YPSILANTI, Mich. – A season-high 29 points from Eastern Michigan freshman guard Courtnie Lewis and an 18-3 run throughout the opening minutes of the third quarter led the Eagles to a 73-44 victory over the visiting Longwood women's basketball team Wednesday afternoon at the Convocation Center.

With 19 of her 29 points coming in the first half, Lewis came to the aid for her Eagle squad that held off a Longwood team that saw Micaela Ellis score a team-high 13 points while Kristina Antonenko added nine. The Lancer defense limited the Eagles to 4-of-19 from beyond the arc (.211), the lowest mark that Longwood has held an opponent this season.

"It was a disappointing second half," said Longwood head coach Bill Reinson. "We didn't play extremely well in the first half but we battled. In the second half, the wheels came off. We didn't handle their pressure well at all and we gave up too many offensive rebounds."

Despite being without the services of Big South-leading rebounder Autumn Childress due to injury, the Lancers trailed the Eagles by seven at the break. However, Eastern Michigan opened the second half on an 18-3 run to take a 23 point lead midway through the third quarter. That third quarter run was fueled by 12 combined points from Lewis and Emoni Jackson, who finished the contest with seven points.

Lewis finished the game 10-of-17 from the floor and added nine boards in the near double-double performance, surpassing her 18-point outing against Florida A&M earlier this season. Lewis was joined in double figures by Juanita Agosto with 11 points.

Wednesday's game marked a homecoming for Ellis, a senior from nearby Oak Park, Mich., who scored in double figures for the third time this season while adding two rebounds, an assist and a steal in 40 minutes on the court. Ellis, who has played in all 99 games throughout her four-year career, and has started 40 consecutive games sits just 14 assists shy of joining Longwood's top 10 all-time list for assists in a career.

"Micaela Ellis played extremely hard, but we didn't do a very good job of supporting her tonight," Reinson said.

Antonenko added nine points to go along with five rebounds while Dayna Rouse scored seven off the bench and grabbed seven rebounds and Ashlee Jones scored six.

"It was nice to see Dayna Rouse look like her pre-injury self," Reinson said. "She continues to get better and will be a big boost for us as we enter conference play. We'll continue working, our young players will get better and we'll learn how to play a good 40 minutes."

Longwood will have eight days before returning to the court Dec. 28 against George Mason. That game is set for a 7 p.m. opening tip inside EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Va.

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