Eagles Unable to Hold Off Dynamic Akron Duo

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team fell in its Play4Kay cross-divisional tilt with the University of Akron, 101-79, Sunday, Jan. 26, at the Convocation Center. With the loss the Eagles fall to 12-6 overall and 2-5 in the Mid-American Conference, while Akron improves to 10-8 overall and 4-3 in conference play.

The Green and White had three players score in double digits as Cha Sweeney (Toledo, Ohio-Rogers) tied a career-best 25 points and netted a career-high four three-pointers. Olivia Fouty (Toldeo, Ohio-Sylvania Northview) added 17 points and Natachia Watkins (South Euclid, Ohio-Brush) had 10. Watkins powered EMU at the rim as she pulled down nine rebounds, seven of which were defensive. Jamaica Bucknor (New Haven, Conn.) grabbed eight rebounds for the Eagles, while Fouty added six. Eastern shot 36.0 percent from the floor and 87.5 percent from the free-throw line (7-of-8).

Rachel Tecca broke the EMU Convocation Center record for single-game point total with 43 on the day. It is the most points scored by any women's basketball player in Ypsilanti since Tavelyn James netted 40 points, Feb. 11, 2012. The mark is also the most points by an opponent since Ball State University's Tamara Bowie knocked down 40 points, Jan. 27, 2001. Tecca also now holds the Convocation Center record for rebounds as she pulled down 22, the most since Kristen Olowinski from Miami University grabbed 18, Feb. 10, 2010. The senior forward also tied the Convo record for defensive rebounds (16), matching Olowinski's output Feb 10, 2010. Hanna Luburgh also notched a double-double on the day as she netted 22 points and pulled down 12 rebounds.

Akron was the first to light up the scoreboard as Luburgh drained a three less than one minute into the contest. Eastern then went to work following a Tecca layup as its first 12 points of the game came off of shots from beyond the arc. Tecca did not allow the Zips' lead to diminish as she scored 10 of Akron's first 18 points, allowing the Zips to hold the 18-12 advantage heading into the first media timeout.

The Green and White looked to take the momentum from the Zips as it went on a 6-0 run when Watkins made a shot from the free throw line off the inbound before Bucknor notched back-to-back shots from the right corner of the court cutting the Akron lead to eight. Tecca and Luburgh brought the Zips' lead to 13 on back-to-back makes as Tecca scored from inside the paint and Luburgh found her second three of the game.

EMU and Akron traded baskets for the final eight minutes of the first half as neither team was able to get anything going against the other. The Zips headed into the locker room holding a 53-38 lead over the Eagles as they scored the final bucket of the half on a layup from Anita Brown.

The Eagles were led by Sweeney who notched 13 points, going 2-for-2 from beyond the arc, while Fouty added eight points. Tecca led all players in the first 20 minutes as she collected a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds for Akron, while Luburgh had 11 points and five rebounds. The two combined for 58.5 percent of the teams scoring and 53.1 percent of the team's rebounds going into the second half.

The second half started much like the first as Akron was the first to find a basket before Fouty found Watkins on a fastbreak layup and Sweeney connected on her third trey of the game. The Green and White continued to trail the Zips by 15 with 15:48 left to play as the teams started to exchange baskets once again.

EMU started to slow down Akron as Watkins and Fouty combined for two fastbreaks after a series of missed shots from the Zips, while Morton converted two shots from the charity stripe after she was fouled on the Eagles third straight fastbreak. A traveling call against Akron brought the Green and White within nine as Haley Moore (Milford, Neb.-Milford) netted a three off a pass from Desyree Thomas (Waterford, Mich.-Mott).

Akron went on a 14-7 run when Tecca and Luburgh combined for 14 straight points for the Zips, while Sweeney scored five points with her fourth three. Watkins added a jumper from the top of the key before Head Coach Tory Verdi called a timeout as the Eagles trailed by 16 with 8:59 remaining.

The Zips did not let up on its scoring over Eastern as it went up as many as 23 heading into the final four minutes of play as it converted on three free throws and three layups. A Bucknor fastbreak layup brought the Eagles within 19 of Akron, but Tecca rattled off six-straight points, including four free throws to increase the UA lead to 25.

Moore notched a three from the right corner and Sweeney tied her season-high 25 points when she stole the ball with just five seconds left to play and made a fastbreak layup but it was not enough as Akron recorded its 10th victory of the season with a 101-79 win over the Green and White.

The Eagles will be back in action Thursday, Jan. 30, when they hit the road for a conference tilt against Central Michigan University. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. at the McGuirk Arena.

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Team Stats

Cha Sweeney

Olivia Fouty

Natachia Watkins

Janay Morton

Eastern Michigan Athletics