Sweeney Sets EMU Freshman Scoring Record as Eagles Come Up Short at WMU

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KALAMAZOO, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team fell to Western Michigan University, 81-72, in a Mid-American Conference contest Wednesday, Feb. 26, at University Arena.

With the loss Eastern falls to 15-11 overall on the season and 5-10 in the MAC. Meanwhile, Western improves to 12-14 overall and 8-7 in conference play.

Freshman Cha Sweeney (Toldeo, Ohio-Rogers) was the story of the night for Eastern, scoring a career-high 33 points, which allowed the Toledo, Ohio native to surpass Tavelyn James as the all-time freshman-scoring leader. Sweeney's 33 points in the contest puts her a 432 career points, blasting James' record of 426 points in her first season as an Eagle. Sweeney is now just the third EMU freshman to surpass the 400-point scoring margin as she joins James and Ryan Coleman on the coveted list.

Sweeney led all scoring in the contest with her 33 total points, while senior Natachia Watkins (South Euclid, Ohio-Brush) notched 12 points on the night, putting her just four points shy of her 1,000th career point. Olivia Fouty (Toledo, Ohio-Sylvania Northview) also added 12 points to the EMU scoring effort while pulling down a team-high seven rebounds for the Green and White.

Eastern Michigan shot just 36.3 percent from the floor, while the Broncos shot at a 47.5 percent clip to grab the victory. The Eagles forced 18 WMU turnovers and swiped 13 steals, while Western was able to force only seven EMU miscues and five steals.

Marquisha Harris and Miracle Woods led the Bronco scoring effort, tallying 28 and 22 points, respectively. Woods and Michelle O'Brien each notched double-doubles for Western as Woods pulled down a 13 boards and O'Brien grabbed 12 rebounds.

After netting the first points of the game, the Eagles struggled to get on the board shooting just 20 percent (3-for-15) with 12:19 remaining in the first half.

Western continued to build on its lead, going on a 12-point scoring run as the Green and White saw a five-minute scoring drought before Sweeney became just the third EMU freshman to score over 400 points in her career with an easy jumper.

Fouty went on a scoring run of her own for Eastern, scoring EMU's next nine points, while the Broncos continued to find luck under the basket to maintain the 28-17 lead heading into the third media timeout of the half.

Eastern started to find its groove offensively when Sweeney and Watkins combined for the Eagle's next 11 points to bring the Green and White within two of WMU with just 2:06 left to play in the first half.

A foul with less than one minute to play in the first half charged against Western Michigan sent Janay Morton (Brooklyn Park, Minn.-Osseo) to the charity stripe where she drained both her shots to knot the score at 30-30. A Fouty steal got the ball back in Eastern's hands but the Eagles were unable to score, heading to the locker room at a deadlock with the Broncos.

Fouty and Sweety propelled the Eagle offense in the first half, each notching nine points, while Fouty pulled down a team-high six rebounds. The Green and White shot at a 31.0 percent clip, going 13-for-42 from the floor, while Western used a 37.5 shooting percentage in the first half of action led by Harris who netted 11 points.

Woods and Harris came out hot in the second half, netting six points apiece to give the Broncos the 42-36 going into the first media timeout. The two continued their terror inside the paint, notching six more combined points to extend the WMU lead to 48-38, forcing Head Coach Tory Verdi to call a timeout.

The Eagles started to inch their way back when they went on a 6-2 run to come within four of Western, but two free throws and a fastbreak layup increased the Bronco lead to 57-46 before a quick three baskets allowed WMU to take an 11-point lead into a third media timeout.

Each time Eastern started to chip away at the Western lead, the Broncos answered back, maintaining a 68-61 lead with just over three minutes to play as Harris and Woods combined for 30 second half points.

The Eagles were forced to foul with one minute remaining in the second half when Harris missed both of her free throws allowing Sweeney to score a quick layup off the in-bound play before Verdi called his final timeout with EMU trailing 71-65 with just over 55 seconds left in the contest.

A free throw from Sweeney with just 35 seconds left in the contest allowed the freshman to tie the all-time freshman-scoring leader Tavelyn James with 426 points in her first season donning the Green and White. The Toledo, Ohio native broke James' record just seconds later with a fastbreak layup, notching her 29^th point of the contest.

Sweeney closed out the game scoring 14 straight points for the Eagles but her lone effort was not enough as EMU fell 81-72 to the Western Michigan Broncos.

The Eagles will be back in action Sunday, March 2 when they look to avenge their 77-54 loss against the Huskies of Northern Illinois inside the Convocation Center. Tip off is slated for 2 p.m.

Sweeney Sets EMU Freshman Scoring Record as Eagles Come Up Short at WMU

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Team Stats

Cha Sweeney

Olivia Fouty

Natachia Watkins

Sara Stone

Eastern Michigan Athletics