The ladies of the University of Michigan basketball team arrived just across town in Ypsilanti’s Convocation Center for a crosstown showdown with the Eagles of Eastern Michigan. Michigan had just come off their first loss of the season and hoped to regroup against their neighbor to the east.
Things started slow for both teams as the first quarter ended with a sloppy score of just 8-4. Eastern’s cold streak continued into the second as shot after shot missed and Michigan’s defensive pressure forced turnovers and difficult shots for the Eagles. Michigan’s own shots began to drop on their way to a solid 18 point quarter and a 26-9 lead at the half.
Second half action got underway with EMU exiting the locker room with renewed fight and topped Michigan in the quarter 20-18 on the back of excellent perimeter shooting from sophomore guard Natalia Pineda and amplified defensive prowess.
Things would get interesting at points in the fourth quarter as EMU battled to cut the deficit under double digits, but Michigan freshman Izabel Varejao had other plans on her way to an 11 point, 7 rebound, 4 assist and 3 block all-around dominating performance.
In the end, Michigan withstood EMU’s second half effort and ended things with a comfortable 57-38 victory.
Leaders
Scoring:
EMU – Natalia Pineda (16) Aaliyah Stanley (8)
Michigan – Izabel Varejao (11) Akienreh Johnson & Emily Kiser (9)
Rebounding:
EMU – Autumn Hudson (8) Courtnie Lewis (5)
Michigan – Naz Hillmon (10) Akienreh Johnson (9)
Assists:
EMU – Jenna Annecchiarico (3) Juanita Agosto (2)
Michigan – Izabel Varejao, Naz Hillmon & Amy Dilk (4)
Box Score
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 8 | 18 | 18 | 13 | 57 |
| Eastern Michigan | 4 | 5 | 20 | 9 | 38 |