Women's Basketball Southern Conference

Furman Women's Basketball Falls to Eastern Michigan

Greenville, S.C. -- Sarah VanMetre scored a game-high 19 points and added 11 rebounds and Furman squandered a 10-point second half lead as Eastern Michigan defeated the Lady Paladins 64-62 on Thursday night at Timmons Arena. For Furman, the loss marked the first of the season at home, as Furman entered the contest with a perfect 4-0 record at Timmons Arena.

 

Furman took its final lead of the game as a Lee Stephens layup with five minutes remaining made the score 60-59. The Eagles responded as Alyssa Pittman knocked down her fifth three-pointer of the night with just under four minutes left in the second half. After Melissa Liebschwager’s layup tied the game at 62 apiece, Kelly Watts snared an offensive rebound and score with one minute remaining to provide the final margin. Lee Stephens’

shot as time expired came up short.

 

Furman struggled down the stretch, converting on just one of its last seven offensive possessions.

 

Furman placed four players in double-figures in scoring, led by Maggie McKemie and Chrissy Phelps, who each scored 12 points. Phelps flirted with a triple-double as she added nine rebounds and a career-high eight assists. McKemie’s point total marked her career-high, eclipsing her 10 points at American. Lee Stephens added 11 points, while Katie Johnson scored a career-high 10 points, and tied her career-best with four blocked shots.

 

The Lady Paladins committed a season-low 16 turnovers, but Eastern Michigan took advantage of the Furman miscues, scoring 26 points off turnovers. The Eagles also turned 14 offensive rebounds into 19 second chance points.

 

After leading 29-25 at the half, Furman stretched its lead to as many as 10 points in the second half on the strength of two McKemie jumpers and a Stephens three-pointer. But Eastern Michigan battled back, and took its first lead of the game on Pittman’s trey at the 11:38 mark. Pittman scored

13 points, including four three-pointers in the second half to lead the Eagles.

 

With the win, Eastern Michigan improves to 5-5 on the season, while Furman falls to 5-7 with the loss. Furman returns to action on Saturday as the Lady Paladins travel to Statesboro, Ga. to face Georgia Southern at 1:00 p.m. at Hanner Fieldhouse.