HARRISONBURG, Va.- It was home sweet home for the EMU Women's Basketball team on Saturday, picking up a key ODAC win by the final of 66-54 over Ferrum in front of an ecstatic home crowd at Yoder Arena.
Jeriyah Osborne led the Royals in scoring for the second game in a row, tallying a career-high 19 points as well as adding six rebounds and four steals. Mya Hamlet scored 17 points, putting up double figures for the fourth game in a row. Trinity Washington contributed 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the field. Jayla Gray proved to be a tough presence inside, pulling down eight rebounds and blocking five Ferrum shots.
The Royals held Kayla Cabiness, the second-leading scorer in the ODAC, below her scoring average with 15 points on just 4-of-13 shooting. No one else managed double figures for the visiting Panthers.
Records: EMU 9-9, 4-7 ODAC | Ferrum 6-12, 3-8 ODAC
Highlights
First Quarter
EMU got off to a fast start, opening the game on a 9-2 run over the first 3:24 of the contest. Washington got things going with a jumper, followed by four points from Gray and a driving layup by Osborne. Ferrum rallied with eight points over two minutes to get within one at 14-13, but EMU responded with a Hamlet layup and a Washington three-pointer to go up 19-15 after 10 minutes.
Second Quarter
Kayla Surles opened up the second quarter with three straight free throws, followed shortly by an Osborne floater to grow the Royal advantage to nine at 24-15. After Trina Lewis made two free throws for Ferrum to get the Panthers within four, the Royals finished the half on an 8-0 run for the final 2:52 of the frame, featuring a Hamlet jumper and free throws from Surles, Osborne, and Hamlet. EMU entered the locker room with a 34-22 edge.
Third Quarter
The Royals continued to pull away from the Panthers in the third, building the lead as big as 20 with seven unanswered points in a span of just 41 seconds. A Hamlet turnaround jumper and Washington free throw in the final minute of the quarter boosted EMU to a 54-37 lead with only 10 minutes left.
Fourth Quarter
After Ferrum opened the fourth with a layup, EMU put the game out of reach with a 9-1 run that lasted 2:04. The rally concluded with a layup by Gray with 7:17 remaining, which gave EMU its biggest lead of the evening at 63-40. Ferrum outscored EMU 14-3 the rest of the way, but it was too little too late for the Panthers.
Statistical Leaders
Scoring: Osborne (19)
Rebounds: Gray (8)
Assists: Washington (2)
Steals: Osborne (4)
Blocks: Gray (5)
What's Next
The EMU Women's Basketball team will travel a few miles south to Bridgewater on Wednesday, Jan. 24 for a renewal of the Route 42 Rivalry. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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