East Michigan News

The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team faced a challenging start to their season, falling to Texas State University with a score of 75-71. The game took place on Monday, November 4, at the George Gervin GameAbove Center in Ypsilanti, Michigan. This match marked the first encounter between the Eagles and the Bobcats as part of the Mid-American Conference/Sun Belt Conference Challenge.

The game was notable for being Sahar Nusseibeh's debut as head coach for Eastern Michigan. Both teams displayed an aggressive style of play from the outset. The Bobcats led by two points at the end of the first quarter, but Eastern Michigan responded strongly in the second quarter to lead 36-30 at halftime. The Eagles extended their advantage to 17 points in the third quarter before Texas State mounted a comeback, narrowing EMU's lead to just two points by the end of that period. Despite efforts from both sides in a competitive fourth quarter, Eastern Michigan could not regain control before time expired.

Sisi Eleko had an impressive performance, scoring 28 points and achieving career highs in several categories. She nearly recorded a double-double but fell one rebound short. Olivia Westphal also excelled, finishing with a career-high 20 points after starting perfectly from beyond the arc. Mackenzie Amalia contributed significantly with 12 assists, setting a new personal best.

Brooklyn Thrash made her presence felt with contributions across various statistics, including blocks and steals. Overall, Eastern scored more than 70 points for only the fourth time since last season.

This contest marked several historical milestones for Eastern Michigan: it was their first meeting against Texas State and altered their record against Sun Belt members to 10-8. Additionally, it was their first home opener loss after three consecutive wins in head coach debut games.

Looking ahead, Eastern Michigan will remain at home to face Alabama A&M University on Saturday, November 9.