Jan. 29, 2008

YPSILANTI, Mich. - A bucket in the paint with 2:32 remaining in the second half moved senior guard Amanda Jackson into the Miami history books as she past Heather Cusick (1,728 points) as Miami's all-time leading scorer with 1,731 points. Jackson led Miami with 22 points as the RedHawks defeated Eastern Michigan 81-70 in Mid-American Conference action Tuesday night. Junior guard Jenna Schone added 20 points for Miami (12-9; 4-3 MAC), while Colleen Russell led Eastern Michigan (10-9; 4-3 MAC) with 18 points.

Trailing 6-2 early in the first half, sophomore guard Courtney Reed came off the bench and hit her first three shots, including a three-pointer from the right wing, leading the RedHawks on a 9-0 run and an 11-6 lead at the first media timeout. Miami kept its six-point advantage, 18-12, at the nine-minute mark of the first half, but five consecutive Eagle points brought Eastern Michigan within one point, 18-17, with 7:48 remaining in the half. Miami expanded its lead to eight points as the RedHawks went on a 9-2 run, capped off by a trey by junior guard Jenna Schone, giving Miami a 27-19 lead at the 5:47 mark of the first half. After an Eagle three-pointer cut the Miami deficit to five points, 27-22, the RedHawks ended the half on a 14-4 spurt thanks to three treys by Schone, a three-pointer by Reed and a floater in the lane by Jackson. Jackson's floater with one second to play in the half propelled the RedHawks into the intermission with a 41-26 advantage.

Reed led all scorers with 15 points at the half, one shy of her career-high, while Schone scored 14 points. Schone went a perfect 4-of-4 from downtown in the first half and Miami shot 50 percent (16-of-32) from the field in the first half.

The RedHawks continued their strong play out of the half as Jackson and junior guard Ashley Hawkins finished fast-break lay-ups to increase the Miami lead to 20 points, 48-28, with 17:50 remaining. Still ahead by 20 points, 52-32, Eastern Michigan scored 13 unanswered points to cut Miami's deficit to seven points, 52-45, with 10:59 to play. The Eagles and RedHawks traded baskets over the next seven minutes until a basket by Jackson plus the free throw put Miami ahead 11 points, 72-61, with 3:59 to play. After five straight points by Eastern Michigan's Kivilcim Yamanoglu cut Miami's lead to six points, 72-66, Jackson banked in a bucket with 2:32 remaining to move her past Heather Cusick as Miami's all-time leading scorer. Miami was able to hit its free throws down the stretch as the RedHawks left Ypsilanti with an 81-70 win.

Jackson led all scorers with 22 points, while Schone finished with 20 points, including five three-pointers, and Reed added 15 points, all in the first half. Senior forward Laura Markwood led the RedHawks with 13 rebounds.

Miami concludes its two-game road stretch through the state of Michigan when the RedHawks travel to Mt. Pleasant, Mich., to play the Central Michigan Chippewas at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2.