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EDINBURG, Texas (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball squad showcased another impressive performance by Sisi Eleko, marking her sixth double-double of the season. Despite this, the Eagles fell to Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi with a score of 67-52 in their concluding match of the UTRGV Holiday Classic in Edinburg, Texas, on Dec. 20. The Eagles (1-8) began the game energetically, hitting six three-pointers in the opening quarter, but turnovers hindered EMU, leading to the Islanders (7-4) capitalizing with 26 points from those errors.
How It Unfolded
Both squads started strong, but the Eagles exhibited the sharper shooting, going 6-of-10 from three-point range to secure a 22-18 advantage after the first quarter. Mackenzie Amalia (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk/Canisius) converted 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, including netting the first two long-range attempts of the contest, while Eleko (Montreal Quebec/New Hope Academy/Canisius), Olivia Westphal (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park/Duquesne), and Olivia Smith (Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side) each knocked down one three-pointer in that period.
The second quarter presented challenges for both sides as the Eagles struggled with their shooting, managing a mere 20 percent (2-of-10) while committing 11 turnovers and scoring only four points. The Islanders, who made nine steals during the quarter, ended with a 10-0 run to finish the half ahead, 30-26.
In the third quarter, Eleko contributed four points as five of the team’s 12 total points came from free throws. Smith connected on a three-pointer, and Kyndal Lewis (Belton, Mo./Belton) followed up with a layup off a missed shot, concluding the scoring with the Eagles behind, 49-38.
The final quarter began with the Eagles on a 5-0 run, as Brooklyn Thrash (Wayne, Ohio/Elmwood/Canisius) put in a layup before sinking a corner three-pointer to reduce the gap to six. However, the Islanders responded with an 11-0 run, extending their lead to 17 points with just under five minutes to play, and the Eagles struggled to recover, ultimately losing 67-52.
Game Highlights
» Sisi Eleko achieved back-to-back games and her sixth overall double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds. As the leader in both categories within the MAC, she also recorded one steal and one block, including four offensive rebounds out of her total. Eleko has scored in double figures in each of her nine games this season, bringing her career double-double tally to 24.
» Mackenzie Amalia opened the game with impressive shooting, hitting 3-of-4 from beyond the arc in the first quarter to finish the match with 11 points and a team-high six assists. Amalia has reached double-digits in scoring across four straight games, marking the longest run of her career.
» Olivia Westphal maintained her deep shooting success with two three-pointers, achieving the feat in nine consecutive games. She has amassed 22 three-pointers across the eight games played thus far, just one short of matching her seasonal total of 23 (in 28 games) from 2023-24.
» Earlier in the first quarter, Olivia Smith sank a three-pointer from the wing, reaching a career total of 502 points. She ended the game with nine points (508), alongside three rebounds and two assists.
» The Eagles concluded the game with 9-of-25 shooting from three-point range, extending their current streak to 113 games featuring at least one successful three-pointer. The last time EMU failed to net a long-distance shot was on Nov. 29, 2020, when they finished 0-of-15 against UIC at home.
» With nine successful three-pointers, Eastern has now reached 10 consecutive games with at least five made triples, tracing back to the conclusion of the 2023-24 season on March 9, 2024, against Bowling Green.
Historical Insights
» Following the defeat, the Eagles’ season record stands at 1-8 while the Islanders improved to 7-4.
» Texas A&M-Corpus Christi leads the all-time series 1-0 after winning their first encounter.
Upcoming Schedule
After the holiday break, the Eagles will resume play on Dec. 28, hosting the Tommies from the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) in a 2 p.m. matchup at the George Gervin GameAbove Center in Ypsilanti. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and aired live on WEMU (89.1 FM) and The Varsity Network, with Tom Helmer on commentary.
How It Unfolded
Both squads started strong, but the Eagles exhibited the sharper shooting, going 6-of-10 from three-point range to secure a 22-18 advantage after the first quarter. Mackenzie Amalia (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk/Canisius) converted 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, including netting the first two long-range attempts of the contest, while Eleko (Montreal Quebec/New Hope Academy/Canisius), Olivia Westphal (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park/Duquesne), and Olivia Smith (Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side) each knocked down one three-pointer in that period.
The second quarter presented challenges for both sides as the Eagles struggled with their shooting, managing a mere 20 percent (2-of-10) while committing 11 turnovers and scoring only four points. The Islanders, who made nine steals during the quarter, ended with a 10-0 run to finish the half ahead, 30-26.
In the third quarter, Eleko contributed four points as five of the team’s 12 total points came from free throws. Smith connected on a three-pointer, and Kyndal Lewis (Belton, Mo./Belton) followed up with a layup off a missed shot, concluding the scoring with the Eagles behind, 49-38.
The final quarter began with the Eagles on a 5-0 run, as Brooklyn Thrash (Wayne, Ohio/Elmwood/Canisius) put in a layup before sinking a corner three-pointer to reduce the gap to six. However, the Islanders responded with an 11-0 run, extending their lead to 17 points with just under five minutes to play, and the Eagles struggled to recover, ultimately losing 67-52.
Game Highlights
» Sisi Eleko achieved back-to-back games and her sixth overall double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds. As the leader in both categories within the MAC, she also recorded one steal and one block, including four offensive rebounds out of her total. Eleko has scored in double figures in each of her nine games this season, bringing her career double-double tally to 24.
» Mackenzie Amalia opened the game with impressive shooting, hitting 3-of-4 from beyond the arc in the first quarter to finish the match with 11 points and a team-high six assists. Amalia has reached double-digits in scoring across four straight games, marking the longest run of her career.
» Olivia Westphal maintained her deep shooting success with two three-pointers, achieving the feat in nine consecutive games. She has amassed 22 three-pointers across the eight games played thus far, just one short of matching her seasonal total of 23 (in 28 games) from 2023-24.
» Earlier in the first quarter, Olivia Smith sank a three-pointer from the wing, reaching a career total of 502 points. She ended the game with nine points (508), alongside three rebounds and two assists.
» The Eagles concluded the game with 9-of-25 shooting from three-point range, extending their current streak to 113 games featuring at least one successful three-pointer. The last time EMU failed to net a long-distance shot was on Nov. 29, 2020, when they finished 0-of-15 against UIC at home.
» With nine successful three-pointers, Eastern has now reached 10 consecutive games with at least five made triples, tracing back to the conclusion of the 2023-24 season on March 9, 2024, against Bowling Green.
Historical Insights
» Following the defeat, the Eagles’ season record stands at 1-8 while the Islanders improved to 7-4.
» Texas A&M-Corpus Christi leads the all-time series 1-0 after winning their first encounter.
Upcoming Schedule
After the holiday break, the Eagles will resume play on Dec. 28, hosting the Tommies from the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) in a 2 p.m. matchup at the George Gervin GameAbove Center in Ypsilanti. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and aired live on WEMU (89.1 FM) and The Varsity Network, with Tom Helmer on commentary.
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