Central Michigan University Athletics
Eagles Fly By CMU, 77-62
1/18/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Box Score
YPSILANTI, Mich. – Eastern Michigan used a hot night from behind the arc to hand the Central Michigan University women’s basketball team a 77-62 loss in Ypsilanti on Wednesday night.
The Eagles (9-7, 4-1 Mid-American Conference) hit 11-of-17 (.579) three-pointers including five by Alyssa Pittman and three from Sarah VanMetre and Kendra Gallert. For the game, EMU shot 55 percent from the field including 67 percent in the second half.
Turnovers and steals helped CMU (9-9, 1-4 MAC) stay in the game. CMU committed just seven turnovers compared to 18 by Eastern Michigan, 12 of which were forced by Chippewa steals. Latisha Luckett led CMU’s defensive effort with a career-high five steals while Ann Skufca added three more.
Poor shooting is what doomed the Maroon and Gold as they tallied a mark of 36 percent from the field and were just 3-for-10 from behind the arc. CMU did take advantage of its free throws, going 9-for-10.
Skufca led the Chippewa offensive for the fourth time in five games. The senior forward had 15 points, going 7-for-15 from the floor, to go along with four assists and a block. Sharonda Hurd chipped in 11 tallies and six rebounds while Stacey Verhoff had 10 points and a team-high seven boards.
Pittman was the game’s high scorer with 23 points, going 5-for-11 from three-point land. VanMetre added 21 tallies and 12 rebounds, going 9-for-14 from the field, while Patrice McKinney notched 12 and Gallert had 11. Gallert also had a game-high eight assists.
Eastern Michigan won the battle of the boards, 41-30, but the Chippewas did finish with more offensive rebounds, 13-10. CMU also had more steals (12-3) while EMU recorded more assists (23-16). Both teams had three blocks.
The Eagles bolted out to an early 13-4 lead behind the play of Pittman, who scored seven of EMU’s first 13 points. Eastern Michigan’s lead remained between six and nine the next few minutes before a quick 9-3 run gave the Eagles a 26-11 lead with 7:44 to go in the half.
CMU made a valiant charge at the end of the first half with a 21-6 run to end the period. Skufca led the run with seven points including a jumper with 10 seconds left in the half to tie the score a 32 going into the break.
Eastern Michigan came out of intermission on fire as the Eagles put together a 24-15 run to begin the second half. Pittman hit three three-pointers during that stretch while VanMetre added seven points. CMU would cut the Eagles lead to five with eight minutes to play but could get no closer as Eastern Michigan slowly pulled away down the stretch.
CMU remains on the road with a game at 17th-ranked Bowling Green on Saturday, Jan. 20. The game is set to begin at 1 p.m.
