Sharpshooting Toledo Sinks Eastern Michigan

Postgame Audio.

TOLEDO, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team could not overcome the hot shooting of the University of Toledo, suffering an 88-52 setback to the Rockets Wednesday night, March 5, in a Mid-American Conference matchup at Savage Arena. Toledo made a season-best 12 three-pointers en route to a victory on the Rockets' Senior Night.

The outcome was not what the Eagles hoped for in the homecoming of redshirt-junior Olivia Fouty (Toledo, Ohio-Sylvania Northview), freshman Cha Sweeney (Toledo, Ohio-Rogers) and sophomore Kabria Walker (Toledo, Ohio-Rogers). Eastern falls to 16-12 (6-11 MAC) with the loss while Toledo improves to 14-14 (9-8 MAC).

Sweeney paced the EMU scoring with 23 points, tallying double digits for the 25th time in 28 games this season. Fellow classmate Janay Morton (Brooklyn Park, Minn.-Osseo) added 15 while Natachia Watkins (South Euclid, Ohio-Brush) pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds. The Green and White shot 19-of-69 (27.5 percent), including just 5-of-26 from the long line. One positive from the game was that the Eagles took care of the basketball, committing a season-low six turnovers.

Toledo was led in scoring by Inma Zanoguera who shot 7-of-10 from the floor for 20 points while grabbing 14 boards for a double-double. Seniors Brianna Jones followed with 17, and Janelle Reed-Lewis recorded 13 of her own. The Rockets shot 46 percent from the floor (29-of-63) in large part to 12-of-23 shooting from three (52.2 percent). UT also knocked down its free throws, going 18-of-23 from the charity stripe.

After Toledo struck first, the Green and White used a 7-2 run to take a three-point lead. It was only fitting that the first EMU bucket of the game was made my Sweeney, the Toledo, Ohio native as the all-time freshman leading scorer sank a jumper from just inside the three-point line. Morton added a triple and Heady followed with a deuce. However, the Rockets responded with a pair of old-fashioned three-point plays to take a 10-7 advantage with 13:53 remaining in the first half.

The Eagles struggled shooting the ball early, making just five of their first 25 shots, including 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. EMU answered with four straight points to regain the lead, but it did not last long as UT used an 11-0 run to suddenly go up double digits, 21-11, prompting Head Coach Tory Verdi to call timeout at the 8:52 mark of the opening half.

The Rockets escalated the scoring streak with six more points before Fouty, another Toledo native, ending the six-minute EMU dry spell with a good look down on the block. The Glass City natives continued to be sparks on the offensive side of the ball as two threes by Sweeney brought the difference back to 11. A Morton jumper took the deficit to single digits, 30-21, but UT increased its advantage to a dozen as the Eagles found themselves trailing 39-27 going into the locker room.

Two Eagles scored double figures in the first 20 minutes as the freshmen led the way with 21 of EMU's 27 points. Morton tallied 11 points off the bench while Sweeney added 10 as the Green and White shot 12-of-38 (31.6 percent) as a team from the field. Eastern did a good job limiting turnovers in the opening half, committing just two.

Toledo experienced well-rounded scoring in the first half as eight different Rockets earned points. UT shot 41.9 percent from the field (13-of-31), finding most of its success from long range. The Rockets drained 8-of-14 from beyond the arc for a 57.1 percent clip. The home team also shared the ball, recording 12 assists on its 13 buckets.

The Rockets came out on fire to start the second half, making eight of their first nine shots for a 19-6 run. Things continued to go against Eastern as Toledo knocked down a pair of prayers from long range as the shot clock expired.

Sweeney scored 13 of the Eagles' 25 second-half points to score over 20 points for the ninth time this season. Her former high school teammate, Walker, ended the contest on the floor for the Green and White.

The Eagles wrap up the 2013-14 regular season with a home contest against in-state rival Central Michigan University Saturday March 8. The regular season finale will be Senior Day at the Convocation Center as EMU will recognize the senior class of Fouty, Watkins, Sara Stone (Plymouth, Mich.-Salem) and Desryree Thomas (Waterford, Mich.-Mott). Tip off for the rivalry clash will be 2 p.m.

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Team Stats

Cha Sweeney

Janay Morton

Shannise Heady

Olivia Fouty

Eastern Michigan Athletics