Women's Basketball tames Tomcats to earn head coach Erin Eaton her first victory as a Muskie

The Muskingum women's basketball team tamed the Thiel Tomcats in the season opener for both teams on Saturday, 81-57. This victory marked the first win as a Muskie for head coach Erin Eaton.

The Basics 

• Records: Muskingum (1-0 overall), Thiel (0-1 overall)
• Location: Greenville, Pennsylvania - Beeghly Gymnasium

Notables

• This marked Muskingum head coach Erin Eaton's first victory as a Muskie.
• The game was the season opener for both teams.
• The Muskies had four players that recorded double-digit points.

Inside the Numbers 

• Freshman Casey Smith guided the Muskies with a team-high 22 points. Smith shot 9-of-17 (52.9%) from the field and 4-of-5 (80.0%) from the free-throw line.
• Sophomore Olivia Lang chipped in 16 points, shooting 6-of-13 (46.2%) from the field and 4-of-6 (66.7%) from behind the arch.
• Junior Emily Yeager dished out 14 points, tallied nine rebounds, and amassed three steals.
• Junior Camay Baylock registered 11 points and secured a team-high four steals.
• Sophomore Sarah Miller logged a team-best 12 rebounds.
• Muskingum ended the contest shooting 28-of-75 (37.3%) from the field, which included hitting just 8-of-19 (42.1%) from behind the arc.
• Freshman Indea Phillips led the Tomcats with 23 points, shooting 8-of-21 (38.2%) from the field and 6-of-8 (75.0%) from the free-throw line.
• Thiel ended the contest shooting 21-of-67 (31.3%) in the field and 13-of-22 (59.1%) from the free-throw line. 

Game Highlights 

In the first quarter, the Muskies and Tomcats battled neck and neck with neither team claiming more than a three-point lead early on. Thiel registered back-to-back points to slide past Muskingum with a score of 12-7. The Tomcats came out hot in the second quarter and tallied seven straight points to expand the lead to 21-14. The Muskies retaliated with seven consecutive points to tie up play to 21-21. The contest remained tight, and Smith connected a free throw to give the Muskies a three-point edge (28-25) going into the half.

In the third quarter, Muskingum and Thiel traded baskets with neither team gaining more than a three-point lead. Smith made a layup with 4:25 remaining on the clock to advance past the Tomcats with a score of 40-33. Thiel chipped away at the differential, but the Muskie momentum could not be halted. Lang drained a three-pointer to expand the lead to 50-39 at the 2:44 juncture. Muskingum took control of the game in the fourth quarter with a 19-12 run en route to the dominating 81-57 victory.

Up Next 

• The Muskies next travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, to battle the Mount Saint Joseph Lions on Saturday, November 16. The start time is slated for 3:00 p.m.