The Eastern Michigan’s women’s basketball team started their 2019-20 season with a loss versus No. 17 Michigan State. The Eagles lost 85-50 on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. Corrione Cardwell led EMU with 13 points, three assists, two rebounds and two steals.
Courtnie Lewis scored the first basket of the season for the Eagles with a jumper to put EMU up 2-0 with 9:23 left in the opening quarter. Eastern would add to the lead and make it 5-0 following a layup by Aaliyah Stanley and a free throw by Jenna Annecchiarico. Michigan State’s first basket came from Nia Hollie on a layup.
The Eagles led 13-9 at the end of the first quarter.
Eastern Michigan extended their lead to nine points in the second quarter when Harris finished a layup, assisted by Annecchiarico. EMU led 23-14 with 6:13 left in the second quarter. However, Michigan State responded as Clouden hit a 3-pointer to cut the Eagles lead to six and then the Spartans scored 14 straight points to take a halftime lead.
Taryn McCutcheon made two consecutive 3-pointers early in the second half, both assisted by Shay Colley. Michigan State jumped out to a 38-29 lead before a timeout was called with 7:28 remaining in the third quarter. Following the timeout, Clouden scored at the rim and then knocked down a free throw to increase MSU’s lead to 41-29.
The Eagles didn’t score their first point in the third quarter until the 1:09 mark as Michigan State’s lead has increased to 59-29. Cardwell hit a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 28 points and then made another free throw less than a minute later. Alyza Winston made two free throws with five seconds left in the quarter to extend MSU’s lead to 63-32.
Michigan State outscored Eastern Michigan 32-3 in the third quarter.
Cardwell continued her solid game with a jumper to start the fourth quarter. The Eagles scored the next four points as Natalia Pineda made two free throws before Autumn Hudson scored a basket, assisted by Cardwell. Cardwell knocked down another mid-range jumper to cut Michigan State’s lead to 66-40. Connie Chaplin also made a jumper for the Eagles.
The final three points from Eastern Michigan came from free throws by Annecchiarico, Chaplin and Kiara Johnson. Johnson’s free throw came with 22 seconds left in the game and was the final point for either team. Michigan State dribbled out the rest of the clock and won the game 85-50.
Clouden had a game-high 23 points for the Spartans.
Eastern Michigan shot 31.1% from the field, compared to Michigan State’s 41.4%. The Eagles made only one 3-pointer on the night, the Spartans made 11. EMU also struggled to take care of the ball as they compiled 25 turnovers in the loss. MSU finished the game with more rebounds (49-38), assists (16-7), steals (17-7) and blocks (4-1) than the Eagles.
EMU’s next game will be on Friday, Nov. 8 versus Olivet at the Convocation Center.
