Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball defeated Ball State University 56-53 Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center. 

Eastern was at their largest deficit of 38-29 with three minutes remaining in the third quarter. They then went on a 9-0 run to tie the score going into the fourth. 

“We just try to stay positive; we had a five-point second quarter…but there is a difference between not making shots and not getting good shots, and I thought we were getting good shots,” EMU head coach Fred Castro commented.

Freshman Natalia Pineda made a 3-pointer to get EMU within two minutes, then sophomore Courtnie Lewis scored a driving layup to make the score even with the visiting Cardinals. EMU went 4-9 shooting from three-point range in the final quarter. 

“We will continue to work on it and continue to get better,” Castro said. “At the end of the day, we got the plays that we needed to.” 

Freshman Jenna Annecchiarico had the game-high in points at 13 for EMU. She hit two of her three total 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, one of which had EMU take the lead under three minutes remaining. Redshirt sophomore Corrione Cardwell and Pineda finished with 10 points for the Eagles. 

Castro said he saw really good things from both Cardwell and Pineda, mentioning “their mindset, their body language and their energy to stay positive throughout it.” Castro added, “I really think they kept us from going the other way.”

The Eagles traded scores with Ball State for most of the final 10 minutes. Redshirt senior Danielle Minott hit a 3-pointer with 1:02 remaining, and she made her first field goal after missing her previous nine. That shot put EMU up 55-53. 

“I think that it was that timeout we had,” Annecchiarico said. “We called a play out for D. [Minott], and she was being a senior and a leader when she knocked down that three for us.” 

Eastern will face the University of Akron this Wednesday at the Convocation Center. It will be the second game against the Zips, the previous resulting in a 72-60 win for Eastern. 

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