Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
13-12,5-9MAC
Toledo
21-4,12-2MAC
Eagles Shoot 50 Percent from Deep in 84-64 Setback to Toledo
2/18/2023 4:12:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Olivia Smith records four of the 11 triples
TOLEDO, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team showed its range, connecting on 11-of-22 shots from the three for a 50 percent shooting percentage from beyond the arc, but fell to the University of Toledo, 84-64, on the road Saturday, Feb. 18, at Savage Arena.
The Eagles (13-12, 5-9 MAC) saw four players score in double figures, led by freshman Olivia Smith (Fort Wayne, Ind.-Southside), who had 18 points. Sophomore Lachelle Austin (Redford, Mich.-Wayne Memorial) tacked on 11 points while both senior Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu (London, England.-City of London Academy-Robert Morris) and junior Ce'Nara Skanes (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West-Florida International) helped out with 10 points each.
The Eastern Michigan offense was very productive from deep, pouring in 11 threes on 22 attempts. Smith was the most prolific shooter for the Eagles, draining four treys in the contest.
How It Happened
Eastern Michigan struggled out of the gate, falling behind, 25-13, at the end of the first quarter.
The Eagles continued to lose ground in the second quarter and faced a 48-26 halftime deficit.
After intermission, Eastern Michigan cut its deficit to 50-29 before going on a 7-0 run, punctuated by a basket from Tayra Eke (Madrid, Spain.-IES Ortega Y Gasset-LIU), to trim its deficit to 50-36 with 8:29 to go in the third. Toledo countered and stretched its lead to 67-44 heading into the fourth. Eastern Michigan knocked down four three-pointers in the quarter to score 12 of its 18 total points.
Toledo kept widening its lead in the fourth, constructing an 80-50 advantage before Eastern Michigan went on an 8-0 run, finished off by Skanes' three, to shrink the deficit to 80-58 with 3:48 to go in the contest. The Eagles kept their comeback going, but Toledo managed to hold on for the 84-64 win. Eastern Michigan fired away from deep in the quarter, knocking down five shots to account for 15 of its 20 points.
Game Notes
» Smith nailed a three-pointer in the opening quarter, her first in the last three contests. Earlier in the season, Smith drilled a make from beyond the arc in 13 consecutive games (at Xavier, Dec. 17- vs. Ohio, Feb. 1), the longest stretch of any current Eagle.
» In addition to her make in the opening stanza, Smith proceeded to connect on three more shots from beyond the three in the contest. The four makes tie her career-high and mark the rookie's eighth outing with three or more triples, and her fourth hitting four. Furthermore, her 45 season makes from the three-point line are just 25 shy of cracking EMU's top-10 in single-season three-pointers made. Holding the 10th spot is former Eagle Cha Sweeney who made 70 treys in the 2015-16 season.
» Skanes has added the three-point shot to her repertoire this season and continues to do so as the junior connected on two shots from beyond the arc in the game against Toledo, Feb. 18. It marked the junior's 11th contest with a single made three and her seventh with multiple in a single game.
» Eke recorded two steals in the game, Feb. 18. It marked the seventh contest in which the center has collected multiple cookies in a single game. Additionally, with her 10 boards, Eke has recorded double-digit rebounds in eight contests, thus far.
» With her 18 points against the Rockets' defense, Feb. 18, Smith recorded her eighth career contest hitting the double-digit mark, tying her career-high previously set against Miami, Jan. 4. Additionally, it was the freshman's fourth time leading her team in terms of scoring and her 10th leading the team in triples (4).
» Austin, Skanes, and Smith recorded multiple made triples in the contest against UT, Feb. 18. It was the 11th game this season in which two or more Eagles earned more than one made three in the same game. Of those 11, four have included both Austin and Smith in the same game.
» In just her 17th game appearance, freshman Elena Cabello (Málaga, Spain- IES Mediterraneo) connected on three shots from the field, including two from beyond the arc. Additionally, with her two triples against the Rockets, the Spaniard has collected a made three in five contests overall.
» With her eight points in the contest, Feb. 18, Cabello has set a career-high, topping her previous seven points against Western Michigan, Feb. 11.
» EMU saw four players score in double-digit points against the Rockets, Feb. 18 highlighted by Smith's 18, Austin's 11, and both Skanes' and Ozzy-Momodu's 10 each. The group's 49 collective points accounted for 77 percent of the team's scoring output. Additionally, it was the 17th game in which the team has registered three or more players in double figures. Last season, the Green and White also accomplished the feat in 17 outings. Furthermore, it was the sixth game with four Eagles in double-digit points.
» The Green and White as a team made 11 long-range buckets in the contest, Feb. 18. The 11 makes are a team-high, topping the eight three's recorded in five other instances (vs. North Dakota State, Dec. 1, 2022; vs. North Dakota, Dec. 4, 2022; vs. Hillsdale, Dec. 4, 2022; vs. Ball State, Feb. 8; at Bowling Green, Jan. 7).
» The team went 11-of-22 from the three-point range in the setback, Feb. 18. The 50 percent sooting performance from three mark's the team's season-high, topping its previous 44 percent set against Florida A&M, when the team shot 7-of-16 from the arc. Additionally, it was just the fourth game in which EMU has shot 45 percent or better from three-point land.
Historical Notes
» Saturday's matchup marked the 91st meeting between Eastern Michigan and Toledo. Toledo leads the all-time series, 56-35, coming away with the last five against the Eagles.
Up Next
After Saturday's contest, the Green and White will return home to play in consecutive home games, first against the University at Buffalo, Feb. 22. The contest is slated to begin at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
