Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
1-12,0-3MAC
Ball State
11-4,3-0MAC
Eleko Reaches 1,000 Points as Eagles Fall at Ball State
1/8/2025 8:59:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Junior scored 14 to reach the milestone as four Eagles scored in double figures
MUNCIE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – Sisi Eleko scored 14 points to reach 1,000 for her career while four players scored in double digits as the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team fell to host Ball State University, 101-69, inside Worthen Arena, Jan. 8. The Eagles (1-12, 0-3 Mid-American Conference) received a career night from Elena Cabello (Malaga, Spain/IES Mediterraneo) as she scored 12 points, including the first nine of the game, but could not overcome the Cardinals (11-4, 3-0 MAC) on the road.
How It Happened
Cabello had the hot hand for the Eagles from the jump as she scored the team's first nine points of the game, including shooting a perfect 3-of-3 from the floor that included two made three-pointers. Olivia Westphal (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park/Duquesne) hit a pair of free throws and Eleko (Montreal, Quebec/New Hope Academy/Canisus) scored on a put back under the hoop for the other points scored by EMU.
Both teams scored 21 points in the second quarter with the Eagles shooting 5-of-10 from beyond the arc, including Mackenzie Amalia (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk/Canisius) and Olivia Smith (Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side) each making two and Westphal adding one of her own. The seven three-pointers made in the opening half of play tied or bettered the full game total EMU put in eight games this year.
The Cardinals opened the third quarter on a 20-0 run before Smith drained a three-pointer in transition to end the run. Eastern closed the stanza on an 11-8 run as Amalia and Cabello each reached double digits. A high-scoring fourth saw both teams score over 24 points with Eleko scoring seven points to reach 1,000 for her career and Amalia scoring five to reach 18 points and tie her season high.
Game Notes
» Sisi Eleko scored 14 points to not only run her streak to 12 consecutive games with 10+ points for the Eagles, but she also reached 1,000 for her career as the junior needed 10 to reach the milestone. Eleko, who added five rebounds, one assist, and two steals, scored 743 points over the past two seasons for Canisius and has scored 261 for the Eagles in 12 games.
» Elena Cabello tallied a career-high 12 points, surpassing the eight she had scored three times previously, including against Western Michigan, Jan. 1. Cabello scored the first nine points to break her previous career best and did so in just the first 5:12 of the game. Cabello tied career-highs in made field goals (four), made three-pointers (two), made (two) and attempted (four) free throws, and steals (three). Additionally, her to free throws marked her first two makes of the season from the stripe.
» Mackenzie Amalia tallied 18 points in the game to tie her season best she posted previously against UT Rio Grande Valley, Dec. 19. Amalia tallied five field goals, including two three-pointers, while going a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe. She added three steals, two assists, and one rebound.
» Olivia Westphal finished the game with 12 points, which included two triples. She has now knocked down at least two three-pointers in 10-of-11 games played this year.
» Olivia Smith scored three three-pointers for nine points in the game. Her second make of the game gave her 100 career baskets. She is now one away from reaching 100 for her career in both rebounds and free throws made as she has 99 of each.
» Eastern had four players who scored double figures for the second game in row after not doing so in the previous 10 games of the season. Mackenzie Amalia (18), Sisi Eleko (14), Elena Cabello (12), and Olivia Westphal (12) all scored 10+ for the Eagles.
» The Eagles finished 9-pof-30 from behind the arc to extend their current streak to 116 consecutive games with at least one made three-pointer. EMU kept the streak alive in the opening minutes of the game as Elena Cabello drained a shot from distance with 6:29 remaining in the first quarter. 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.
Historical Notes
» With the loss, the Eagles fell to 1-12 overall and 0-3 in the MAC while the Cardinals improved to 11-4 overall and 3-0 in league action.
» The Cardinals took the lead in the series, 46-45, and have won seven in a row in the series. Eastern is now 19-23 when playing at Ball State.
Up Next
Eastern returns to home action Saturday, Jan. 11, as the women and men play host to the University of Akron in a doubleheader inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. The women will play first starting at 1 p.m. with the men to follow at approximately 3:30 p.m. Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+ with the games also available on WEMU (89.1 FM) and The Varsity Network app with Tom Helmer calling the action in both games.
