Miami University
Eastern Illinois
Second-Half Surge Lifts Miami to Inspired 85-78 Win
12/30/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 30, 2009
OXFORD, Ohio--Senior forward Ashleigh Brown and sophomore forward Erin Wisner each produced double-doubles, while sophomore forward Rachael Hencke and sophomore guard Maggie Boyer each tallied career highs of 20 points to spark Miami University's women's basketball team (2-10) to a 85-78 win at Millett Hall Wednesday evening.
Wisner recorded her first career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 10 rebounds while adding a career-high three blocked shots. Brown posted her second double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Boyer scored 16 second-half points, sparking the RedHawks through a critical early stretch.
Freshman guard Courtney Osborn also scored in double figures with 11 points, marking the first time this season the RedHawks had five players score in double digits.
In the first half, Eastern Illinois (5-8) built an eight-point advantage by the 12:35 mark, capped by a three-point play by Pilar Walker to take a 15-7 lead. Miami chiseled away at the EIU advantage and used a 7-0 flurry to take its first lead of the game with 5:35 remaining in the opening stanza. Brown drained a 3-pointer to hand Miami a 21-22 edge. The RedHawk run was also fueled by a sophomore forward Lillian Pitts jumper and a pair of sophomore forward Rachael Hencke free throws.
Sparked by a 6-0 run later in the half that was capped by a pair of Wisner free throws, Miami captured a 34-29 lead by the 2:29 mark. It looked as if Miami might post its first halftime lead of the season, but the RedHawks mustered just one more point over the remaining minutes while the Panthers tallied eight points to give EIU a two-point cushion going into the half, 37-35. It was the fewest points Miami has trailed by at the half this season.
Miami caught fire in the second half, shooting an impressive .630 from the floor, a season high for a half for the RedHawks. Off a Boyer jumper, Miami constructed a 12-point lead by the 8:05 mark, 66-54. A pair of senior guard Courtney Reed free throws moments earlier gave Miami its first double-figure lead of the game. The Panthers closed within four points with 2:19 to play off a Ta'Kenya Nixon 3-pointer, 72-68, but the RedHawks surged ahead to reclaim a double-figure lead, 79-68, off a 7-0 rally.
The RedHawks continued to sink free throws over the waning minutes to secure an 85-78 win.
Eastern Illinois also had three players score in double figures, led by Maggie Kloak's 20 points. Nixon and Ashley Thomas followed with 18 and 15 points, respectively.
Miami returns to action on Sunday, Jan. 3, hosting the University of Miami at 2 p.m.
Notes: The RedHawks scored a season-high 85 points, eclipsing the previous season high of 76 against Appalachian State and Marshall ... Miami also amassed a season-high 45 rebounds, marking the fourth time this season Miami reached the 40-rebound plateau ... Erin Wisner had eight of her career-high 10 rebounds in the first half, which tied her previous career high ... she also recorded a career-most three blocked shots ... for the first time this season someone other than Courtney Osborn led the team in scoring ... Rachael Hencke and Maggie Boyer's 20-point efforts mark the first time players other than Osborn have reached 20 points this season.
