Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
7-19,4-15MAC
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Western Michigan
16-12,10-9MAC
Austin Records Double-Double; Women's Hoops Falls at Western Michigan
3/2/2022 8:57:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Lachelle Austin scored 13 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the effort
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- Freshman Lachelle Austin (Redford, Mich.-Wayne Memorial) achieved her second career double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds, but the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team could not overcome Western Michigan University's hot shooting in the second half, falling, 68-52, today, March 2, inside University Arena.
The Eagles (7-19, 4-15 MAC) had three players score in double figures, led by redshirt sophomore Ce'Nara Skanes (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Florida International)), who had 14 points on 4-of-8 shooting (.500) from the field and grabbed seven rebounds. Redshirt senior Danielle Rainey (Washington, D.C.-Vista Ridge (Florida)) gave EMU a boost as she tacked on 14 points off of the bench, highlighted by hitting 4-of-7 (.571) shots from three. Also on the offensive end, Austin tied her personal-best with three assists.
Eastern Michigan out-rebounded Western Michigan 39-38 in Wednesday's game, led by Austin's 13 boards. Additionally, the Green and White's defense held Western Michigan to only 39.7 percent (25-of-63) shooting from the field.
How It Happened
Eastern Michigan kept it close in the first quarter, but entered the second frame down 16-13. The Eagles fought back in the second period, narrowing the deficit to 27-25 by the time halftime rolled around.
Western Michigan continued to increase its lead after halftime, building a 46-34 advantage before Eastern went on a 6-0 run, punctuated by a three from Rainey, to trim its deficit to 46-40 with 2:38 to go in the third. The Broncos countered and stretched its lead to 54-44 heading into the fourth. EMU knocked down a trio of three-pointers in the quarter to score nine of its 19 total points. Eastern Michigan could not pull any closer in the fourth, losing by a final of 68-52.
Game Notes
» Skanes, Rainey, and Austin combined to account for 79 percent of the Eagles points.
» The Eastern Michigan bench came alive by adding 16 points to its scoring output, making up 30.8 percent of the total point production. The Eagles have scored 15+ bench points in 13 contests this season, including six straight.
» Eastern Michigan lost despite a 39-38 rebounding advantage. It was just the sixth time this season that EMU has won the rebounding battle in a game, but lost the contest.
» Austin hauled in three rebounds in the first three minutes of the game. The guard's rebounding output in the early minutes of the contest bests or ties her effort in 14 outings this season. The freshman grabbed eight boards in the first half and finished the game with 13 total, the second time she's reached the 10-rebound plateau.
» In addition to her defensive production, Austin scored 13 points against WMU to achieve her second career double-double. Moreover, tonight's game was her third pacing EMU in rebounds. The freshman's first double-double came against Binghamton, Dec. 10, when she tallied 12 points and 10 rebounds.
» EMU, one of the most disciplined teams in the Mid-American Conference at taking care of the ball, was stifled in the opening frame. The Broncos forced the Eagles to commit six turnovers in the first ten minutes to limit the Green and White's production. Eastern finished with 20 turnovers on the night, the third outing this season in which it has committed 20-or-more. Moreover, the Eagles are 1-2 in outings this season with over 20 turnovers. Coming into the contest, EMU averaged 14.2 turnovers per game.
» Eastern's offense could only muster 13 points in the first quarter, its lowest scoring total in the opening stanza since scoring 10 at Northern Illinois, Feb. 23. Additionally, EMU has been outscored in the first period nine times in MAC play this season.
» Rainey connected on 4-of-7 (.571) shots from deep to give her 14 points against the Broncos. For Rainey, her performance was the first hitting multiple at least three from long range since she drilled a 5-of-10 (.500) versus Northern Illinois, Jan. 22. Additionally, the guard has sunk at least four triples from downtown six times this season.
» Senior Courtnie Lewis (Belton, Mo.-Belton) and freshman Kyndal Lewis (Belton, Mo.-Belton) made the most of their minutes in tonight's contest. Courtnie knocked down a deep ball in the second quarter, her first make from beyond-the-arc since hitting one at Central Michigan, Feb. 19. Meanwhile, Kyndal recorded 10 minutes of game time, wrangling in four rebounds and swiping one steal.
» Eastern Michigan was held to just 27 points in the second half, the seventh time it has been held to that amount or less in a second half during the 2021-22 campaign. Additionally, the Eagles hold a 0-7 record in those games.
» All seven of Eastern's wins have seen the Eagles take a lead into the intermission, while 18 of the squad's 19 setbacks have included a halftime deficit. Eastern is 43-16 in games in which it held a halftime lead since the onset of the 2016-17 season, and 17-87 in games where it has trailed at the break in that same span.
Historical Notes
» With the loss, EMU was swept by the Broncos in a season series for the first time since 2017. That season, Western defeated Eastern, 76-67, Jan. 14, in Ypsilanti before earning a 10-point, 70-60 win in Kalamazoo, Feb. 18. Additionally, this was the first time either team has won three-straight games in the rivalry since the 2014-15 through 2015-16 seasons, respectively, when the Eagles bested the Broncos in three straight. Furthermore, Western Michigan had not claimed three consecutive victories over Eastern Michigan at any point during the 21st Century until today. In fact, the last time WMU hit the mark came between 1995-96 when Western took three straight as part of a larger, eight-game stretch of victories for the Broncos.
» Despite the loss, however, EMU holds the advantage in the all-time series, 51-41
Up Next
Eastern is set to close out its 2021-22 season with a road trip to Muncie, Ind., Saturday, March 5, where it will take on Ball State University. Tipoff inside Worthen Arena is set for 1 p.m.
