The EMU Women’s Basketball team went 1-1 in the two games played over the weekend. This puts the team at 2-1 through the first three games of the season. In the first game, a 70-64 loss to the Gators of Notre Dame (Maryland), only freshman and sophomores saw game action for the team, as no juniors or seniors logged any game minutes. Some of the ‘Sophomore Seven’– Mya Hamlet, Bri Redfearn, Trinity Price, Lauryn Moore, and KK Johnson– saw meaningful minutes along with four freshmen, Trinity Washington, Jayda Jones, Caris Lucas, and Jordyn Wright-Goode, who also saw game action. At points in the second half as Redfearn was in foul trouble, coach Jenny Posey had four freshmen in the game. Caris Lucas came off of the bench in the second quarter, and ignited a Royals run, in the last few minutes of the half. The Royals had a 36-33 lead at the half, and started to shake off some of their shooting woes.
After jumping out to a 44-37 lead in the third quarter, the Gators went on a 12-3 run entering the 4th quarter with a 54-50 lead over the Royals. The Royals’ offense sputtered out in the 4th and encountered shooting woes down the stretch despite the game being close. The Royals made the game close at points in the late 4th, but ended up losing 70-64. For the Gators, forward Daija Fitchett grabbed 22 rebounds for the game. Alexis Durham and Korri People had 24 points and 21 points, leading the way for the Gators win. For the Royals, Trinity Washington had 13, 3, 3 and 3 (points, rebounds, assists, blocks), Mya Hamlet had 7, 6, 9, and 3, and Caris Lucas and Jayda Jones had 9 points each off the bench for the Royals. Despite the win, the Gators had 26 total turnovers.
The Royals played another home game the following day against Wilson College, and picked up a 64-55 victory. EMU forced 31 turnovers in the win, as they forced multiple bad passes for the second game in a row. The Royals lept out to a 14-13 lead after one. In the second quarter, the Royals held Wilson to 4 total points, as the turnover forcing Royals defense played their best quarter of the season, going into the half up 32-17. Wilson made somewhat close in the second half, but the Royals stayed strong, and picked up their second win of the season. Despite the win, the Royals three-point shooting slump continued, going 4-15 (26.7%). However the Royals defense has suffocated opposing ball handlers, forcing 79 turnovers in their first three games.
Bri Redfearn notched a double double, finishing the game with 11, 17, 1 and 2. Mya Hamlet, who was 3-13 in the first game of the weekend, got back on track shooting 4-7 from the field and 5-6 from the line finishing with 13, 2, 3 and 2. Caris Lucas continued to be the hot hand off of the bench, finishing with 7, 5, 2 and 3. The Royals will play their first conference game of the year against Washington and Lee at home on the 16th.
