Eastern Michigan Athletics
Thursday, March 17
Moraga, Calif.
7 p.m. PST
Eastern Michigan University
22-11
74
at
73
Saint Mary's
24-8
1
2
3
4
F
Eastern Michigan
21
17
19
17
74
Saint Mary's (Calif.)
20
13
21
19
73
Baldwin's Late Game Heroics Lift Eagles to WNIT Win Over Saint Mary's
3/18/2016 12:09:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The Eagles will play TCU Saturday, March 19, in Fort Worth, Texas
Postgame Audio.
WEMU Audio of EMU's Game Winner.
Photo Gallery.
MORAGA, Calif. (EMUEagles.com) – Graduate transfer Chanise Baldwin's (Pontiac, Mich.-Martin Luther King-Providence College) offensive rebound and put back with 1.8 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter lifted the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team to a 74-73 victory over Saint Mary's College in the opening round of the WNIT Thursday, March 17. The Eagles led by as many as nine, but needed Baldwin's late game heroics to propel the Green and White into the second round of the tournament.
With the win, EMU is one of just eight teams in the tournament to win a first round game on the road. It also marks the third consecutive season that EMU has won its opening game in the postseason, a first for the school.
The Eagles were led by Cha Sweeney's (Toledo, Ohio-Rogers) team-high 19 points on 7-of-21 shooting while the 5-foot-2 point guard also added seven assists and four steals. Junior Janay Morton (Brooklyn Park, Minn.-Osseo) poured in 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including a 5-of-6 effort from three-point range. Baldwin chipped in 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting to go along with eight rebounds, two assists, and one rejection. Junior Phillis Webb (Brooklyn Park, Minn.-Osseo) was the other Eagle to reach double figures, adding 11 points and seven rebounds in the win.
Playing in the state of California for just the second time in program history, the Eagles converted 27-of-75 field goal attempts and 10-of-22 from beyond the arc while St. Mary's shot just shy of 50 percent from the field (29-of-59) and 43.8 percent from long range (7-of-16). The Gaels entered the contest as the nation's leader in free throw makes on the season but mustered just eight makes from the charity stripe against the Eagles while the Green and White knocked down 10-of-13 freebies.
The Eagles defense overwhelmed the Gaels in the opening minutes, forcing SMC into several early turnovers and holding the home team without a field goal attempt for nearly two minutes. Despite the gritty defensive start, the Green and White offense opened 1-of-6 from the floor, allowing the Gaels to open with a 12-8 lead.
Baldwin corralled an offensive rebound and put it back for two, drawing a foul in the process. Converting the three-point play from the line, Baldwin pulled the Eagles within one, 12-11, near the midway mark of the first quarter.
Back-to-back triples by St. Mary's turned EMU's one-point lead into a five point deficit with three minutes to play in the period but the Eagles regained the lead at the buzzer. Sweeney knocked down her second triple of the game to give the Green and White a 21-20 lead after 10 minutes of play.
Patience and quick ball movement by the Eagles paid off in the first possession of the second frame as Baldwin converted a jumper from the elbow to push EMU's advantage to three, 23-20, with the shot clocking winding down.
After the Gaels evened the ledger at 27, the Green and White pieced together an 8-0 run. Sweeney and Morton drained back-to-back triples before Webb's long jumper pushed Eastern Michigan's lead to 35-27.
Junior Sheyna Deans (Mt. Clemens, Mich.-Mt. Clemens-St. Clair C.C.) pushed the Eagles lead to nine with two minutes left in the half. Driving into the lane, Deans pulled up for a mid-range jumper and drew the hoop and the harm, ending a two-minute long scoring drought for the Green and White.
A relatively quiet final two minutes on both sides of the floor gave the Eagles a 38-33 lead at halftime.
A foul fest of a third quarter for the Eagles forced Sweeney and Baldwin to the bench, making way for a run by the Gaels. With the EMU duo on the bench, the Eastern offense struggled while St. Mary's flourished, pulling within one, 55-54, with less than a minute to play in the third period. Following a pair of misses from SMC at the charity stripe, Webb drove to the hoop and put it in for two as time expired, giving EMU a 57-54 lead with 10 minutes to play.
Dialing in from distance, Morton and senior Sera Ozelci (Ankara, Turkey-TED Ankara College) sank back-to-back three-pointers to give the Eagles a six-point edge but the Gaels came right back, eventually taking the lead for the first time since the first period.
Head Coach Tory Verdi used a timeout amid a 7-0 run by the Gaels hoping to turn the momentum with his team trailing 69-65 with four minutes to go in regulation. The regrouping session did just that as the Eagles soared back, pulling within one, 71-70 with less than a minute left on the clock.
Sweeney crosses over a defender before splitting two more Gaels in the paint and floating in a 5-footer to put the Eagles in front by one. As they had done for a majority of the second half, St. Mary's responded, knocking down a baseline jumper to retake the lead, 73-72, with 7.7 ticks left.
Out of an EMU timeout, Sweeney's jumper from the free throw line rimmed off but Baldwin was there to corral the carom and put it back for two. Baldwin's second chance opportunity lifted the Eagles to a 74-73 lead with 1.7 seconds remaining. The last ditch effort by the Gaels was off the mark, giving Eastern Michigan the one-point win.
The victory extended the Eagles' season and earned them trip to Fort Worth, Texas for a meeting with TCU. Game time is slated for 7 p.m. (CT), March 19.
WEMU Audio of EMU's Game Winner.
Photo Gallery.
MORAGA, Calif. (EMUEagles.com) – Graduate transfer Chanise Baldwin's (Pontiac, Mich.-Martin Luther King-Providence College) offensive rebound and put back with 1.8 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter lifted the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team to a 74-73 victory over Saint Mary's College in the opening round of the WNIT Thursday, March 17. The Eagles led by as many as nine, but needed Baldwin's late game heroics to propel the Green and White into the second round of the tournament.
With the win, EMU is one of just eight teams in the tournament to win a first round game on the road. It also marks the third consecutive season that EMU has won its opening game in the postseason, a first for the school.
The Eagles were led by Cha Sweeney's (Toledo, Ohio-Rogers) team-high 19 points on 7-of-21 shooting while the 5-foot-2 point guard also added seven assists and four steals. Junior Janay Morton (Brooklyn Park, Minn.-Osseo) poured in 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including a 5-of-6 effort from three-point range. Baldwin chipped in 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting to go along with eight rebounds, two assists, and one rejection. Junior Phillis Webb (Brooklyn Park, Minn.-Osseo) was the other Eagle to reach double figures, adding 11 points and seven rebounds in the win.
Playing in the state of California for just the second time in program history, the Eagles converted 27-of-75 field goal attempts and 10-of-22 from beyond the arc while St. Mary's shot just shy of 50 percent from the field (29-of-59) and 43.8 percent from long range (7-of-16). The Gaels entered the contest as the nation's leader in free throw makes on the season but mustered just eight makes from the charity stripe against the Eagles while the Green and White knocked down 10-of-13 freebies.
The Eagles defense overwhelmed the Gaels in the opening minutes, forcing SMC into several early turnovers and holding the home team without a field goal attempt for nearly two minutes. Despite the gritty defensive start, the Green and White offense opened 1-of-6 from the floor, allowing the Gaels to open with a 12-8 lead.
Baldwin corralled an offensive rebound and put it back for two, drawing a foul in the process. Converting the three-point play from the line, Baldwin pulled the Eagles within one, 12-11, near the midway mark of the first quarter.
Back-to-back triples by St. Mary's turned EMU's one-point lead into a five point deficit with three minutes to play in the period but the Eagles regained the lead at the buzzer. Sweeney knocked down her second triple of the game to give the Green and White a 21-20 lead after 10 minutes of play.
Patience and quick ball movement by the Eagles paid off in the first possession of the second frame as Baldwin converted a jumper from the elbow to push EMU's advantage to three, 23-20, with the shot clocking winding down.
After the Gaels evened the ledger at 27, the Green and White pieced together an 8-0 run. Sweeney and Morton drained back-to-back triples before Webb's long jumper pushed Eastern Michigan's lead to 35-27.
Junior Sheyna Deans (Mt. Clemens, Mich.-Mt. Clemens-St. Clair C.C.) pushed the Eagles lead to nine with two minutes left in the half. Driving into the lane, Deans pulled up for a mid-range jumper and drew the hoop and the harm, ending a two-minute long scoring drought for the Green and White.
A relatively quiet final two minutes on both sides of the floor gave the Eagles a 38-33 lead at halftime.
A foul fest of a third quarter for the Eagles forced Sweeney and Baldwin to the bench, making way for a run by the Gaels. With the EMU duo on the bench, the Eastern offense struggled while St. Mary's flourished, pulling within one, 55-54, with less than a minute to play in the third period. Following a pair of misses from SMC at the charity stripe, Webb drove to the hoop and put it in for two as time expired, giving EMU a 57-54 lead with 10 minutes to play.
Dialing in from distance, Morton and senior Sera Ozelci (Ankara, Turkey-TED Ankara College) sank back-to-back three-pointers to give the Eagles a six-point edge but the Gaels came right back, eventually taking the lead for the first time since the first period.
Head Coach Tory Verdi used a timeout amid a 7-0 run by the Gaels hoping to turn the momentum with his team trailing 69-65 with four minutes to go in regulation. The regrouping session did just that as the Eagles soared back, pulling within one, 71-70 with less than a minute left on the clock.
Sweeney crosses over a defender before splitting two more Gaels in the paint and floating in a 5-footer to put the Eagles in front by one. As they had done for a majority of the second half, St. Mary's responded, knocking down a baseline jumper to retake the lead, 73-72, with 7.7 ticks left.
Out of an EMU timeout, Sweeney's jumper from the free throw line rimmed off but Baldwin was there to corral the carom and put it back for two. Baldwin's second chance opportunity lifted the Eagles to a 74-73 lead with 1.7 seconds remaining. The last ditch effort by the Gaels was off the mark, giving Eastern Michigan the one-point win.
The victory extended the Eagles' season and earned them trip to Fort Worth, Texas for a meeting with TCU. Game time is slated for 7 p.m. (CT), March 19.
Team Stats
EMU
SMC
FG%
.360
.492
3FG%
.455
.438
FT%
.769
.667
RB
37
42
TO
12
19
STL
11
5
Game Leaders
Pts
19
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
5
FTM
1
Pts
16
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
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