FREDERICK, Md. (EMU Athletics) – After opening up with two games in Yoder Arena, the EMU Women’s Basketball team loaded up the bus for their first road trip of the 2025-26 season on Tuesday, heading a couple of hours north to take on Hood College. Buckets were hard to come by for both teams, but in the end, the Royals made a few more plays to prevail 49-40 over the host Blazers.
The 40 points by Hood were the fewest allowed by EMU since Feb. 8, 2024, when they only gave up 40 to then-ODAC rival Ferrum. Hood only shot 28.6% from the field, making it the second game in a row that EMU held the opposition to a field goal percentage of less than 30%. The Royals contained Regent to 27.7% shooting on Saturday. They also limited Hood’s senior leader Kourtney Johnson to just nine points on the night, including a scoreless second half.
Offensively, Jeriyah Osborne led the Royals in scoring for the third time in as many games this season, getting 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting. Jayda Jones joined her in double figures with 11, and first-year Jada Waller chipped in eight points.
Records: EMU 2-1, 0-0 ODAC | Hood 1-1, 0-0 MAC Commonwealth
Highlights
First Quarter
The Blazers got off to a hot start thanks to five unanswered points from Kourtney Johnson in the first 1:17 of the game. EMU responded with five points of their own, three from Jeriyah Osborne and two from Lexie Dingus. The early back-and-forth continued with another 5-0 run from Hood, prompting a timeout from Head Coach Jenny Posey at the 5:14 mark of the opening period. That proved to be a great decision as the Royals outscored the Blazers 10-2 for the rest of the period, starting with a Grace Burke three-pointer, followed by two-point jumpers by Jada Waller and Jayda Jones, and then concluding with a three by Waller to make it EMU 15, Hood 12 after the first quarter.
Second Quarter
Lauren Townsend extended EMU’s lead with a shot from beyond the arc just 59 seconds into the period. The Blazers got back into it with a 7-0 run over 2:26 of game action to go back up 19-18. Again, the Royals answered with a 9-1 run for the balance of the first half. Seven of the nine points during the rally were scored by Osborne, including a two-point jumper with 1:01 remaining for the final basket of the opening half. EMU went into the locker room up 27-20 on Hood.
Third Quarter
The game’s back-and-forth trend continued at the start of the second half with the Blazers going on a 7-0 run for the first 2:30 of the third to tie the game at 27. Once again, the Royals roared back, this time with their three-point shooting. Jones, Waller, and Osborne all made shots from downtown as part of 10-3 run to close the third quarter to put the Royals 37-32 headed to the fourth.
Fourth Quarter
Following a Hood three-pointer to get within two at 39-37, the Royals seized control of the game the rest of the way. At the 6:47 mark, Jones made a driving layup through contact and then completed the three-point play from the line to give EMU a 42-37 lead. That sequence by the senior kickstarted a 10-3 run to close out the contest. Jones scored six of the 10 EMU points in that stretch, along with two free throws by Lauren Townsend and a layup by Kaylene Todd. Hood got the final basket of the game on a three-pointer with 2:54 left, but it was too little too late as the Royals head home victorious.
Statistical Leaders
Scoring: Osborne (15)
Rebounds: Burke (10)
Assists: Waller (3)
Steals: Todd (4)
Blocks: Waller (1)
What’s Next
EMU Women’s Basketball will head to our nation’s capital this Friday, Nov. 14 for a matchup with Trinity Washington. Opening tip against the Tigers is set for 4 p.m.
— EMU Athletics —
