Early foul trouble spelled problems in the end for the Eastern Washington women’s basketball team, which suffered its first loss of the season, 69-53 to Southern Methodist University Nov. 22 in Dallas, Texas.
The game, played before the Eastern men met SMU (2-2) in a Moody Coliseum doubleheader, turned quickly — and early.
First, Eastern freshman Delaney Hodgins was called for fouls on consecutive possessions to open the game. Then, senior Melissa Williams was whistled for two infractions immediately after. That left head coach Wendy Schuller without her two frontcourt starters just four minutes into the game. Hodgins and Tisha Phillips both later fouled out and Redmond ended with four.
SMU would take advantage, building a 13-point lead, 18-5, with 12 minutes, 5 seconds left in the first half. Eastern (2-1) would never really recover and trailed 42-20 at halftime.
Further foul trouble left other key EWU players on the bench. Jade Redmon committed her third foul of the half with 4:20 on the clock while junior Hayley Hodgins was called for her second at the 2:32 mark.
“We faced some adversity tonight and didn’t handle it particularly well,” Schuller said. “We need to learn how to respond better as a unit and not let if affect us as much as it did.”
The Eagles turned up defensive pressure in the second half, holding SMU without a field goal through five minutes. But Eastern was unable to get their shots to fall, either.
The Mustangs took a 55-29 lead with 12:24 remaining and a late charge saw Eastern pull to within 14, 57-43, with 6:14 remaining. But that was as close as it got.
Eastern was whistled for a season-high 23 fouls, 10 more than its previous high mark against Utah Valley, Nov. 14.
Hayley Hodgins was the only Eagle in double-figures, finishing with 10 points. Williams and Delaney Hodgins each added nine points while Redmon had eight.
Eastern shot 35.2 percent from the field compared to 35.5-percent for SMU. The Mustangs also outrebounded the Eagles 48-29, holding Eastern to just five offensive boards.
The loss did have a sliver of a silver lining of sorts.
“I think today’s game helped prepare us for the tough environments we’ll see in the Big Sky,” Schuller said. “It’s not the only time things like this will happen this season, and it’s important that we grow from it.”
Eastern was on the road Nov. 24 at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas and returns home to face Central Washington Sunday, Nov. 30 at 4:30 p.m., the second game of a doubleheader with the men who meet Eastern Oregon University.
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