Eastern Michigan Athletics
Wednesday, January 20
Muncie, Ind.
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
12-5 (3-3MAC)
54
at
76
Ball State
13-4 (5-1MAC)
1
2
3
4
F
Eastern Michigan
8
14
16
16
54
Ball State
19
16
18
23
76
Photo by: Jonathan Knight Photography
Eagles Drop MAC West Clash at Ball State
1/20/2016 8:55:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Junior Janay Morton led EMU with 23 points in the loss
MUNCIE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team could not keep pace with Mid-American Conference West Division leader Ball State University Wednesday, Jan. 20, at Worthen Arena. A season-high 21 turnovers and field goal woes led to the Eagles (12-5, 3-3 MAC) demise, as the Cardinals (13-4, 5-1 MAC) earned a 76-54 win.
Junior Janay Morton (Brooklyn Park, Minn.-Osseo) scored a team-high 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including converting 5-of-9 shots from long range. Morton's five triples marked the most she's made this season. Graduate transfer Chanise Baldwin (Pontiac, Mich.-Martin Luther King) added 10 points, as the only other Eagle to reach double figures in the loss. Senior Rachel Kehoe (St. Clair, Mich.-St. Clair) fell one rebound shy of her career-high, grabbing a team-best 12 boards.
Nathalie Fontaine and Jill Morrison paved the way for Ball State, scoring 27 and 21 points, respectively. Fontaine converted 10-of-14 shots from the floor while Morrison's seven three-pointers stretched the EMU defense.
Shooting struggles paired with six first quarter turnovers hindered the Eagles in the opening quarter. While defense controlled the game for both teams early on, Ball State broke the seal first as Moriah Monaco's triple gave the home team the edge.
Eastern was held scoreless for nearly six minutes before a late three-pointer by Morton ended the quarter with Ball State in front, 19-8.
The Cardinals extended their lead to as many as 15 before Morton and Webb heated up from three. As the Brooklyn Park, Minn. duo knocked down shots from deep, Eastern Michigan's defense began to lock in, forcing the Cardinals into timely turnovers. The empty possessions by Ball State allowed the Eagles to pull within eight, 30-22, at the media timeout.
Over the next four minutes, the Eagles held the Cardinals to just five points but failed to make a basket themselves. Plagued by a 25.8 field goal percentage, the Green and White trailed 35-22 at halftime.
The Eagles scored the first four points of the second half to pull within single digits as Baldwin put one in off the glass and knocked down the Green and White's first two free throw attempts of the game.
After Ball State pushed its lead back to double digits, junior Cha Sweeney (Toledo, Ohio-Rogers) kicked to senior Sera Ozelci (Ankara, Turkey-TED Ankara College). Spotting up on the three-point line, Ozelci drilled the baseline three to pull the Eagles within eight once again.
For the remainder of the period, the Eagles momentum was stalled by the hot-shooting of the Cardinals as they carried a 53-38 lead into the final frame.
Holding the Cardinals scoreless for the first five minutes of the quarter, the Eagles scored seven straight points behind the strong play of Morton, to cut the deficit to eight before Ball State knocked down its first shot of the quarter.
That was as close as the Eagles would get however, as the Cardinals lights-out shooting late, downed the Green and White, 76-54.
The Eagles continue play in the MAC West Saturday, Jan. 23, against the University of Toledo in the second leg of a doubleheader with the Eastern Michigan men's basketball team. Tipoff is slated for 2:30 p.m. in the Convocation Center. For tickets call, 734.487.2282.
Junior Janay Morton (Brooklyn Park, Minn.-Osseo) scored a team-high 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including converting 5-of-9 shots from long range. Morton's five triples marked the most she's made this season. Graduate transfer Chanise Baldwin (Pontiac, Mich.-Martin Luther King) added 10 points, as the only other Eagle to reach double figures in the loss. Senior Rachel Kehoe (St. Clair, Mich.-St. Clair) fell one rebound shy of her career-high, grabbing a team-best 12 boards.
Nathalie Fontaine and Jill Morrison paved the way for Ball State, scoring 27 and 21 points, respectively. Fontaine converted 10-of-14 shots from the floor while Morrison's seven three-pointers stretched the EMU defense.
Shooting struggles paired with six first quarter turnovers hindered the Eagles in the opening quarter. While defense controlled the game for both teams early on, Ball State broke the seal first as Moriah Monaco's triple gave the home team the edge.
Eastern was held scoreless for nearly six minutes before a late three-pointer by Morton ended the quarter with Ball State in front, 19-8.
The Cardinals extended their lead to as many as 15 before Morton and Webb heated up from three. As the Brooklyn Park, Minn. duo knocked down shots from deep, Eastern Michigan's defense began to lock in, forcing the Cardinals into timely turnovers. The empty possessions by Ball State allowed the Eagles to pull within eight, 30-22, at the media timeout.
Over the next four minutes, the Eagles held the Cardinals to just five points but failed to make a basket themselves. Plagued by a 25.8 field goal percentage, the Green and White trailed 35-22 at halftime.
The Eagles scored the first four points of the second half to pull within single digits as Baldwin put one in off the glass and knocked down the Green and White's first two free throw attempts of the game.
After Ball State pushed its lead back to double digits, junior Cha Sweeney (Toledo, Ohio-Rogers) kicked to senior Sera Ozelci (Ankara, Turkey-TED Ankara College). Spotting up on the three-point line, Ozelci drilled the baseline three to pull the Eagles within eight once again.
For the remainder of the period, the Eagles momentum was stalled by the hot-shooting of the Cardinals as they carried a 53-38 lead into the final frame.
Holding the Cardinals scoreless for the first five minutes of the quarter, the Eagles scored seven straight points behind the strong play of Morton, to cut the deficit to eight before Ball State knocked down its first shot of the quarter.
That was as close as the Eagles would get however, as the Cardinals lights-out shooting late, downed the Green and White, 76-54.
The Eagles continue play in the MAC West Saturday, Jan. 23, against the University of Toledo in the second leg of a doubleheader with the Eastern Michigan men's basketball team. Tipoff is slated for 2:30 p.m. in the Convocation Center. For tickets call, 734.487.2282.
Team Stats
EMU
BALLST
FG%
.328
.459
3FG%
.308
.391
FT%
.667
1.000
RB
34
44
TO
21
19
STL
10
6
Game Leaders
Pts
23
FGM
8
3FGM
5
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
4
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
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