Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
7-5, 0-1MAC
Kent State
8-4, 1-0MAC
Foul Trouble Plagues EMU in Loss at Kent State
1/5/2019 6:57:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Natalia Pineda scored a career-high 16 points in the loss
KENT, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) - Foul trouble and hot three-point shooting were too much for the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball to overcome in its Mid-American Conference opener at Kent State University Saturday, Jan. 5. EMU (7-5, 0-1 MAC) nearly erased a 12-point deficit, but could not keep pace with KSU's (8-4, 1-0 MAC) 12 three-pointers in the 71-64 setback.
Freshman Natalia Pineda (Miami, Fla.-John A. Ferguson) turned in a career-day to lead the Eagles, nearly coming away with a double-double. Pineda scored a career-high 16 points, highlighted by four three-pointers, and tied a career-best with eight rebounds. Joining Pineda in double figures were redshirt sophomore Corrione Cardwell (Cleveland, Ohio-New Tech East) and freshman Jenna Annecchiarico (Baldwin, N.Y.-Baldwin), who scored 15 and 14 points, respectively.
As a team, Eastern converted 33.8 percent of its shots, including 10-of-27 three-point attempts. Despite knocking down their third-most triples in a game this season, the Eagles could not match the Golden Flashes' 12-for-22 showing from deep.
Kent State's three-point shooting dictated the game early, as the Golden Flashes hit four of their first six triple attempts. KSU's hot shooting out of the gate, paired with a four minute scoring drought to close the period left EMU trailing, 22-10, after a quarter.
EMU flipped the script in the second frame, outscoring Kent State, 22-13, behind a trio of triples from Annecchiarico to cut the deficit to three, 35-32, at the break.
Eastern picked up where it left off out of halftime, as Cardwell found Pineda in transition for a spot-up three. Pineda's triple, her second of the game, gave the Green and White its first lead of the night, 38-37, with 7:04 to go in the third. The teams traded buckets from there, as EMU took a one-point edge, 49-48, into the final stanza.
Cardwell and Minott were whistled for fouls early in the fourth, ending their evenings prematurely and shortening Eastern's bench even more. The Eagles battled but the Golden Flashes reclaimed the lead and never looked back, sending EMU home with a 71-64 setback.
Eastern Michigan continues conference play at home Wednesday, Jan. 9, when it hosts defending MAC East Division Champion University at Buffalo. Tipoff between the Eagles and Bulls is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center.
