The Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team fell to Missouri State University 72-57 in a nonconference game on Friday at Springfield, Mo.
Junior guard Tavelyn James led the Eagles (5-3) with a season-high 29 points. Senior guards Sydney Huntley-Rodgers (nine points, five steals and four assists) and Cassie Schrock (three points, seven rebounds and five assists) followed behind James. Junior forward Paige Redditt scored seven points and a team-high eight rebounds.
Two players turned in double-doubles for Missouri State (6-2). Forward Jasmine Malone put up 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Christiana Shorter recorded 15 points and rebounds. Casey Garrison and Jaleshia Roberson also had 12 points.
The Eagles experienced a moment of shock eight minutes into the second half when James was tripped up on a drive and was forced to leave the game.
The Eagles went on to outscore Missouri State 35-31 in the second half and cut the lead to 13 three times.
Eastern never got its offensive game going. It shot for 26.2 percent (17-for-65), while the Bears went 40 percent (22-for-55) for shooting.
The Eagles were also outrebounded, 60-33.
The Bears took a 4-0 lead before a free throw by Redditt was Eastern’s first point. After the Eagles scored 15 points in the first 17 minutes, Missouri State gained its largest lead, 24.
With three minutes left to play in the first half, the Eagles forced four turnovers. These turned into seven points and allowed EMU to gain some momentum. A steal by James with 36 seconds left led to a layup by Huntley-Rodgers, cutting the Bears’ lead to 19.
The Eagles built off of the momentum they had built in the closing minutes of the opening half. Eastern was first to score in the half after Schrock snagged a steal and passed it to James for the easy basket. James also made a three-pointer to cut MSU’s lead to 14.
Eastern’s next game is at 7 p.m. on Monday against Wisconsin-Green Bay at the Convocation Center.
