Jan. 23, 2002
Stats
YPSILANTI, Mich.-A determined second-half rally by Miami University's women's basketball team could not make up for a slow start Wednesday night, as Eastern Michigan University outlasted the RedHawks 71-67 in Mid-American Conference basketball action.
Following an 8-0 Eastern Michigan run to open the game, Miami spent the entire first half battling a deficit. The Eagles, who shot a blistering 54 percent from the floor, led 10-3 by the 15-minute mark and pushed the lead into double digits for the first time with a Shani Charles layup that pushed the score to 32-21. The RedHawks closed to within 27-21 with a Melanie Kozlowski (Parma, Ohio/Holy Name) jumper, but EMU took off on a 10-0 run to build a 16-point advantage.
The Red and White responded over the final three minutes, outscoring the Eagles 6-0 and shaving the EMU lead to 37-27 by the half. Eastern Michigan's Erika Ford, who hit all three of her first-half 3-point attempts, led all scorers with nine points. Miami was led by Kozlowski and Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo), who netted six apiece in the half. The RedHawks hit just 1-of-10 3-point field goals in the half and shot 40 percent from the field.
Led out of the gates by eight points from Kozlowski, Miami cut the Eagle lead to eight, but EMU, which scored on six of its first seven possessions in the second half quickly rebuilt its double-digit lead. The RedHawks continued to chip away, closing to within 57-55 by the 5:31 mark and taking their first lead a possession later when Cusick drained her first trey of the game.
After going back and forth over the next several possessions, the Eagles broke a 61-61 tie with a Stephanie Smiley 3-pointer and never trailed again. EMU pushed its advantage as high as 68-61, but Miami once again rallied behind 3-pointers from Cusick and Kozlowski and had a chance to tie in the final 10 seconds, but Dru Bishop stole a RedHawk pass and hit a game-clinching free throw to secure the EMU win.
Miami was led on the night by Kozlowski, who poured in a career-high 20 points. Cusick added 16 points and a season-high nine assists, while Kim Lancaster (Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton) added 13 points and 11 rebounds. Smiley led the Eagles, who hit nine 3-point field goals, with 16 points.
Miami hits the road again Saturday for a key divisional rematch with Kent State University, which has not lost to a MAC East foe on its home court since divisional play started in 1998. The game, which tips off at 2 p.m., will be televised by Fox Sports Ohio. The RedHawks defeated the Golden Flashes, 72-67, on Jan. 15.
