Mid-American Conference

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Playing for the first time in 13 days and heading into the holiday break, the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team suffered an 81-52 setback to the University of Michigan Monday afternoon, Dec. 22, at Crisler Center. The Wolverines (8-3) forced a season-high 27 EMU miscues, turning them into 31 points to drop the Eagles to 6-4 on the 2014-15 campaign.

Michigan led the entire game, opening up a 19-point halftime advantage to claim the battle between the two Washtenaw County rivals. Four Wolverines scored in double figures behind a team-best 17 from Katelynn Flaherty off the bench. Cyesha Goree added a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Siera Thompson and Nicole Elmblad recorded 15 and 10 points, respectively. As a team, U-M shot 44.4 percent, making 32-of-72 field goals that included eight from long range. The Wolverines also dished out 23 assists on the offensive side of the floor and swiped 18 steals on the other end.

Sophomore Janay Morton (Brooklyn Park, Minn.-Osseo) was the only Eagle to reach double digits in points with 14, including 10 in the second half. Cha Sweeney (Toledo, Ohio-Rogers) followed with eight, while Shannise Heady (Hazel Crest, Ill.-Hillcrest-Seton Hall) and Jamaica Bucknor (Brooklyn, N.Y.-Weaver-ASA College)) scored seven apiece. Making her debut as an Eagle, Illinois State University transfer Brianna Puni (St. Charles, Mo.-Incarnate Word Academy-Illinois State) saw 22 minutes of action off the bench, recording three points and registering a team-high nine rebounds. EMU shot 20-of-49 (40.8 percent), but struggled from beyond the arc by sinking just one of its eight attempts. The Eagles also held a slight rebound advantage, 38-37.

Michigan got off to a quick start, opening up a 6-0 lead and forcing Head Coach Tory Verdi to call timeout just 2:28 into the contest. The Wolverines pulled down four offensive rebounds in the in the early stages to give themselves extra opportunities at the hoop. The difference escalated to double digits, 12-2, before Bucknor drilled a triple from the corner to bring the deficit to seven. However, U-M answered by scoring nine of the game's next 10 points to take a 21-6 advantage with 9:56 remaining in the opening half.

At the halfway point of the first half, it was Michigan's crashing of the boards and EMU's turnovers that proved to be pivotal factors to the start. The Wolverines equaled their offensive rebounds with Eastern's total rebound mark at eight, while the Eagles also committed seven turnovers in the first 10 minutes.

U-M grew its lead to 24 points, but EMU would score the final five points of the opening half to trail by a 42-23 margin.  The Eagles held the Wolverines to just 38.5 percent shooting from the floor (15-of-39), but Michigan scored 21 points off 11 EMU turnovers to open up the big cushion. Thompson scored 10 points to lead the Maize and Blue, while Goree added nine points and six rebounds. For the Green and White, Bucknor tallied seven points and hauled in five boards off the bench. In 12 first half minutes, Puni pulled down a team-best six rebounds and recorded the first three points of her EMU career. As a team, EMU made 8-of-26 field goals for a 30.8 percent clip.

Early in the second half, the Eagles scored on four straight possessions. Phillis Webb (Brooklyn Park, Minn.-Osseo) added two buckets, while Morton and Sweeney each knocked down a jumper. Despite the impressive offensive run, the Green and White was unable to cut into the first half deficit as Michigan continued to find success on its own side of the floor to remain in complete control. Morton put together a solid final 20 minutes, notching 10 second half points by sinking 4-of-7 shots in the stanza. As a team, Eastern improved by shooting 52.2 percent in the second half on 12-of-23 from the field.

EMU will not return to the friendly confines of the Convocation Center again until Dec. 30 against Detroit. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. as the Eagles close out the non-conference portion of the slate. The Eagles and Titans will face off for the 24th time in the program's history with Detroit holding a 14-9 advantage in the all-time series