WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

December 13th, 2008

CCU Rallies in Final Minutes to Defeat Ohio University Lancaster

Da Da Willis had 14 points and 11 rebounds as CCU defeated OU-Lancaster

CINCINNATI, OH - The Eagles (7-3) overcame a poor shooting performance and rallied together in the second half to come away with a hard fought 61-53 victory over the Cougars of Ohio University Lancaster on Saturday afternoon.  The visiting Cougars jumped out early to take a quick 5-0 lead.  After a timeout the Eagles refocused and went on an 18-5 run to take the lead.  OUL rallied back and ended the half with 7-0 run of their own to get back within two points at the half with the score 26-24 in favor of CCU. 

The game continued to be a defensive battle in the second half as both teams went back and forth with the lead changing hands several times.  With the score tied at 50-50 with just a few minutes remaining, the Eagles rallied together and came up with some big plays.  A foul and the basket by Eunika Hisle gave CCU a four point lead late in the game.  Timely baskets by Da Da Willis, Tiarra Hopson, and Sabrina Wynn kept CCU in front in the final minutes as CCU came away with the 8 point win.  The Eagles outrebounded OUL 63-36 in the game, with 34 of those being offensive rebounds.

"We overcame an off shooting night and still found a way to come out on top,"  said coach Batten.  "We overcame a big rally by OUL in the second half and fought back to regain the momentum.  Several of our players stepped up and made big plays down the stretch to get this victory. Good teams overcome off nights and still find a way to win and that is exactly what we did today."

Four CCU players tallied double-doubles in the victory.  Da Da Willis led all scorers with 14 points and also grabbed 11 rebounds.  Sabrina Wynn scored 12 and had 15 rebounds.  Tiarra Hopson added 12 points and 10 rebounds.  Eunika Hisle was once again a force inside as she had 11 points and 16 rebounds.  Melissa Cinnamon rounded out the scoring with 9 points and 6 rebounds.

The Eagles are back in action on Tuesday night as they take on UC Clermont for a 7:00pm start.

December 12th, 2008

Eagles Defeat Clark State 83-39 In Home Opener

Melissa Cinnamon hit 5 three point baskets on her way to a game high 17 points.

CINCINNATI, OH - After opening the season with eight straight games away from campus, the Eagles put on a show for the home crowd with a convincing 44 point victory over Clark State on Friday night.  Clark State started things off first as they scored two early baskets to take a 4-0 lead.  The Eagles defense would tighten up and responded by limiting Clark State to only 14 points in the first half.  CCU went into the locker room with a commanding 39-14 lead.

CCU continued their strong performance in the second half and would never look back.  The Eagles went on to win 83-39 to pick up their first victory at home this season.  The CCU defense controlled the game as they forced Clark State into 39 turnovers and limited them to 27% shooting.  CCU sharpshooters Melissa Cinnamon and Dana Finney combined for 7 three pointers in the contest to give the Eagles a big boost offensively.

"We really focused all week on containing their big post player and we did a great job of executing that plan tonight," said head coach Jamey Batten.  "It was really a team effort on both ends of the floor.  When our outside shooters are hitting and busting the zone like they did tonight it really makes us a really hard basketball team to beat."

The Eagles were led by freshman guard Melissa Cinnamon who scored a game high 17 points.  Eunika Hisle had yet another double-double as she scored 16 points and pulled down 13 boards.  Tiarra Hopson tallied 11 points in the win. Gladys Dudley provided a big spark off the bench with 10 points.

The Eagles are back in action on Saturday as they take on Ohio University Lancaster at 2:00PM.

December 6th, 2008

Eagles Defeat Ohio University Lancaster and JBC for a Pair of Weekend Wins

Gladys Dudley leaps high for an offensive rebound in the first half against JBC.

CINCINNATI, OH - The Eagles enjoyed a succesful weekend on the hardwood as they came away with two big victories to move to 5-3 on the season.  On Friday night the Eagles headed north to take on Ohio University Lancaster of the ORCC.  CCU dominated the first half defensively, allowing only 14 points in the half.  CCU used a balanced offensive attack to head into halftime with a 30-14 lead.  The Eagles kept the the Cougars at bay in the second half and went on to close the door for a 62-54 win. 

"This is a big road win for us," said head coach Jamey Batten.  "OUL came into this game with a good record and they have a reputation for being very tough to beat at home.  We did a good job in the first half of defending their two big scorers and that was pivotal tonight."

Eunika Hisle led CCU with 17 points and 15 rebounds.  Tiarra Hopson scored 13 points.  Da Da Willis added 9 points while Melissa Cinnamon tallied 8 points in the victory.

On Saturday, the Eagles played Johnson Bible College and came away with a convincing 76-42 win to pick up their first conference victory of the season.  CCU used the fast break to build a 34-19 first half lead.  The second half proved to be more of the same as the Eagle defensive pressure proved to be too much for JBC.  CCU forced 32 JBC turnovers and held the Evangels to 31% shooting in the game.  The Eagles also had a 51-30 rebounding advantage in the game, with 20 of those being offensive rebounds.

The Eagles were led by Sabrina Wynn who scored 19 points and pulled down 12 rebounds.  Eunika Hisle had another double double as she had 14 points and had 16 rebounds.  Melissa Cinnamon had the hot hand from downtown as she scored 12 points.  Tiarra Hopson added 11 points in the win.

The Eagles are back in action on Friday as they take on Clark State at 5:30PM.

December 3rd, 2008

8th Ranked Eagles Fall to 12th Ranked Ohio Christian on the Road

CIRCLEVILLE, OH - The Eagles headed north on to take on league rival Ohio Christian University on Tuesday night and came up short, losing 80-79 in a thrilling contest.  OCU came out of the gate early and went up 5-0 to start the game.  CCU had a sluggish start and trailed by as many as 17 points at one point in the 1st half with the score 37-20.  The Eagles regrouped at the end of the half and went into the locker room trailing 37-48.

CCU rallied back in the second half with tenacious defense and pressure on the ball to get back into the game.  The Eagles forced 26 OCU turnovers and tallied 20 steals in the contest.  A Tiarra Hopson jumper with a minute remaining in the game gave the Eagles a 79-78 lead.  OCU answered back with a basket by Angela Thorne with 15 seconds remaining to take a one point lead at 80-79.  After a jump ball, the Eagles called a timeout and set up for the last shot with 2 seconds remaining but could not convert at the buzzer.

"We dug oursevles a big hole in the first half and showed a lot of heart by battling back," said head coach Jamey Batten.  "Obviously it hurts to rally back and come up one point short but games like this help our team become battle tested and those battles make us better."

Tiarra Hopson led the Eagles with 20 points on 9 of 15 shooting.  Eunika Hisle was strong inside with 19 points and 10 rebounds.  Dana Finney had 10 points and six steals for CCU. 

The Eagles are back in action as they take on Ohio University Lancaster on Friday in Lancaster, Ohio.

November 18th, 2008

Eagles Ranked 10th in the Latest NCCAA National Poll

CINCINNATI, OH - The Golden Eagles cracked the Top 10 in the national poll this week after winning three games in Philadelphia to start the season.  CCU is currently 3-1 on the season after a tough loss to the defending NCCAA National Champions on Tuesday night.  The Eagles fell to #1 ranked Kentucky Christian University 94-59 in their conference opener.

The Eagles got behind early after KCU opened up the game with a 20-3 run.  CCU regained their composure after a timeout and battled back but still went into the lockeroom trailing 41-23.  The second half was faster paced as both teams pressured and utitlized the fast break.  The CCU defense forced 22 KCU turnovers but it wasn't enough as KCU enjoyed a strong shooting night.  The Knights went on to win 94-59.

"We learned some valuable lessons today on where we want to be as a team," said head coach Jamey Batten.  "KCU played like champions tonight and showed why they are the #1 team in the nation.  We battled for 40 minutes and never backed down so I am proud of our girls for working so hard.  We want to get to where they are as a program and we on the right track to getting there."

Sabrina Wynn led all scorers with 22 points and 10 rebounds.  Dana Finney had 11 points for the Eagles.  Eunika Hisle tallied 8 points, 6 rebounds, and had 2 blocked shots.

The Eagles are back in action on Friday night as they take on Wilberforce University of the NAIA AMC Conference.  The game will start at 5:30pm in Springfield, Ohio.

November 15th, 2008

Eagles Sweep VFCC Tipoff Classic with 100-50 Win Over Valley Forge

PHILADELPHIA, PA - Just hours after running up the famed "Rocky Steps" in downtown Philadelphia, the Golden Eagles (3-0) capped off their three day visit to the city of brotherly love with a 100-50 victory over the Patriots of Valley Forge Christian College for their third win in as many days.  The Eagle defense was once again on full display as CCU held their opponent to 33% shooting while swiping 15 steals and forcing 21 turnovers.  The 21 turnovers led to 29 points for the Golden Eagles.

Freshman forward Sabrina Wynn led the Eagles with a game high 29 points and 11 rebounds.  Guard Dana Finney had a hot hand as she scored 16 points in just 21 minutes of play.  Tiera Burrows came off the bench to score 13 points and grab 5 rebounds in 17 minutes of action.  Tiarra Hopson tallied 12 points on 6 of 11 shooting.  Eunika Hisle had another solid performance as she scored 11 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and blocked 4 shots.  Da Da Willis was once again strong at the point with 7 points, 5 steals, and 10 assists in the Eagle Victory.

The Eagles are back in action on Tuesday night as they travel to Grayson, Kentucky to take on Kentucky Christian University.  The Lady Knights are the defending NCCAA National Champions.  "Coach Arnett and the Lady Knights have dominated the NCCAA over the past two decades and it will be a great test for our young team," said head coach Jamey Batten.

November 14th, 2008
 
Women's Basketball Defeats Davis College 95-31 For Second Straight Win
 
PHILADELPHIA, PA - The Golden Eagles (2-0) won their second straight game at the Valley Forge Tipoff Classic on Friday with a 95-31 route of Davis College from New York.  The Eagles opened up the game with a 36-4 run and would never look back. The CCU defense was once again stellar as they held Davis to 23% shooting in the contest while outrebounding the Falcons 62-31.  The Golden Eagles tallied 26 steals in the game and forced their opponent into 37 turnovers.  The CCU bench made a big contribution as they scored 40 points.
 
Freshman forward Eunika Hisle led the Eagles with a game high 23 points and 14 rebounds.  Guard Tiarra Hopson tallied 14 points on 7 of 11 shooting.  Freshman guard Gladys Dudley, who recently recovered from a broken hand, provided an emotional spark off of the bench with 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 steals.
 
The Eagles are back in action on Saturday as the take on the Patriots from Valley Forge Christian College at 4:00PM.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
November 13th, 2008

Women's Basketball Wins Thrilling Season Opener Against Atlanta Christian

PHILADELPHIA, PA - The Golden Eagles (1-0) tipped off their season in thrilling fashion on Thursday as CCU pulled out a 65-62 victory over the Chargers of Atlanta Christian College.  The Eagles got off to a slow start as the Chargers came out of the gate early to take a 9-2 lead.  CCU called a timeout and regrouped to tie the game at 17-17 with ten minutes remaining in the half.  Both teams would battle back and forth as CCU went into halftime trailing 28-29.

The second half proved to more of the same as both teams went back and forth with the lead changing hands on several occassions.  An 8-0 run capped off by a pair of three pointers by freshman guard Dana Finney gave CCU a 12 point lead with 8 minutes remaining.  The Chargers rallied back in the final 5 minutes as CCU forward Sabrina Wynn fouled out of the game, leaving big shoes to fill on the inside.  Atlanta Christian had the final possession with 8 seconds remaning and trailing by three points.  The Chargers worked the ball up the floor against all out pressure from the Eagles and kicked the ball to the wing with the clock winding down.  Atlanta Christian all-region guard Danielle Ellis caught the ball with 1.8 seconds left and spotted up for the game tying shot but was quickly denied by CCU forward Eunika Hisle who blocked the shot attempt. The buzzer rang as the ball hit the floor, announcing the Eagles victorious.

CCU was led by Sabrina Wynn who had a game high 20 points and 10 rebounds.  Tiarra Hopson made a huge contribution with 19 points and 4 steals.  Da Da Willis made a major game impact with 8 points, 7 assists, 7 rebounds, and 7 steals.  Eunika Hisle played big on the inside with 7 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocked shots.  Dana Finney overcame a 1st half injury as she scored 6 points on two big three point baskets.

"Our defense was intense and spectacular today," said head coach Jamey Batten.  "Whenever you can force 24 turnovers and hold your opponent to 30% shooting good things are bound to happen.  We received big contributions from several freshmen that are learning to be leaders on the floor and that is great so early in the season.  We don't have juniors or seniors to look to and so our young team is learning to step up and lead.  Atlanta Christian is a strong talented team from the South Region that will win a lot of games this season so obviously this is big win for us."

The Eagles are back in action tomorrow as they take on the Falcons of Davis College.