YPSILANTI, Mich..— The Miami women's basketball team battled for 40 minutes on the road, but came up one point short in a 68-67 loss at Eastern Michigan to open MAC play Wednesday night.
 
Maddi Cluse and Ivy Wolf had 18 points apiece to lead the RedHawks (5-9, 0-1 MAC). Amani Freeman and Peyton Scott added 11 points each. EMU improves to 9-3, 1-0 MAC.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Solid defense from the RedHawks propelled the visitors to a first-quarter lead. Wolf, Scott and Cluse all buried three-pointers in the opening period as Miami claimed a 13-8 advantage after 10 minutes. The RedHawks held EMU to 4-18 shooting in the quarter (22.2%) and an 0-7 showing from behind the arc.
• Sierra Morrow started the second quarter with a basket inside, and the RedHawks' lead grew to as much as 18-10 after another long-range shot from Wolf. However, the hosts responded with a 17-2 run to go on top and eventually take a 30-24 lead into intermission.
• Miami fought back to tie the game at 42-all midway through the third quarter on back-to-back three-pointers by Wolf and Clare Chambers. EMU used a 12-4 run to stretch the margin back to eight points before a four-point trip for the RedHawks sliced the deficit in half, thanks to a key offensive rebound by Katey Richason. The Eagles scored at the buzzer to take a 56-52 lead into the final quarter despite 12 points in the period from Wolf.
• The RedHawks evened the score at 58-58 with just over seven minutes remaining on a Sydney Watkins jumper, but were unable to take a late lead. Miami pulled within a single point at 62-61, 64-63, 66-65 and 68-67, and Scott's potential game-winning jumper from the right wing was no good at the final buzzer.

           
NOTES

• Miami shot a season best 53.3% from the three-point line (8-15).
• Cluse pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.
• Wolf led the RedHawks with four assists.

 
UP NEXT:
Miami returns home to face Akron Saturday, Jan. 7 as part of a doubleheader at Millett Hall. Tipoff against the Zips is set for 1 p.m. in Oxford.