Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, December 1
Champaign, Ill.
2 p.m. CT
Eastern Michigan University
3-2
66
at
72
Illinois
5-2
1
2
3
4
OT 1
F
Eastern Michigan
12
13
20
14
7
66
Illinois
19
12
21
7
13
72
Photo by: Walt Middleton Photography
Women's Hoops Drops OT Heartbreaker at Illinois
12/1/2018 5:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Danielle Minott scored a game-high 29 points in the loss
Photo Gallery
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team pushed the game into overtime but could not knock off the University of Illinois Saturday afternoon, Dec. 1, at the State Farm Center. Eastern Michigan battled back from an 11-point third-quarter deficit, but ultimately came up short in overtime, 72-66.
Minott scored 25 points in the second-half, including a pair of free throws with 6.4 second remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime, but Eastern could not complete the comeback. Illinois hit 7-of-10 free throws in the extra period, to outlast EMU down the stretch.
Redshirt senior Danielle Minott (Miami, Fla.-Miami Country Day (Syracuse)) posted a double-double for the Eagles, scoring a game-high 29 points and adding a team-best 10 rebounds. Minott finished the game 10-of-28 from the field, while knocking down a season-high five triples. Sophomore Courtnie Lewis (Belton, Mo.-Belton) also finished in double figures, turning in 13 points and five rebounds. Freshmen Jenna Annecchiarico (Baldwin, N.Y.-Baldwin) and Natalia Pineda (Miami, Fla.-John A. Ferguson) added nine points apiece, while Annecchiarico chipped in a career-high seven assists.
With the Green and White battling back near the end of the opening frame, the Fighting Illini pushed their lead to seven, 19-12, with a three-point play just before the buzzer.
Eastern chipped away at the deficit in the second-quarter, forcing Illinois into five turnovers to fuel the Eagles offensively. Minott and Annecchiarico added four points each to pace EMU, as the Green and White went into the half trailing by six, 31-25.
Fouls added up quickly for the Eagles in the third period, allowing the Fighting Illini to move ahead by 10, 40-30, midway through the period. Annecchiarico found Minott for a triple from the wing on an in-bounds to kickstart EMU's comeback. The Green and White gave it right back to her the next time down, for another three to force an Illinois timeout with UI in front, 40-36.
Out of the media, Illinois used free throws to inch ahead by seven, 52-45, into the final stanza at which point Pineda caught fire. The Miami, Fla. native knocked down a triple and a circus shot to give EMU a two-point lead with six minutes to go. Illinois battled back amid a three-minute long Eastern scoring drought to even the score at 57 with 2:30 to play in regulation, but free throws by Minott tied the game at 59 and forced overtime.
In OT, Eastern Michigan could not get things going offensively, shooting 2-of-7 from the floor. Meanwhile, Illinois converted a pair of three-pointers and added seven free throws to edge EMU, 72-66.
The Green and White return to the hardwood Wednesday, Dec. 5, when it plays host to the University of Detroit Mercy. Tipoff inside the Convocation Center is slated for 7 p.m. Admission is free to fans that bring a book as part of the Eagles' book drive efforts this holiday season.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team pushed the game into overtime but could not knock off the University of Illinois Saturday afternoon, Dec. 1, at the State Farm Center. Eastern Michigan battled back from an 11-point third-quarter deficit, but ultimately came up short in overtime, 72-66.
Minott scored 25 points in the second-half, including a pair of free throws with 6.4 second remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime, but Eastern could not complete the comeback. Illinois hit 7-of-10 free throws in the extra period, to outlast EMU down the stretch.
Redshirt senior Danielle Minott (Miami, Fla.-Miami Country Day (Syracuse)) posted a double-double for the Eagles, scoring a game-high 29 points and adding a team-best 10 rebounds. Minott finished the game 10-of-28 from the field, while knocking down a season-high five triples. Sophomore Courtnie Lewis (Belton, Mo.-Belton) also finished in double figures, turning in 13 points and five rebounds. Freshmen Jenna Annecchiarico (Baldwin, N.Y.-Baldwin) and Natalia Pineda (Miami, Fla.-John A. Ferguson) added nine points apiece, while Annecchiarico chipped in a career-high seven assists.
With the Green and White battling back near the end of the opening frame, the Fighting Illini pushed their lead to seven, 19-12, with a three-point play just before the buzzer.
Eastern chipped away at the deficit in the second-quarter, forcing Illinois into five turnovers to fuel the Eagles offensively. Minott and Annecchiarico added four points each to pace EMU, as the Green and White went into the half trailing by six, 31-25.
Fouls added up quickly for the Eagles in the third period, allowing the Fighting Illini to move ahead by 10, 40-30, midway through the period. Annecchiarico found Minott for a triple from the wing on an in-bounds to kickstart EMU's comeback. The Green and White gave it right back to her the next time down, for another three to force an Illinois timeout with UI in front, 40-36.
Out of the media, Illinois used free throws to inch ahead by seven, 52-45, into the final stanza at which point Pineda caught fire. The Miami, Fla. native knocked down a triple and a circus shot to give EMU a two-point lead with six minutes to go. Illinois battled back amid a three-minute long Eastern scoring drought to even the score at 57 with 2:30 to play in regulation, but free throws by Minott tied the game at 59 and forced overtime.
In OT, Eastern Michigan could not get things going offensively, shooting 2-of-7 from the floor. Meanwhile, Illinois converted a pair of three-pointers and added seven free throws to edge EMU, 72-66.
The Green and White return to the hardwood Wednesday, Dec. 5, when it plays host to the University of Detroit Mercy. Tipoff inside the Convocation Center is slated for 7 p.m. Admission is free to fans that bring a book as part of the Eagles' book drive efforts this holiday season.
Team Stats
EMU
ILL
FG%
.319
.369
3FG%
.306
.235
FT%
.550
.800
RB
41
49
TO
15
16
STL
3
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
29
FGM
10
3FGM
5
FTM
4
Pts
13
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
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