Nov. 24, 2008

Box Score

YPSILANTI, Mich. - Siena women's basketball was outscored 15-1 in overtime as they lost a non-conference game to Eastern Michigan University 68-54 Monday evening in Ypsilanti, Mich. Senior captain Heather Stec made a game-tying layup with three seconds left in regulation to force the extra period, but the Saints shot 0-for-9 once they reached overtime.

Siena (0-4) jumped out to a 20-9 lead in the first 11 minutes of the game. Heather Stec and Sarah Fullmer led the offense with 11 and eight points respectively on a combined 8-11 shooting. The Saints shot 52% from the field in the first half while Eastern Michigan shot just 20%. Siena continued to turn the ball over, giving up the rock 15 times in the first half. EMU scored 11 points off those turnovers.

EMU (2-2) started the second half on a 13- 5 run to take its first lead since the 18-minute mark of the first half. Siena went 5 ½ minutes without scoring a basket, until Serena Moore stopped the bleeding with a layup that tied the score 38-38. The Eagles built up another lead by scoring 10 straight points.

Stec and Fullmer teamed up again in the second half to score 15 of Siena's 22 points, leading the Saints' comeback. The Saints tightened up on defense, only allowing two baskets in the final eight minutes of the game and making up an 11-point deficit. EMU's Shana McKinney made a layup to put her team ahead with 48 seconds left in the game. After the Saints missed a layup that would have tied the game, they were forced to foul to get the ball back. The last resort worked out for the Saints as EMU's Sydney Huntley-Rogers missed the one-and-one. Down two with 19 seconds remaining, the Saints went to their go-to player. Cristina Centeno passed the ball over the top to Stec who converted the game-tying layup with three seconds left in the game.

But it was all EMU in overtime as they outscored the Saints 15-1. Siena finished the game with a season-high 28 turnovers. EMU scored 25 points off those turnovers and held a 26-2 margin in fast-break points. EMU dominated the offensive glass, pulling down 22 of their 52 rebounds on that end of the floor.

Stec set a career-high with 20 points, after tying her previous high in the last game. Moore tied her career-high with six rebounds. Tavelyn James scored a game-high 25 points.

Siena returns to action Wednesday when they play at Oakland (Mich). Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m.