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Women's basketball drops third straight game

D5016 Women's Basketball vs NKU
D5016 Women's Basketball vs NKU

By Julia Rivera, The Miami Student

The Miami University women's basketball team dropped its third-straight loss to Eastern Michigan University 70-46 Saturday afternoon. Miami's record falls to 9-14 (3-9 Mid-American Conference).

Freshman guard Leah Purvis led the team with 14 points. Freshman forward Kendall McCoy had 12 points and 10 rebounds for her first career double-double.

"I just focus on doing whatever I can and whatever my team needs of me," McCoy said. "Maybe it's scoring in the game, it could be defense in another game."

EMU raced out to an early 18-9 advantage to start the game, but a jumper and a pair of free throws by sophomore guard Molly McDonagh cut the Eagles' lead to 18-13 after the first quarter.

To start the second quarter, EMU fired off a 3-pointer, but Purvis answered with a 3-pointer of her own, cutting the Eagles' led to five. EMU went on a 14-4 run to end the half, claiming a 35-20 lead.

EMU held Miami to 10 points in the third quarter, and took a 30-point lead going into the final quarter.

In the fourth quarter, back-to-back 3-pointers by Purvis cut the Eagles' led to under 30 with less than five minutes on the clock. Miami scored just six more points in the quarter.

Miami struggled against EMU's press and zone.

"I thought there where times where we broke the press really well got a nice offense set up," McCoy said. "But I think overall we just let their press get to our mentality a little bit."

Miami shot 36.0 percent (18-for-50) for the game, while holding Eastern Michigan to 37.0 percent (27-for-73) shooting. The RedHawks held a 42-40 advantage in rebounding.

Junior guard Cha Sweeny led the Eagles in scoring with 24 points, followed by senior forward Chanise Balwin with 13 points and 8 rebounds. Sophomore guard Sasha Daily led the team in steals, a career-high five.

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The 'Hawks suffered a season-high 29 turnovers. Eastern Michigan was able to capitalize on Miami's mistakes, scoring 35 points from turnovers.

"I was disappointed in the way we were careless with the ball," head coach Cleve Wright said. "I felt like in the half court we did not make ourselves a threat."

EMU also led the game in bench points with 25, compared to Miami's seven.

Miami travels to Ohio University for a 7 p.m. tip Wednesday.

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