Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
11-9,3-6MAC
Ohio
4-16,2-7MAC
Eagles Fall at Home to Ohio, 65-55
2/1/2023 9:07:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Skanes led with 18 while Lewis adds career-high 12
Highlight Video | Postgame Audio: Fred_Castro
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan women's basketball team fell to visiting Ohio University, 65-55, Wednesday, Feb. 1, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center on Women and Girls in Sports Night. The Eagles (11-9, 3-6 MAC) had two players score in double figures, led by Ce'Nara Skanes (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West-FIU), who had 18 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and six steals. Kyndal Lewis (Belton, Mo.-Belton) tacked on a career-high 12 points with her first double-digit scoring game and Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu (London, England-City of Long Academy-Robert Morris) added seven points, eight rebounds, and three blocks.
Ozzy-Momodu pulled down four offensive rebounds to pace an offense that racked up second chance opportunities for Eastern Michigan, grabbing 19 boards and turning them into 12 second chance points. The EMU defense held Ohio (4-16, 2-7 MAC) shooters to only 37.9 percent from the field, but could only manage 31.7 percent shooting on its own.
How It Happened
After falling behind 2-0, Eastern went on a 6-0 run with 9:05 left in the first quarter, culminating in a bucket from Tayra Eke (Madrid, Spain-IES Orega y Gasset-LIU), to take a 6-2 lead. The Eagles then lost some of that lead, but still entered the quarter break with a 12-10 advantage. The Eagles did most of their first quarter damage in the paint, scoring 10 of their 12 points close to the basket. Ohio rallied to take a 21-19 lead before Eastern went on a 6-0 run starting at the 3:16 mark in the second period, highlighted by a bucket from Lewis, to take a 25-21 lead. The Bobcats cut into that lead, but the Eagles still enjoyed a 29-27 advantage heading into halftime.
Eastern then lost its advantage in the third quarter and trailed the Bobcats, 51-44, entering the fourth. The Eagles played well near the basket, scoring 10 of their 15 points in the paint. Ohio kept widening its lead in the fourth, constructing a 63-48 advantage before Eastern went on a 7-0 run, finished off by an Olivia Smith (Fort Wayne, Ind.-South Side) three, to shrink the deficit to 63-55 with 1:36 to go in the contest. Ohio responded and outscored the Eagles the rest of the way, ending the game with a final score of 65-55. Eastern took advantage of seven Ohio turnovers in the quarter, scoring six points off of those takeaways.
Game Notes
» Lewis made her first career start for the Eagles in tonight's contest. Prior to the game against Ohio, she had appeared in 29 contests, all off the bench, since the start of the 2021-22 season. In addition the guard scored a career-high 12 points and notched 10+ points for the first time. Additionally, her three field goal makes are a career-high. Prior to tonight's game, Lewis' previous best point total was six, a number she had hit twice previously, most recently against Western Michigan, Jan. 25.
» Skanes scored 18 points and collected nine rebounds in the loss against the Bobcats. It is the fifth time that Skanes has scored 18 points or better for the Green and White this season. Her best scoring effort on the season is total for games of 18+ points is seven, which she accomplished during the 2020-21 campaign. Skanes is the only Eastern Michigan player with five games of 18 or more points this season. Her season best is 23 against Toledo, Jan. 28 .
» In addition to her scoring totals, Skanes also had a career-best six steals against Ohio. The forward is the only Eastern Michigan player who has had five steals in any game this season, also doing so when she had five steals in a home win over Northern Illinois on Jan. 21.
» Eastern Michigan held Ohio to just 27 points in the first 20 minutes of play. It is the 12th time this season the Eagles have held their opponents to under 30 points at halftime. Eastern Michigan held opponents to 27 points or fewer in the first half of play just six total times a season ago.
» Eke collected seven against Ohio. She has now hauled in seven or more rebounds in 11 contests this season. She has recorded at least five boards in 13 games. Eke is in the midst of a three-game stretch with seven or more rebounds in each contest, dating back to EMU's game against WMU, Jan. 25. It is her longest such stretch of the season.
» Eastern Michigan out-rebounded the Bobcats, 44-37. It is the 12th game in which Eastern has won the rebounding battle against their opponent this season. Last season, Eastern bettered its competition on the boards just 11 times in 27 total games. The 12 game rebounding edge is the most for EMU since the 2019-20 campaign, when the Eagles accomplished the feat 14 times.
» The Eagles recorded 13 steals in tonight's contest, which ties a season-high. EMU recorded the same number against North Dakota State, Dec. 1, 2022.
» Sophomore Lachelle Austin (Redford, Mich.-Redford) had four steals. With the effort, she has tied her season-best, which she had done on two previous occasions.
Historical Notes:
» The contest between the Eagles and the Bobcats marked the 56th all-time meeting between the two schools. Ohio has the edge on the all-time series, 39-27.
Up Next:
Eastern Michigan will hit the road for a quick one-game trip at Central Michigan in Mount Pleasant on Saturday, Feb 4. Tip-Off is set for 1 p.m and can be streamed on ESPN3.
