Eastern Michigan Athletics
Monday, March 6
Athens, Ohio
6 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
6-25, 1-17MAC
49
at
63
Ohio
22-8, 12-6MAC
1
2
3
4
F
Eastern Michigan
17
6
16
10
49
Ohio
13
12
18
20
63
Photo by: Scott W. Grau/Icon SMI
Eagles Upset Bid Falls Short in Opening Round of MAC Tournament
3/6/2017 7:50:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Eastern pulled with three late, but Ohio closed the game on a 14-3 run
ATHENS, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team's upset bid in the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament against fifth-seeded Ohio University fell short Monday night, March 6. The Eagles (6-25, 1-17 MAC) pulled within three in the fourth quarter, but the Bobcats (21-8, 12-6 MAC) closed the game on a 14-3 run to close the book on EMU's season with a 63-49 setback.
Eastern shot 33.9 percent from the field, knocking down 20-of-59 shots, while a strong second half saw Ohio convert 43.8 percent of its attempts. The Eagles finished 5-of-6 from the free throw line, but the Bobcats made the most of 22 free throw attempts, converting 17 freebies.
Junior Sasha Dailey (Toledo, Ohio-Rogers) carried the Eagles offensively, scoring a team-high 22 points on 9-of-18 shooting. From there, the scoring was more balanced with five other players scoring for the Green and White.
Locked in defensively, the Eagles held the Bobcats without a field goal for the first two and a half minutes of action. Dailey and junior Micah Robinson (Ann Arbor, Mich.-Huron) provided the offense for the Green and White early, but Ohio cashed in at the charity stripe to leave the score even at four. Dailey poured in seven points over the next two minutes, but OU kept pace to even the score at 11 with just under five minutes to go in the period.
Executing the play just as Head Coach Fred Castro drew it up, the Eagles whipped the ball around the perimeter before feeding junior Tori Easley (Toledo, Ohio-Rogers) on the block. Taking what the defense gave her, Easley spun toward the paint and sunk the short jumper to put Eastern in front, 13-11, at the first media timeout.
Dailey became the first Eagle into double digits, hitting a pull-up jumper on EMU's first possession out of the media timeout to push the Green and White's edge to four, 15-11. Tracking down a loose ball on the offensive end, Dailey threaded a pass to Easley for a wide open layup with 30 seconds remaining in the period. Ohio tacked on two free throws before the frame came to a close, leaving the Eagles with a 17-13 lead heading into the second quarter.
Ohio took the lead in the second quarter behind an 8-0 run, that spanned five minutes. Meanwhile, Eastern opened the period 0-for-7 from the floor, bringing about an EMU timeout following the Eagles' third turnover of the quarter.
Trailing 21-17 with 5:05 on the clock, the Eagles capitalized out of their timeout as Robinson connected on a floater in the lane for EMU's first points of the period to cut OU's lead to two, 21-19. Eastern's defense stepped it up over the next five minutes, holding Ohio to just four points. Freshman Esabelle Levine (Eden Prairie, Minn.-Eden Prairie) drew two charges, while Easley added a steal, and Dailey registered a block to lead the defensive effort and keep the Eagles within a basket at the half.
Entering the third quarter facing a two point deficit, 25-23, the Eagles played to a 29-29 tie over the first four minutes behind buckets by Dailey and senior Phillis Webb (Brooklyn Park, Minn.-Osseo). The Bobcats rattled off five unanswered points, three of which came from the free throw line, and the two on a putback off a missed freebie to take a 34-29 lead at the midway point.
Levine ended a three-minute long scoring drought for the Green and White, converting a triple from the wing to end Ohio's run, before finding Easley the next time down the floor to cut OU's lead to two, 36-34. The Eagles rode the hot hand, setting up Levine for another three-pointer, but two more free throws gave the Bobcats a 43-39 lead with 10 minutes to play.
In the fourth quarter, senior Sheyna Deans (Detroit, Mich.-Mt. Clemens (St. Clair County C.C.)) paced a 7-0 run for Eastern Michigan to pull EMU within three, 49-46. Ohio took its largest lead of the night moments later, jumping ahead by 13 with three minutes remaining, all but sealing the game. The Green and White chipped away at the deficit, but ended the season with a 63-49 setback.
The Eagles conclude the season with a 6-25 overall (1-17 MAC) record, with many key contributors set to return next season. The loss marks the end of the careers for Webb, Deans, Ashley Nickens (Sterling Heights, Mich.-Henry Ford II (Cincinnati)), and Melva Smith (South Holland, Ill.-Thornwood (South Suburban College)).
Eastern shot 33.9 percent from the field, knocking down 20-of-59 shots, while a strong second half saw Ohio convert 43.8 percent of its attempts. The Eagles finished 5-of-6 from the free throw line, but the Bobcats made the most of 22 free throw attempts, converting 17 freebies.
Junior Sasha Dailey (Toledo, Ohio-Rogers) carried the Eagles offensively, scoring a team-high 22 points on 9-of-18 shooting. From there, the scoring was more balanced with five other players scoring for the Green and White.
Locked in defensively, the Eagles held the Bobcats without a field goal for the first two and a half minutes of action. Dailey and junior Micah Robinson (Ann Arbor, Mich.-Huron) provided the offense for the Green and White early, but Ohio cashed in at the charity stripe to leave the score even at four. Dailey poured in seven points over the next two minutes, but OU kept pace to even the score at 11 with just under five minutes to go in the period.
Executing the play just as Head Coach Fred Castro drew it up, the Eagles whipped the ball around the perimeter before feeding junior Tori Easley (Toledo, Ohio-Rogers) on the block. Taking what the defense gave her, Easley spun toward the paint and sunk the short jumper to put Eastern in front, 13-11, at the first media timeout.
Dailey became the first Eagle into double digits, hitting a pull-up jumper on EMU's first possession out of the media timeout to push the Green and White's edge to four, 15-11. Tracking down a loose ball on the offensive end, Dailey threaded a pass to Easley for a wide open layup with 30 seconds remaining in the period. Ohio tacked on two free throws before the frame came to a close, leaving the Eagles with a 17-13 lead heading into the second quarter.
Ohio took the lead in the second quarter behind an 8-0 run, that spanned five minutes. Meanwhile, Eastern opened the period 0-for-7 from the floor, bringing about an EMU timeout following the Eagles' third turnover of the quarter.
Trailing 21-17 with 5:05 on the clock, the Eagles capitalized out of their timeout as Robinson connected on a floater in the lane for EMU's first points of the period to cut OU's lead to two, 21-19. Eastern's defense stepped it up over the next five minutes, holding Ohio to just four points. Freshman Esabelle Levine (Eden Prairie, Minn.-Eden Prairie) drew two charges, while Easley added a steal, and Dailey registered a block to lead the defensive effort and keep the Eagles within a basket at the half.
Entering the third quarter facing a two point deficit, 25-23, the Eagles played to a 29-29 tie over the first four minutes behind buckets by Dailey and senior Phillis Webb (Brooklyn Park, Minn.-Osseo). The Bobcats rattled off five unanswered points, three of which came from the free throw line, and the two on a putback off a missed freebie to take a 34-29 lead at the midway point.
Levine ended a three-minute long scoring drought for the Green and White, converting a triple from the wing to end Ohio's run, before finding Easley the next time down the floor to cut OU's lead to two, 36-34. The Eagles rode the hot hand, setting up Levine for another three-pointer, but two more free throws gave the Bobcats a 43-39 lead with 10 minutes to play.
In the fourth quarter, senior Sheyna Deans (Detroit, Mich.-Mt. Clemens (St. Clair County C.C.)) paced a 7-0 run for Eastern Michigan to pull EMU within three, 49-46. Ohio took its largest lead of the night moments later, jumping ahead by 13 with three minutes remaining, all but sealing the game. The Green and White chipped away at the deficit, but ended the season with a 63-49 setback.
The Eagles conclude the season with a 6-25 overall (1-17 MAC) record, with many key contributors set to return next season. The loss marks the end of the careers for Webb, Deans, Ashley Nickens (Sterling Heights, Mich.-Henry Ford II (Cincinnati)), and Melva Smith (South Holland, Ill.-Thornwood (South Suburban College)).
Team Stats
EMU
OHIO
FG%
.339
.438
3FG%
.235
.235
FT%
.833
.773
RB
39
29
TO
13
6
STL
3
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
22
FGM
9
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
6
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
6
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
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