East Michigan News

Eastern Michigan University's women's basketball team faced a defeat against the University of St. Thomas, with a final score of 81-65. The game took place at the George Gervin GameAbove Center on December 28. Despite the loss, three players from Eastern Michigan reached double figures in scoring.

Olivia Westphal led Eastern Michigan with 15 points, including four successful three-pointers. Sisi Eleko contributed her seventh double-double of the season, scoring 12 points and securing 10 rebounds. The University of St. Thomas had ten players who scored, with three players contributing more than 18 points each.

The game began with both teams playing at a fast pace before settling down, resulting in an 18-12 lead for St. Thomas by the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, St. Thomas extended their lead to 18 points with a strong run before Eastern Michigan narrowed it to a 12-point deficit by halftime.

In the third quarter, Eastern Michigan made a significant push with a 13-3 run but was unable to maintain momentum as St. Thomas responded with their own run to close out the quarter leading by 13 points. The final quarter saw both teams trading points, ultimately leading to St. Thomas's victory.

Notable performances included Olivia Smith scoring ten points and Mackenzie Amalia providing seven assists for Eastern Michigan. Elena Cabello added seven points and Jada Williams achieved a season-high eight points during the game.

The Eagles' record now stands at 1-9 for the season while this victory improved St. Thomas's record to 8-5. This match marked the first meeting between these two teams in history.

Eastern Michigan will next face Western Michigan University on January 1 for their Mid-American Conference opener at home.