Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team made its record 2-2 after it defeated the University of Hawaii 83-67 on Saturday.
The Rainbow Wahine was the host team of the Jack in the Box Rainbow Wahine Classic, and Saturday’s contest was the Eagles’ second of the tournament.
The Eagles played their final game of the tournament Sunday. Update will be available at www.easternecho.com.
Senior guard Sydney Huntley-Rodgers and junior guard Tavelyn James combined for 44 points against Hawaii. Huntley-Rodgers led all scorers with 23. Senior guard Cassie Schrock had nine points and four assists.
There were 10 lead changes and three ties in the first 10 minutes. A fast-break jumper by Huntley-Rogers made way for a 9-0 run that put the Eagles up 23-15 with 8:35 left in the half.
EMU’s lead would expand to 13 in the first half after a two free throws by Schrock. An 11-4 Eagles run would send them into the locker room with a 44-31 lead at the break.
Three of EMU’s post players found themselves in early foul trouble, with forward Paige Redditt picking up three and forward Kristin Thomas and center India Hairston two each.
From that point on it was sophomore center Chelsea Hite who kept the energy and momentum going for the Eagles. Hite finished with four points and two rebounds off the bench.
The Eagles dominated the rest of the game at the Stan Sheriff Center. They had 18 steals and scored 34 points on the Rainbow Wahines’ 23 turnovers. Eastern also outrebounded Hawaii 46-38, and its bench outscored the Rainbow Wahine bench 28-17.
The second half began with the Eagles taking a 12-5 run which gave them a 20-point lead. The run was sparked by a three-point field goal by James four minutes into the half.
Hawaii responded with a 12-4 run of its own that brought it within 12 points.
EMU gained its 20-point lead back with 6:15 left after a 15-5 run.
The Eagles lead grew 22 points and the Rainbow Wahine were unable to bounce back from the deficit as Eastern came out with the 83-67 victory.
The Rainbow Wahine were led by guard Megan Tinnin with 17 points. Breanna Arbuckle followed with 16 points along with 10, rebounds, which gave her the only double-double of the night.
On Friday, the Eagles dropped the first game of the tournament to Oregon State 59-44 . Hairston led EMU with a career-high 12 points and 28 rebounds. In scoring the Eagles’ first field goal of the night, senior guard Schrock surpassed 1,000 in career points.
After getting off to a sluggish start in each half, Eastern was unable to bounce back in the second half. It shot a 21.4 percent from the field in the closing half, while Oregon sank 11 of its 26 field-goal attempts.
The Beavers opened the second half with an 18-4 run, jumping out to a 12-point lead, their largest of the game. The Beaver run included Sage Indendi and Alexis Bostick combining for four three-pointers. The Eagles missed nine of their first 10 shots in the second half.
