Eastern Michigan Athletics
Sunday, February 2
Convocation Center
2 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
12-8 (2-7MAC)
65
vs
71
Miami
7-13 (3-6MAC)
1
2
F
Miami
27
44
71
Eastern Michigan
23
42
65
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Eagles Suffer Super Bowl Sunday Setback at Hands of the RedHawks
2/2/2014 4:16:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Miami sneaks past EMU, 71-65, at the Convocation Center, Feb. 2
Postgame Audio.
Re-Watch the Game.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team dropped its fifth-straight contest as the Eagles fell, 71-65, to the Miami University RedHawks, Sunday, Feb. 2 in a Mid-American Conference matchup. EMU falls to 12-8 overall on the season and 2-7 in the conference. Meanwhile, Miami improves to 7-13 and 3-6 in league play.
Freshman Cha Sweeney (Toledo, Ohio-Rogers) led all scoring for the second-straight contest as she notched 24 points on the night, while Natachia Watkins (North Euclid, Ohio-Brush) added 12 to the points to the Eagle effort. Watkins picked up her second double-double of the season as she pulled down 11 rebounds to go along with her 12 points. Senior Desyree Thomas (Waterford, Mich.-Mott) contributed seven points and passed out five helpers on the day, while Janay Morton (Brooklyn Park, Minn.-Osseo) notched six points.
Eastern recorded 18 steals on the day and forced 21 miscues while only giving up four steals and nine turnovers as the team tallied 12 fastbreak points and 17 points off of turnovers. The Eagles shot 35.2 percent (25-of-71) from the floor, while Miami used a 43.1 shooting percentage (25-of-58) to propel it to victory. MU found success beyond the arc, sinking 10-of-25 attempts. The RedHawks were led by Jillian Spurlock who scored 19 of her 20 points in the second half, while Hannah McCue recorded a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Two other Miami players had double-digit scoring as Kelsey Simon had 13 points and Hannah Robertson contributed 11 points.
Miami was the first to open up scoring a minute and a half into the contest with a three-pointer from Hannah Robinson before Kelsey Simon made an easy layup under the basket to extend the RedHawk lead to 5-0. Eastern had a hard time finding its offensive groove as it went 0-for-3 to start the contest, but a fastbreak jumper from Watkins put the Green and White on the board and sent EMU on a 6-0 run to take its first lead of the half.
A Sweeney shot from beyond the arc knotted the game at 9-9 with just over 13 minutes left to play as neither team would find a basket until the Toldeo, Ohio native drove down the middle of the lane, sinking the fastbreak layup and allowing Eastern to take the 11-9 lead into the second media timeout of the half.
The game continued to go back-and-forth between the two squads as neither team could seem to get an edge over the other in the low scoring affair. The RedHawks closed out the half on a 12-2 run over the Eagles, allowing them to take a 27-23 lead into the locker room.
Watkins led the Green and White in the first half as she tallied six points and pulled down a game leading seven rebounds, while Sweeney and Thomas each added five points to the EMU scoring effort. Hannah McCue led all scorers as she notched ten points in the first 20 minutes, while Simon added six points for the RedHawks. Eastern forced 10 turnovers in the first half and tallied nine steals, while committing just five turnovers of its own.
The Eagles were unable to gain any ground on Miami to open up the second half of play as Jillian Spurlock added her first 10 points of the game in a four-minute span allowing the RedHawks to keep a slight six-point advantage over Eastern.
The Green and White silenced the Miami scoring as it went on a 9-2 run of its own heading into the first media timeout of the half. Olivia Fouty (Toledo, Ohio-Northview Sylvania) converted on two free throws before Watkins notched a point in the paint. Sweeney swiped the ball for a fastbreak layup and brought the Eagles within three of the RedHawks when she drained a shot from beyond the arc with 12:14 remaining in the contest.
With just under eight minutes to play, EMU began to chip away at the Miami lead as Sweeney notched five points and Jamaica Bucknor (New Haven. Conn.-Weaver (ASA College)) had a fast break layup to bring Eastern within one of the RedHawks. However, Miami drained back-to-back threes to go up by seven and forced EMU Head Coach Tory Verdi to call a timeout to regroup his team with just over six minutes to play.
After a two-minute scoring drought, Watkins found a short jumper to bring the Eagles within six as the team trailed, 59-53, with 3:13 left in the final half. Despite a final five quick points from Sweeney, Eastern was unable to close the gap on Miami as the RedHawks came away with a 71-65 victory.
The Eagles will be back in action Thursday, Feb 6 as they take on Kent State in a conference matchup at the Convocation Center. Game time is slated for 7 p.m. and will be televised on Time Warner Cable.
Re-Watch the Game.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team dropped its fifth-straight contest as the Eagles fell, 71-65, to the Miami University RedHawks, Sunday, Feb. 2 in a Mid-American Conference matchup. EMU falls to 12-8 overall on the season and 2-7 in the conference. Meanwhile, Miami improves to 7-13 and 3-6 in league play.
Freshman Cha Sweeney (Toledo, Ohio-Rogers) led all scoring for the second-straight contest as she notched 24 points on the night, while Natachia Watkins (North Euclid, Ohio-Brush) added 12 to the points to the Eagle effort. Watkins picked up her second double-double of the season as she pulled down 11 rebounds to go along with her 12 points. Senior Desyree Thomas (Waterford, Mich.-Mott) contributed seven points and passed out five helpers on the day, while Janay Morton (Brooklyn Park, Minn.-Osseo) notched six points.
Eastern recorded 18 steals on the day and forced 21 miscues while only giving up four steals and nine turnovers as the team tallied 12 fastbreak points and 17 points off of turnovers. The Eagles shot 35.2 percent (25-of-71) from the floor, while Miami used a 43.1 shooting percentage (25-of-58) to propel it to victory. MU found success beyond the arc, sinking 10-of-25 attempts. The RedHawks were led by Jillian Spurlock who scored 19 of her 20 points in the second half, while Hannah McCue recorded a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Two other Miami players had double-digit scoring as Kelsey Simon had 13 points and Hannah Robertson contributed 11 points.
Miami was the first to open up scoring a minute and a half into the contest with a three-pointer from Hannah Robinson before Kelsey Simon made an easy layup under the basket to extend the RedHawk lead to 5-0. Eastern had a hard time finding its offensive groove as it went 0-for-3 to start the contest, but a fastbreak jumper from Watkins put the Green and White on the board and sent EMU on a 6-0 run to take its first lead of the half.
A Sweeney shot from beyond the arc knotted the game at 9-9 with just over 13 minutes left to play as neither team would find a basket until the Toldeo, Ohio native drove down the middle of the lane, sinking the fastbreak layup and allowing Eastern to take the 11-9 lead into the second media timeout of the half.
The game continued to go back-and-forth between the two squads as neither team could seem to get an edge over the other in the low scoring affair. The RedHawks closed out the half on a 12-2 run over the Eagles, allowing them to take a 27-23 lead into the locker room.
Watkins led the Green and White in the first half as she tallied six points and pulled down a game leading seven rebounds, while Sweeney and Thomas each added five points to the EMU scoring effort. Hannah McCue led all scorers as she notched ten points in the first 20 minutes, while Simon added six points for the RedHawks. Eastern forced 10 turnovers in the first half and tallied nine steals, while committing just five turnovers of its own.
The Eagles were unable to gain any ground on Miami to open up the second half of play as Jillian Spurlock added her first 10 points of the game in a four-minute span allowing the RedHawks to keep a slight six-point advantage over Eastern.
The Green and White silenced the Miami scoring as it went on a 9-2 run of its own heading into the first media timeout of the half. Olivia Fouty (Toledo, Ohio-Northview Sylvania) converted on two free throws before Watkins notched a point in the paint. Sweeney swiped the ball for a fastbreak layup and brought the Eagles within three of the RedHawks when she drained a shot from beyond the arc with 12:14 remaining in the contest.
With just under eight minutes to play, EMU began to chip away at the Miami lead as Sweeney notched five points and Jamaica Bucknor (New Haven. Conn.-Weaver (ASA College)) had a fast break layup to bring Eastern within one of the RedHawks. However, Miami drained back-to-back threes to go up by seven and forced EMU Head Coach Tory Verdi to call a timeout to regroup his team with just over six minutes to play.
After a two-minute scoring drought, Watkins found a short jumper to bring the Eagles within six as the team trailed, 59-53, with 3:13 left in the final half. Despite a final five quick points from Sweeney, Eastern was unable to close the gap on Miami as the RedHawks came away with a 71-65 victory.
The Eagles will be back in action Thursday, Feb 6 as they take on Kent State in a conference matchup at the Convocation Center. Game time is slated for 7 p.m. and will be televised on Time Warner Cable.
Team Stats
MIAMI
EMU
FG%
.431
.352
3FG%
.400
.348
FT%
.688
.438
RB
51
36
TO
21
9
STL
4
18
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
24
FGM
9
3FGM
4
FTM
2
Pts
12
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
6
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Women's Basketball Practice Highlights Week of Aug. 4, 2025
Sunday, August 10
Inaugural Bowling with the Eagles Event
Friday, August 08
Women's Basketball Practice Highlights Week of July 28, 2025
Friday, August 08
2025 Women's Basketball Alumni Panel
Wednesday, July 30