The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team showed resilience. Still, it ultimately fell short in a tightly contested home game against the University of Akron, losing 61-56 on Jan. 11 at the George Gervin GameAbove Center in Ypsilanti. Despite a strong defensive effort, the Eagles could not overcome key scoring runs by the Zips, extending their winless streak in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) to four games.
Sisi Eleko (Montreal, Quebec/New Hope Academy/Canisius) led the Eagles with a standout performance, scoring 17 points and eight rebounds. Mackenzie Amalia (Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania/Blackhawk/Canisius) added 16 points and four assists, marking her third consecutive game with at least 14 points. Akron, now 9-7 overall and 3-1 in the MAC, relied on balanced scoring and timely runs to secure the victory.
Eastern Michigan started the game with an impressive defensive showing, holding the Zips to 16 first-quarter points and forcing three turnovers, including two shot clock violations. Eleko and Amalia combined for 12 points in the opening quarter to keep the game within reach.
The Eagles briefly took the lead early in the second quarter on a driving layup by Amalia. However, Akron responded with a 13-4 run to close the half, carrying a 32-25 advantage into the break. Olivia Smith (Fort Wayne, Indiana/South Side) contributed six points in the half, knocking down her three-point attempts.
Eastern Michigan rallied in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to two points on a layup by Smith. However, a technical foul called on Smith swung momentum back to Akron, sparking a 9-0 run that pushed the Zips’ lead to 11. A three-pointer by Olivia Westphal (Bethel Park, Pennsylvania/Bethel Park/Duquesne) ended the run, but the Eagles trailed 50-38 entering the final period.
In the fourth quarter, Eastern Michigan made a determined push, fueled by nine points from Amalia and key baskets by Eleko and Brooklyn Thrash (Wayne, Ohio/Elmwood/Canisius). The Eagles cut the deficit to five with under three minutes remaining, but Akron held firm, sealing the win with clutch free throws and defense.
Despite the loss, several players stood out for the Eagles. Eleko’s consistent scoring extended her streak of double-digit performances to 14 games this season, while Amalia’s 48 points over the last three games marked a career-high stretch. Thrash contributed a season-high seven rebounds along with six points, and Smith added 10 points, hitting 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.
Eastern Michigan’s defensive effort was notable, as the 61 points allowed were the second-fewest this season. The Eagles also extended their streak of games with a made three-pointer to 117.
The loss dropped Eastern Michigan to 1-13 overall and 0-4 in conference play, while Akron improved to 19-31 all-time against the Eagles. Eastern will look to bounce back on Wednesday, Jan. 15, when they host the University at Buffalo Bulls at 6:30 p.m. Fans can catch the action live on ESPN+ or tune in to WEMU 89.1 FM for the radio broadcast.
