Women's Basketball Tops Air Force, 72-59, Behind Balanced Scoring

USAF Academy, Colo. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team opened play at the Air Force Classic with a 72-59 win over the Falcons of the Air Force Academy (0-7), Friday, Dec. 4. The Eagles (4-1) overpowered the Falcons for three quarters before withstanding a late run to hold on for a 72-59 victory.

Junior Cha Sweeney (Toledo, Ohio-Rogers) led all scorers with 19 points on the night while fellow junior Phillis Webb (Brooklyn Park, Minn.-Osseo) added 15. Sophomore Sasha Dailey (Toledo, Ohio-Rogers) recorded 12 while senior Chanise Baldwin (Pontiac, Mich.-Martin Luther King) registered her second consecutive double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds). Senior Sera Ozelci (Ankara, Turkey) led the team, grabbing a career-high 11 caroms.

The Eagles overcame an early 10-4 deficit behind strong 11-of-17 shooting to take a 26-17 lead through the opening period. Sweeney knocked down all four of her shots from the field while Morton and Ozelci hit from deep to fuel a 16-0 run by the Eagles.

Eastern Michigan's defensive effort stepped up in the second half, holding the Falcons to just nine points on 4-of-20 shooting. While Air Force struggled to score, EMU distanced themselves thanks to the dynamic play of Sweeney.

Shooting 50 percent (17-of-34) from the floor, the Eagles took advantage of their size inside to the tune of a 20-2 edge on points scored in the paint.

Holding the Falcons scoreless for the last three minutes of the half, the Green and White held a 41-26 lead at the break.

The full-court pressure of the Eagles kept the Falcons in a frenzy in the early part of the third quarter. Air Force struggled to combat the tenacious backcourt pressure of the EMU guards, turning the ball over three times in the opening minutes.

Air Force broke their scoring drought two minutes into the half, converting a jump shot but it did little to tame the Eagles momentum. Webb caught fire in the third quarter, scoring eight of her 15 points in the frame to help EMU push its lead to as many as 26. Behind Webb's hot hand and another stout defensive sequence in which the Eagles held the Falcons scoreless for nearly three minutes, the Green and White held a 61-39 lead heading into the final quarter.

Despite being outscored 20-11 in the final quarter, the Eagles held off a late push by the Falcons to take a 72-59 win.

The Eagles return to the hardwood tomorrow, Dec. 5, for day two of the Air Force Tournament. EMU closes out its weekend in USAF Academy, Colo. against Abilene Christian. Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m. (MT).

Women's Basketball Tops Air Force, 72-59, Behind Balanced Scoring

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Team Stats

Cha Sweeney

Phillis Webb

Sasha Dailey

Chanise Baldwin

Players Mentioned

Chanise Baldwin

Sasha Dailey

Sera Ozelci

Cha Sweeney

Phillis Webb

Players Mentioned

Chanise Baldwin

Sasha Dailey

Sera Ozelci

Cha Sweeney

Phillis Webb

Eastern Michigan Athletics