine-point lead, 54-45, with 4:12 remaining. Thomas answered with back -to-back layups to pull within five, 54-49.

Buckets by Watkins, Thomas and Hite in the final minutes were not enough, as the Chippewas held onto the lead to take the seven-point win.

The Eagles will open up MAC tournament play Saturday, March 9, as they play host to No.9 Western Michigan University at 2:30 p.m. at the Convo.

2013 FirstEnergy Mid-American Conference Tournament

First Round - Saturday, March 9 - Campus Sites
Game 1 - No. 12 Kent State at No. 5 Bowling Green - 1 p.m.
Game 2 - No. 9 Western Michigan at No. 8 Eastern Michigan - 2:30 p.m.
Game 3 - No. 10 Northern Illinois at No. 7 Buffalo - 2 p.m.
Game 4 - No. 11 Ohio at No. 6 Miami - 2 p.m.

Second Round - Wednesday, March 13 - Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
Game 5 - Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner - Noon
Game 6 - Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner - 2:30 p.m.

Quarterfinal Round - Thursday, March 14 - Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
Game 7 - Game 5 Winner vs. No. 4 Central Michigan - Noon
Game 8 - Game 6 Winner vs. No. 3 Akron - 2:30 p.m.

Semifinal Round - Friday, March 15 - Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
Game 9 - Game 7 Winner vs. No. 1 Toledo - Noon (SportsTime Ohio)
Game 10 - Game 8 Winner vs. No. 2 Ball State - 2:30 p.m. (SportsTime Ohio)

Championship - Friday, March 15 - Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
Game 11 - Game 9 Winner vs. Game 10 winner - 1 p.m. (SportsTime Ohio)

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Team Stats

Natachia Watkins

Chelsea Hite

Desyree Thomas

India Hairston

Eastern Michigan Athletics