Eastern Michigan Athletics
Wednesday, January 24
Kent, Ohio
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
5-12,2-5MAC
57
at
66
Kent State
12-5,6-1MAC
1
2
3
4
F
Eastern Mich.
12
18
13
14
57
Kent St.
14
13
18
21
66
Women's Hoops Comes Up Short at Kent State
1/24/2024 9:09:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Eagles are back at home Saturday versus Ball State
KENT, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team went into halftime beating Kent State University, 30-27, but could not pull away in the second half and fell 66-57 to the Golden Flashes on the road Wednesday, Jan. 24, at the M.A.C. Center.
Lachelle Austin (Redford, Mich./Wayne Memorial) led the Eagles (5-12, 2-5) with 22 points and four assists. Kennedi Myles (Cincinnati, Ohio/Walnut Hills/Illinois/Marquette) added seven points and 11 rebounds and ZaNiya Nelson (Oklahoma City, Okla./Putnam City West) helped out with five points and seven rebounds.
Led by Myles' four offensive rebounds, Eastern Michigan did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 12 boards that resulted in seven second chance points.
Eastern Michigan did a great job disrupting Kent State shots in the contest, coming away with five blocks. Tayra Eke (Madrid, Spain/IES Ortega y Gasset/LIU) led the way individually for the Eagles with three rejections.
How It Happened
Eastern Michigan started out the scoring by going on a 5-0 run, culminating in a three from Olivia Smith (Fort Wayne, Ind./Southside), to take an early lead with 8:39 left in the first quarter. The Eagles then surrendered that lead and entered the second quarter down 14-12.
Kent State kept adding to that lead, building a 16-12 advantage before Eastern Michigan went on a 7-0 run to take a 19-16 lead. The Eagles kept that lead for the remainder of the period and enjoyed a 30-27 advantage heading into halftime. EMU dominated in the paint, scoring 14 of its 18 second-quarter points close to the basket.
The Green and White then lost its advantage in the third quarter and trailed the Golden Flashes 45-43 entering the fourth. Eastern Michigan turned three offensive rebounds into two second chance points on the way to scoring 13 total points in the quarter.
The Eagles could not pull any closer in the fourth, losing by a final of 66-57. Eastern fired away from deep in the quarter, knocking down two shots to account for six of its 14 fourth-quarter points.
Game Notes
» Austin earned her second season game producing 20-plus points and the sixth of her career with her 22 against the Golden Flashes, Jan. 24. The junior posted 27 points at Lindenwood University, Dec. 7, 2023 which stands as her career-high.
» The Green and White led the Golden Flashes 30-27 after the first half of play. It marked just the third time this season in which the Eagles led their opponent after halftime with the last time being the 67-49 victory over NIU, Jan. 3. After tonight's result, EMU is 2-1 in said games. Last season, EMU led its opponent after 30 minutes of play in 14 contests, going 11-3 in said games.
» Eke recorded back-to-back blocks in the same possession during the first quarter of the loss to Kent State, Jan. 24. Eke recorded multiple blocks for the 10th time this season. Last season, the junior recorded the feat in 17 contests.
» Smith connected on a shot from beyond the arc in the loss to Kent State, going 1-for-3. It was the 13th contest this season in which Smith has made a single three-pointer. Last season, the then-rookie led the team in triples recording a single make in 25 total games. Her longest streak of consecutive games with a made triple was 13 (Dec. 17, 2022- Feb. 1, 2023).
» Cali Denson (Milwaukie, Ore./Milwaukie Academy of the Arts) came off the bench with 3:49 left in the first quarter after being in the starting lineup for 15 consecutive games after doing so for the first time in her career in the road game at Georgia Southern University, Nov. 11. Denson continues to be the only freshman this season to be in the starting five.
» Olivia Westphal (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park/Duquesne) went a perfect 2-for-2 from deep against the Golden Flashes, Jan. 24. It marked the second consecutive contest in which the Duquesne transfer has gone a perfect 1.000 from beyond the three-point line after hitting 3-of-3 against Ohio, Jan. 20.
» Eastern out-rebounded Kent State, 43-38. It marked the ninth contest the Eagles have collected more boards than its opponent, going 5-4 in such games.
» EMU won the blocking-battle against the Golden Flashes, 5-3. It was the eighth time this season the Eagles have out-blocked their opponent and the fifth consecutive. Last season, the team recorded more blocks than its foe in 19 contests.
Historical Notes
» Tonight's matchup marked the 74th meeting between Eastern and Kent State. KSU leads the all-time series, 46-28, with Kent State coming away with the last six games. However, EMU holds its second longest win streak against a MAC member with 11 straight against KSU from 2010-16.
Up Next
Eastern will continue conference play as it prepares to host the league-leading Cardinals of Ball State University, in the first part of an EMU basketball double-header with the men Saturday, Jan. 27, at 1 p.m. inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. The men take on the Bulls of the University at Buffalo, at 3:30 p.m.
Lachelle Austin (Redford, Mich./Wayne Memorial) led the Eagles (5-12, 2-5) with 22 points and four assists. Kennedi Myles (Cincinnati, Ohio/Walnut Hills/Illinois/Marquette) added seven points and 11 rebounds and ZaNiya Nelson (Oklahoma City, Okla./Putnam City West) helped out with five points and seven rebounds.
Led by Myles' four offensive rebounds, Eastern Michigan did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 12 boards that resulted in seven second chance points.
Eastern Michigan did a great job disrupting Kent State shots in the contest, coming away with five blocks. Tayra Eke (Madrid, Spain/IES Ortega y Gasset/LIU) led the way individually for the Eagles with three rejections.
How It Happened
Eastern Michigan started out the scoring by going on a 5-0 run, culminating in a three from Olivia Smith (Fort Wayne, Ind./Southside), to take an early lead with 8:39 left in the first quarter. The Eagles then surrendered that lead and entered the second quarter down 14-12.
Kent State kept adding to that lead, building a 16-12 advantage before Eastern Michigan went on a 7-0 run to take a 19-16 lead. The Eagles kept that lead for the remainder of the period and enjoyed a 30-27 advantage heading into halftime. EMU dominated in the paint, scoring 14 of its 18 second-quarter points close to the basket.
The Green and White then lost its advantage in the third quarter and trailed the Golden Flashes 45-43 entering the fourth. Eastern Michigan turned three offensive rebounds into two second chance points on the way to scoring 13 total points in the quarter.
The Eagles could not pull any closer in the fourth, losing by a final of 66-57. Eastern fired away from deep in the quarter, knocking down two shots to account for six of its 14 fourth-quarter points.
Game Notes
» Austin earned her second season game producing 20-plus points and the sixth of her career with her 22 against the Golden Flashes, Jan. 24. The junior posted 27 points at Lindenwood University, Dec. 7, 2023 which stands as her career-high.
» The Green and White led the Golden Flashes 30-27 after the first half of play. It marked just the third time this season in which the Eagles led their opponent after halftime with the last time being the 67-49 victory over NIU, Jan. 3. After tonight's result, EMU is 2-1 in said games. Last season, EMU led its opponent after 30 minutes of play in 14 contests, going 11-3 in said games.
» Eke recorded back-to-back blocks in the same possession during the first quarter of the loss to Kent State, Jan. 24. Eke recorded multiple blocks for the 10th time this season. Last season, the junior recorded the feat in 17 contests.
» Smith connected on a shot from beyond the arc in the loss to Kent State, going 1-for-3. It was the 13th contest this season in which Smith has made a single three-pointer. Last season, the then-rookie led the team in triples recording a single make in 25 total games. Her longest streak of consecutive games with a made triple was 13 (Dec. 17, 2022- Feb. 1, 2023).
» Cali Denson (Milwaukie, Ore./Milwaukie Academy of the Arts) came off the bench with 3:49 left in the first quarter after being in the starting lineup for 15 consecutive games after doing so for the first time in her career in the road game at Georgia Southern University, Nov. 11. Denson continues to be the only freshman this season to be in the starting five.
» Olivia Westphal (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park/Duquesne) went a perfect 2-for-2 from deep against the Golden Flashes, Jan. 24. It marked the second consecutive contest in which the Duquesne transfer has gone a perfect 1.000 from beyond the three-point line after hitting 3-of-3 against Ohio, Jan. 20.
» Eastern out-rebounded Kent State, 43-38. It marked the ninth contest the Eagles have collected more boards than its opponent, going 5-4 in such games.
» EMU won the blocking-battle against the Golden Flashes, 5-3. It was the eighth time this season the Eagles have out-blocked their opponent and the fifth consecutive. Last season, the team recorded more blocks than its foe in 19 contests.
Historical Notes
» Tonight's matchup marked the 74th meeting between Eastern and Kent State. KSU leads the all-time series, 46-28, with Kent State coming away with the last six games. However, EMU holds its second longest win streak against a MAC member with 11 straight against KSU from 2010-16.
Up Next
Eastern will continue conference play as it prepares to host the league-leading Cardinals of Ball State University, in the first part of an EMU basketball double-header with the men Saturday, Jan. 27, at 1 p.m. inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. The men take on the Bulls of the University at Buffalo, at 3:30 p.m.
Team Stats
EMU
KentSt
FG%
.377
.393
3FG%
.357
.313
FT%
.750
.684
RB
43
38
TO
14
6
STL
2
2
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
22
FGM
9
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
6
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's BasketballG
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