YPSILANTI, Mich. -- Tankia James scored 24 points and two others finished in double-digits as Eastern Michigan came back from a 12-point, first-half deficit to defeat the University of North Dakota 76-65 at the Convocation Center.
"These players really played their hearts out today," head coach Gene Roebuck said. "They really played well, they played well together, and they really attacked."
James led an Eagle team (10-2) that shot 40.8 percent (29-for-71) from the field and 57.1 percent (12-for-21) from the free throw line. The Fighting Sioux (3-12) finished 23-for-57 (.404) shooting from the field and 86.7 percent (13-for-15) shooting at the charity stripe. In the opening half, UND shot .455 (5-for-11) beyond the three-point line, including a 3-for-3 showing from senior Kayla Bagaason (G, Clearbrook, Minn.).
"I don't care about the record myself," Roebuck said. "I want to see how far this team can go. We are getting better and this team is no longer an easy team to beat."
Bagaason finished 4-for-7 beyond the arc and 7-for-11 to help her to 18 points. The Fighting Sioux were led by senior captain Whitney Ledger (F, Bismarck, N.D.) who registered her first double-double of the season and her four-consecutive game in double-figures. With the help of another strong performance at the free throw line (6-for-7), Ledger posted her third 20-point game of the season and the third in four games. She landed the double-double with a career-tying 13 rebounds (eight offensive) and garnered a pair of blocked shots.
"Whitney had a great game," Roebuck said. "She laid it all out on the floor. She is more focused and is playing like the player I know her to be."
Senior Jossy Bergan (G, Valley City, N.D.) added another 12 points for the Sioux. Junior Mallory Youngblut (G, Davenport, Iowa) had a strong defensive showing. She grabbed seven rebounds (five defensive) and tallied a pair of blocked shots, including one that brought the shooting player down to the hardwood.
"Our only problem is that we lack depth," Roebuck said. "We need to get better play out of our bench so that I can rest some of our starters more.
Along with James' 24 points - 15 beyond the three-point line - and six rebounds, Chenise Miller scored 14 points off the bench and pulled down eight rebounds and Cassie Schrock added her own 11 points and six assists.
EMU scored 29 points off of UND mishandlings, 30 off of the bench, and 12 on fast breaks.
Off to a hot start, the Fighting Sioux shot out to an 11-2 lead thanks to a trio of three-point baskets. Bagaason hit her first and the first of the game at 19:42 to give the Sioux a quick 3-0 lead. After hitting another, she was joined by Bergan to give UND the 9-2 lead. The run closed with Youngblut feeding Ledger at the block for the lay-in and the score.
Inside the 13-minute mark, UND took its first double-figure lead as Ledger sank consecutive baskets at the block. The first came off of a pass from Bagaason and the second with help from Youngblut. Thirty seconds later, Bagaason hit her third of three from beyond the arc to put the Sioux ahead 20-8.
North Dakota continued to hold off the Eagles until Lindsey Mahone dropped in a pair of free throws at 7:58. The set started an eventual 13-1 run to give EMU its first lead of the game, a 30-28 advantage, with just under two minutes in the half. The Sioux went into the half trailing Eastern Michigan 30-32.
Bagaason opened the half with her fourth three-pointer of the game and less than a minute later, UND regained the lead. Youngblut started the lead-grabbing play on the other end of the court as she jumped in front of a pass and then looking up-court, sent off a long pass to a breaking Ledger. Ledger sank the basket and drew the foul. She put UND ahead 36-34 with the bucket from the charity stripe.
The Eagles regained the lead with a set of answering baskets and at 12:28, a three-point play by Schrock gave them a 49-41 lead.
UND cut the EMU lead back down to four, but a 12-6 Eagle run put them back in front with a 65-53 advantage.
The Fighting Sioux managed to come back to within six points of the Eagles, but the home team held onto its second-half lead to take the game.
North Dakota will return to Grand Forks and 'The Betty' on Friday, Jan. 8 when it hosts Seattle. The Fighting Sioux and the Redhawks are slated for a 5 p.m. tip-off. This will mark the third time in a row that SeattleU has traveled to the campus of North Dakota. Last year the Sioux took a 93-71 victory over SeattleU to win the 2009 UND Spring Thaw Tournament championship.
GAME NOTES: Eastern Michigan and North Dakota are now tied in the series 1-1 ... The Fighting Sioux are now 0-3 against Mid-American opponents this season and 1-5 since the move to Division I ... Kayla Bagaason registered her 200th career assist. She is just two away from making the UND top 10 in career three-pointer made ... Corey Lof picked up a career-tying six assists ... Whitney Ledger tied her career-high seven field goals. She is six away from her 200th career free throw.
- Go Sioux -
