For the first time since Dec. 1, 2024, the Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball program is back in the win column.
The Eagles defeated the Northern Illinois University Huskies on the road for their first win in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play this season, 76-72. Eastern Michigan scored 76 points, which is tied for the most points it has scored in a game this season. It also scored 76 at Bowling Green on January 4.
The game mainly was back-and-forth, with both teams putting themselves in a position to win at numerous points. It started with Eastern Michigan taking a 7-2 lead in the first three minutes. From there, Northern Illinois returned and tied the game at 12 before taking a 19-17 lead after one.
In the second quarter, Eastern Michigan went on a 6-0 run after trailing 23-19 to take a two-point lead. EMU led by as many as four points in the second half, 32-28, before the Huskies closed the half on a 10-0 run to have a 38-32 lead at halftime. This put the Eagles in a position where they would lose a 19th straight game.
After Northern Illinois went up 42-33 to start the third quarter, Eastern Michigan tied the game after a 9-0 run, including two three-pointers. Although Eastern tied the game on another occasion, they trailed 66-56 after three quarters.
The defense of Eastern Michigan showed up in the fourth quarter. Trailing 66-56, they went on a 6-0 run in the first six and a half minutes of the fourth quarter, during which NIU did not score a point until the 3:23 mark of the quarter. The Huskies made zero shots in six attempts during this stretch.
Furthermore, Northern Illinois did not make a shot from the field until the 1:14 mark of the quarter, where they went up 69-66. Then, Brooklyn Thrash from Wayne, Ohio, and Kyndal Lewis from Belton, Missouri, made layups to put the Eagles up 70-69. After Lewis missed a one-and-one, Eastern Michigan got an offensive rebound with 20 seconds left to return to the line. Sisi Eleko from Montreal, Quebec, made both free throws to give Eastern a 72-69 lead.
The Huskies made a layup with 13 seconds left to make it a one-point game. After a battle of free throws by both teams, Olivia Westphal, hailing Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, made four big three throws to give the Eagles victory. Northern Illinois only made two shots from the field the entire fourth quarter.
Eleko again led EMU on offense, scoring 20 points while pulling nine rebounds. Olivia Smith from Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Thrash had 14 and 10 points, respectively, for Eastern.
Off the bench, the Green and White scored 22 points in the game. This included Lewis and Dara Capaldi from East Detroit, Michigan, who scored 13 and 9 points, respectively, playing but not starting the game. In addition to her 13 points, Lewis also pulled down eight rebounds.
While Eastern Michigan won the battle in bench points 22-16, they also scored more points in the paint than Northern Illinois, 32-28.
Next, Eastern Michigan returns to the George Gervin GameAbove Center on Wednesday, February 26, to play the Miami University Redhawks in their second-to-last home game of the year. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. ET. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and listened to on WEMU 89.1 FM, with Tom Helmer on the call.
For more coverage on the Eastern Michigan University Women’s Basketball program, visit the Echo’s Website.
