Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
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Defiance
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Women’s Hoops Routs Defiance, 96-44, Secures Third Consecutive Win
12/5/2025 8:16:00 PM | Women's Basketball, General
Eastern has won three straight games for the first time in 701 days
Photo Gallery | Post-Game Highlights
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team dominated Defiance College to secure its third consecutive victory, besting the Yellow Jackets in a 96-44 win that saw the Eagles record a multitude of season bests while leading wire-to-wire Friday evening, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center, Dec. 5.
Eastern won by 52 points, its largest margin of victory in the Head Coach Sahar Nusseibeh era and largest since the 2021-22 season.
Eastern never trailed for the third time this season as it dominated the Yellow Jackets in a variety of categories, highlighted by a 38-16 advantage in points off turnovers, 55-32 edge in rebounds, 50-11 lead in bench points, 33-11 upper hand in fast-break points, and 29-7 advantage in second-chance points.
Sisi Eleko (Montreal, Quebec/New Hope Academy) led the Eagles with her fifth double-double of the season, dropping a game-high 19 points off an efficient 7-for-11 shooting with 11 rebounds. Oliwia Pelka (Sosnowiec, Poland/Virtus Eirene Ragusa (Italy) had a career-best 15 points, nine of which were scored via three-point field goals, and Believe Tshibangu (Courtice, Ontario/Royal Crown Secondary) turned in a near double-double performance with 11 points and nine rebounds while shooting 5-for-9 from the field.
Peyton Hill (St. Louis, Mo./Incarnate Word Academy) added 11 points and four rebounds while Fernanda Ovalle (Santiago, Chile/Montverde Prep/Xavier) and Alli Zajac (Tecumseh, Mich./Tecumseh) each scored eight points as Zajac's total marked a career-best.
How it Happened
After jumping out to a 9-5 advantage, Eastern Michigan went on an 8-0 run with 6:02 left in the first quarter, culminating in a bucket from Pelka to increase its lead to 17-5. The Eagles then added six points to that lead by the end of the period and entered the quarter break with a 28-10 advantage. EMU did most of its first quarter damage in the paint, scoring 16 of its 28 points close to the basket.
Eastern built its first-quarter lead to 34-12 before going on a 15-0 run starting at the 6:00 mark in the second period to increase its lead to 49-12, a score that would hold until halftime. The Eagles were strong from deep in the period, knocking down a trio of three-point shots as it allowed just two points in the second quarter.
Following the intermission, EMU continued to expand its advantage, pushing it to 55-16 before going on a 10-0 run, punctuated by a basket from Eleko, to expand its lead further to 65-16 with 4:59 to go in the third. The Eagles held onto that lead for the rest of the frame and entered the fourth quarter with a 75-26 edge.
The Green and White kept widening its lead, growing it to 82-31, before going on a 6-0 run to increase the lead to 88-31 with 5:37 to go in the contest. The Eagles cruised the rest of the way for the 96-44 win.
Game Notes
» Eastern's record improved to 5-3 (0-0 MAC) and Defiance went to 3-7 (0-0 WHAC).
» The Eagles led 28-10 at the end of the first quarter, marking the largest single-quarter point total this season, and second most scored under Nusseibeh. EMU scored 34 points in the third quarter against Miami last season, Feb. 26, 2025.
» Eastern led 49-12 at the half and won the game, 96-44, marking its fifth win when leading at halftime as EMU is a clean 5-0 when doing so this season.
»Eastern's 49 points at the half mark the highest scoring half of the Nusseibeh tenure.
» The Eagles secured multiple season highs, outscoring the Yellow Jackets in points-off-turnovers (38-16), second chance points (29-7), bench points (50-11), paint points (44-20), and fast break points (33-11).
» EMU outrebounded the Yellow Jackets, 55-32, marking the seventh time the Eagles have outrebounded their opponent this season. EMU has outrebounded its foe in seven of eight games in the 2025-26 campaign, producing a 5-2 record.
» Eastern shot 43.2% (35-for-81) from the field including 31.0% (9-for-29) from three-point range, and 81.0% (17-for-21) from the free-throw line. Defiance shot 30.0% (15-for-50) from the field, 26.3% (5-for-19) from the three-point line, and 64.3% (9-for-14) at the free-throw line.
» Eastern led the entire game as its largest lead was 58 points (91-33) with 4:49 remaining in the fourth quarter.
» Eastern's most lucrative offensive quarter was the first scoring 28 points with a 100% (5-for-5) showing from the free-throw line. Its best defensive quarter was the second, holding the Yellow Jackets to just 2 points on 9.1% (1-for-9) shooting, including a 0-for-3 clip from three-point range.
» Eastern's defense only allowed two points in the second quarter, tying for the least amount of points allowed in a quarter this season. The last time EMU's defense held its opponent to two points in the quarter was in the first quarter against Canisius, Nov. 7.
» EMU held its opponent below 45.0% shooting (30.0%) for the fifth time this season, producing a 5-0 record when doing so.
» Eastern had at least four players (Hill [11], Eleko [19], Pelka [15], Tshibangu [11]) score double-digit points for the second time this year and first time since playing Canisius, Nov. 7.
» Peyton Hill had her seventh double-digit scoring game with 11 points. She is the first EMU freshman to score 10+ points in seven of her first eight games since at least 2008-09. Hill leads all MAC freshmen in scoring this season, averaging 13.4 points per game. Hill also shot 62.5% from the field, including 50% from three-point range (1-for-2).
» Sisi Eleko recorded her eighth consecutive double-digit scoring game of the season as she posted 19 points to go with a game-high 11 rebounds. Eleko is up to 75 double-digit scoring games in her career.
» Sisi Eleko's 19 points and 11 rebounds marked her fifth double-double of the season, tying for the most in the MAC and marking 19th double-double of her EMU career. She has secured a double-double in 52.7% (19-of-36) of her games as an Eagle.
» Oliwia Pelka secured a career-high 15 points, marking her first time this season scoring 10+ points. The game marked her second with three or more three-point field goals made.
» Ainhoa Cea (Irun, Spain/IES Pio Baroja Bhi/Lipscomb) grabbed six rebounds and totaled four steals, marking her third time with three or more steals this season. She tied her season-best four steals originally set in the 52-41 win at St. Thomas, Nov. 14.
» Fernanda Ovalle secured season highs with six rebounds, five assists, and three blocks. Her assists total marked a career high and her blocks tied total tied a career-best mark.
» Alli Zajac (Tecumseh, Mich./Tecumseh) secured multiple career highs with eight points, four rebounds, two assists, one block, one steal, and 18 minutes.
Historical Notes
» The game marked the third consecutive win for the Eagles for the first time in over one season as it last captured three straight wins in the 2023-24 season. It has been 701 days since EMU won three consecutive games.
» The meeting marked the fifth all-time between the Eagles and Yellow Jackets. Eastern holds an undefeated record over Defiance, 5-0, and 3-0 when playing in Ypsilanti, Mich. Both programs faced off for the first time in nearly 45 years as the Eagles last met the Yellow Jackets on Dec. 11, 1980.
» The game against the Yellow Jackets marked EMU's 13th against the current membership of the NAIA. Eastern now holds a perfect 13-0 record against the association. Additionally, its five-game history against Defiance is its longest against an NAIA opponent.
» With the win, Eastern has started 5-3 for the first time since it went 6-2 in its first eight games of the 2022-23 campaign. The Eagles have also started the season with a 2-0 record at home for the first time since 2022-23.
» Head Coach Sahar Nusseeibeh secured her first 5-3 start with Eastern and second 5-3 start as collegiate head coach.
» Ainhoa Cea now needs two more points to reach the 500-points milestone. She would be the second Eagle this season to do so along with Brooklyn Thrash (Wayne, Ohio/Elmwood), who accomplished the feat at Michigan State, Nov. 9.
» The 52 point margin of victory marked the second largest at home since the 2021-22 season, when the Eagles beat Grace Christian by 88 points, setting the program record with 133 points in a 133-45 win, Nov. 18, 2021.
Up Next
Eastern returns to Ypsilanti to face Duquesne University Tuesday, Dec. 9, 12 p.m. Fans can purchase tickets here and stream the game live on ESPN+.
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Stay connected with the Eagles all season long by following @EMUWBB and @EMUAthletics on X for all the latest EMU women's basketball updates. Be sure to also follow the Eagles on Instagram @emuwbb and @emuathletics.
