Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
1-16,0-7MAC
Northern Illinois
8-10,2-5MAC
Women’s Basketball Drops Tough Decision to Visiting NIU
1/22/2025 9:11:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Westhphal and Eleko each tallied 17 points in the loss
Box Score (PDF) | Highlights | Postgame Presser
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Olivia Westphal and Sisi Eleko each scored 17 points, and the Eagles recorded their fewest turnovers in a game this year, but it was not enough as the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team dropped a 78-70 decision to Northern Illinois University, Jan. 22, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center in Ypsilanti. The Eagles (1-16, 0-7 Mid-American Conference) built an early lead in the first before the Huskies (8-10, 2-5 MAC) started hitting from long range to build their own lead.
How It Happened
Eastern came out strong in the first quarter as six different players added their names to the scoresheet, including Eleko (Montreal, Quebec/New Hope Academy/Canisius) with six and Elena Cabello (Malaga, Spain/IES Mediterraneo) with five to lead the way. Both teams were under control in the opening 10 minutes as the Eagles committed just one turnover and the Huskies had two. Additionally, EMU, which is normally an outside threat, outscored the Huskies, 10-2, in the paint in the opening quarter.
The Huskies tied the game at 37-37 at halftime as they finished the stanza making nine of their last 10 shots. Jada Williams (Williamstown, N.J./Gloucester Catholic/St. Peter's) and Westphal (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park/Duquesne) each scored a team-high four points in the quarter with Williams scoring two post shots and Westphaly adding one free throw to her second three-pointer.
Midway through the third quarter, the Huskies held a 45-44 lead after shooting 50 percent to open the stanza while the Eagles were held to just 14.3 percent. Eastern stayed close as they were 5-of-8 from the free throw line, but were limited to 3-of-11 shooting from there to see the Huskies take a 58-52 lead into the fourth.
In the final stanza, the Huskies jumped out to a 13-point lead with 4:05 remaining before the Eagles turned the tables by closing out the quarter on an 11-6 run, including a pair of three-pointers from Westphal that eventually cut the deficit to three points (73-70) with 45 seconds remaining. From there, however, EMU was unable to add to its point total while NIU made one layup and added three free throws to close out the contest.
Game Notes
» Olivia Westphal tied a career-high with five three-pointers as the long-range shooter finished the night 5-of-8 from the floor (all from three) for 17 points, the second-highest total of her career behind the 20 she scored on opening night, Nov. 4, against Texas State. Westphal, who entered the season having not made more than three triples in a single game, recorded five for the second time this year after doing so in the game with the Bobcats.
» Olivia Westphal's five three-pointers not only tied her career-high for a single game, but it also gave her four-plus made three-pointers in back-to-back games for the first time in her career after she made four at Central Michigan (Jan. 18). Westphal has now made 2+ three-pointers in 14-of-16 games this season, including the last three games played, to give her 42 on the season.
» Sisi Eleko got back into her scoring rhythm as she finished the game with 17 points and six rebounds. After being held to just six points at CMU (Jan. 18), Eleko reached double-digit scoring once again as she hit seven shots and added three free throws. For the season, she now scored 10+ points in 16-of-17 games while scoring 15+ in 13 games.
» Mackenzie Amalia (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk/Canisius) finished the game with 11 points, marking her 10th game this season with double-digit points while leading the team with six assists. Through seven games in MAC play, Amalia is averaging 13.0 points per game, which ranks 18th in the league while her 91 total points stands 13th.
» Eastern saw eight players enter the game with all eight scoring at least one point in the contest with all but one scoring at least five points.
» Jada Williams finished the game with six points on 3-of-3 shooting. She has posted eight total points in the past two games on a perfect 4-of-4 from the floor in limited action.
» The Eagles finished 7-of-24 from behind the arc to extend their current streak to 120 consecutive games with at least one made three-pointer. Olivia Westphal drained her first shot of the night early in the first quarter to keep the streak alive. The last EMU failed to drain a long-distance shot came Nov. 29, 2020, when Eastern finished 0-of-15 from three-point range at home against UIC.
» Eastern committed nine turnovers in the game, its fewest of the season. The previous low was 10 against Xavier, Dec. 1, while the previous low against a MAC foe was 11 at Central Michigan, Jan. 18. The nine turnovers are also the fewest committed by the team since it was forced into nine last year at home against NIU, Feb. 17, 2024.
Historical Notes
» With the loss, the Eagles fell to 1-16 overall and 0-7 in the MAC while the Huskies improved to 8-10 overall and 2-5 in league play.
» The Eagles fell to 40-24 all-time against the Huskies and 21-10 when playing the game in Ypsilanti.
» The win for the Huskies marked the first time either team has won consecutive games in the series since NIU won three consecutive meetings during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.
Up Next
The Eagles return to the road Saturday, Jan. 25, when they travel to Athens, Ohio, to face the Bobcats of Ohio University in a 1 p.m. game inside the Convocation Center. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
