WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
Eastern Washington 61,
UT Maritn 58
Akron 59,
SIUE 58
North Texas 63,
@Eastern Illinois 61 (OT)
@Alabama 68,
Murray State 47
EASTERN WASHINGTON 61, UT MARTIN 58
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The University of Tennessee at Martin women’s basketball team would suffer their second dramatic loss in as many games on Wednesday afternoon in the final contest of the Basketball Travelers Inc. Invitational as a three-pointer by Eastern Washington’s Brittany Klaman with 0.8 seconds on the clock proved to be too much to overcome in a 61-58 setback.
The Skyhawks (4-8) close out the non-conference portion of the schedule on a three-game losing streak after being swept in the BTI Invitational by a total of 16 points over the course of three games. Despite the end results, sophomore Kendall Spray was honored for her strong tournament play by receiving all-tournament honors after averaging 14.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.
In a game which saw the game become tied on 13 occasions along with 11 lead changes, the Skyhawks shot 44.2 percent from the field. While the team shot well offensively, it was the team’s 21 turnovers which led to 21 easy points for the Eagles’ defense – including 14 off fastbreak opportunities.
Junior guard Emanye Robertson led the team with 16 points along with seven rebounds, four assists and three steals but committed nine turnovers on the afternoon. Spray wasn’t far behind, tallying 13 points of her own while leading the squad with eight rebounds. Senior Janekia Mason rounded out the Skyhawk trio in double figures with 11 points and six rebounds.
Eastern Washington (5-7) picked up its first victory in the tournament despite shooting 33.3 percent from the field. Despite the low shooting percentage, the team’s defense kept the squad in the contest setting up Klaman for her late game heroics which registered both of her three-pointers in the final two minutes of the contest. Meanwhile Delaney Hodgins paced the squad with 18 points and nine rebounds while Amy Hartleroad (12) and Symone Starks (10) rounded out the Eagles in double figures.
With the early start time, each team came out of the gates struggling to turn up the intensity. As a result, the Skyhawks would record seven turnovers in the opening period despite shooting 43 percent from the floor. Despite the turnover margin, eight points by Emanye Robertson in the opening period would give the Skyhawks a 15-10 advantage heading into the second.
Both team’s combined struggles would continue in the second quarter as the game saw just two points scored in the opening five minutes of the period. Heading into the media break the two squads had combined to shoot just 2-of-11 from the field while combining for five points. Eastern Washington would be the first to break loose from its early funk, outscoring UT Martin 10-4 over the final four minutes of the quarter to knot the game at 23-23 heading into halftime.
The lid would finally come off the basket in the third as both teams scored 20 points in the frame. The guard duo of Spray and Hartleroad would do much of the heavy lifting by scoring eight points each. Despite the lead changing hands three times during the quarter, with another even period, UT Martin and Eastern Washington entered the fourth tied at 43-all.
The game’s intensity would jump in the fourth quarter as neither team let their opponent have an inch. The score would become tied on seven occasions along with four lead changes in the period alone. With the game still tied at 58-58 with 4.3 seconds to play, Eastern Washington would call a timeout to advance the ball, setting up Klaman for late game heroics with a three-pointer with 0.8 seconds remaining to ultimately give the squad a 61-58 victory.
UT Martin will return to action on Thursday, Dec. 28 in the team’s Ohio Valley Conference opener against Tennessee State. Tipoff from the Elam Center is scheduled for 3 p.m.
AKRON 59, SIUE 58
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Akron won a battle of late free throws in Wednesday's opening game of FGCU Hilton Garden Inn Classic at Alico Arena, edging SIUE 59-58.
There were 13 lead changes in the game, and Shaunay Edmond's two free throws for Akron with seven seconds left proved to be the difference.
SIUE, 3-7 overall, had a chance to tie the game in the waning seconds. Lauren White, who matched her career high in back-to-back games with 28 points, made her first nine free throws of the game only to have the 10th attempt go off the rim.
SIUE made a 10-0 run at the end of the second period to take a 33-25 lead at the halftime break. The Cougars put the exclamation mark at the end of the period after transitioning from a blocked shot by Sydney Bauman on the defensive end into a clutch three-pointer by Elina Berzina.
Akron, 6-4, regained its stride in the third period by hitting 8 of 13 shots from the field, including three three-pointers. The Zips led after three periods 45-41.
All three of Akron's baskets in the fourth quarter were three pointers. Buscher said the Cougars will have to sharpen up their three-point defense for tomorrow's 6 p.m. contest against tournament host Florida Gulf Coast, which is among the nation's leaders in three-point shooting.
Five different players hit three-pointers for Akron, and the Zips hit 10 of 11 free throws for the game. Haliegh Reinoehl led the Zips' offense with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
SIUE outrebounded Akron 38-28 and connected on 11 of 15 from the free throw line.
NORTH TEXAS 63, EASTERN ILLINOIS 61
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois women's basketball team had the chance to win in the last seconds regulation, but it was the Mean Green's Terriell Bradley to hit the buzzer beater jumper in overtime to secure the 63-61 overtime win over the Panthers.
The Panthers fall to 1-9 on the season as North Texas improves to 8-3.
The Mean Green jumped out to a quick start in the first quarter shooting 45.5 percent from the field behind Goodhart's five first quarter points. The Panther's headed into the second quarter down 13-9, but Halle Stull quickly shot them back into the game. Stull scored 11 points in the second quarter connecting on 4-of-5 from the field with three coming from beyond the arc. Stull sparked the Panthers 10-0 run as EIU led 24-20 heading into halftime.
Carmen Tellez hit back-to-back three-pointers midway through the third quarter to give the Panthers their largest lead of the game at nine points, but North Texas shot a perfect 11-of-11 from the free throw line to tie the game 40-40 heading into the fourth quarter.
EIU was down by two points with 29 seconds left to play when Taylor Steele completed a four point play to put the Panthers up 55-53. Danielle Berry and Grace McRae each with a chance to win the game in regulation but missing forcing the Panthers first overtime game of the season.
The teams traded baskets in the five minute overtime period, but it was Bradley of North Texas to secure the 63-61 win over EIU with a buzzer beating jumper. Bradley finished with a team-high 21 points while Brittany Smith grabbed 10 boards for the Mean Green.
The Panthers shot 40.4 percent from the field behind Steele's career-high 21 points. Steele also had five boards and three assists. Stull finished the game with a season-high 16 points and six rebounds, while Berry added seven points, six rebounds, five steals, and four assists.
EIU will return to action Friday Dec. 22 to close out non-conference play at Northwestern. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m and will be played at Evanston High school.
ALABAMA 68, MURRAY STATE 47
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Murray State fell at Alabama, 68-47, on Wednesday. With the loss the Racers fall to 4-7 on the season.
Jasmine Borders led the team with 13 points while Bria Bethea just missed a double-double with nine points and a team-best 10 rebounds. Ke'Shunan James also nearly had a double-double with nine points and nine boards.
Murray State will return to action on Dec. 28 when it opens up OVC play at home with Eastern Illinois.