The Eastern Michigan women’s basketball team took on the Cardinals of Ball State as part of the men’s and women's doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 15.
The Eagles looked to acquire their first MAC win this season, while the Cardinals aimed to remain undefeated in league play. Both teams look to get back on track after losing in the MAC-Sunbelt challenge.
In the first quarter, the Eagles came out firing as they made seven of their first 11 shots, quickly building a 7-0 lead. Elena Cabello (Malaga, Spain/IES Mediterraneo) led all scorers in the opening period with eight points off a quick layup and two deep threes. The opening period ended 19-12 in favor of the Eagles, with the Cardinals struggling to find shooting traction.
The slow shooting start by the Cardinals would not continue into the second quarter as they shrank the Eagles lead to just one after three minutes of play. Head coach Sahar Nusseibeh looked to the bench for fresh legs as the Ball State press wore down the starters. Sophomore Jada Williams (Williamstown, New Jersey/Gloucester Catholic/St. Peter's) was immediately impacted with a layup and two free throws.
At the same time, Senior Kyndal Lewis (Belton, Missouri/Belton) also contributed with a quick offensive board and followed it up with a layup. The Eagles and Cardinals continued in a back-and-forth battle that ended with halftime tied at 32.
The scoring for the Eagles in the third quarter came as a team effort as Olivia Westphal (Bethel Park, Pennsylvania/Bethel Park/Duquesne), Brooklyn Thrash (Wayne, Ohio/Elmwood/Canisius), and Sisi Eleko (Montreal, Quebec/New Hope Academy/Canisius), all made timely buckets to keep the game close as the Cardinals leading scorers Ally Becki and Alex Richard began to take the game over.
The Eagles kept themselves in the game by finding the open man and hitting their layups, scoring 8 of their 11 points from the field under the basket. The Eagles lost their lead as they ended the third quarter down two, scoring 49-47.
The Eagles entered an offensive slump in the fourth quarter as costly turnovers and missed shots dashed their hopes for the all-time upset. The high-powered Ball State offense was too much for the Eagles defense as they scored 25 in the final frame. Free throws were the focal point at the end of the game, with 24 being shot in total between the two teams coming from 11 fouls. The Eagles kept it close but could never regain the lead as they fell 74-69.
Sisi Eleko, Olivia Smith, and Elena Cabello powered the Eagles forward, each scoring in the double digits. At the same time, Eleko led the team with 12 rebounds, and Cabello had a team-high three assists.
The Eagles will face Central Michigan on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at 6:30 p.m. at the George Gervin Center as they look to defeat the Chippewas in the rivalry matchup. The game will air on ESPN+ and WEMU 89.1 FM.
