Eureka's shooting ends Fontbonne women's basketball hopes of Championship title

Eureka, Ill. - Fontbonne University women's basketball saw their season come to an end in the SLIAC semifinals after Eureka defeated the Griffins 86-55.

Eureka was lights-out, shooting 48-percent in the field overall and 36.7-percent from three-point range connecting on 11 of 33 attempts. Eureka's shooting combined with Fontbonne's 28.1-percent shooting as well as Eureka's 33 defensive rebounds didn't bid well for the Griffins. 

A 22-9 first quarter deficit drowned the Griffins out of the gate. By halftime, Fontbonne was down 39-26. Eureka scored 11 points off Fontbonne's nine first-half turnovers.

Eureka sprinted off to a 15-2 to open the second half as they outscored Fontbonne 24-9 in the third quarter. The Griffins only scored three fewer points than the Red Devils in the fourth quarter freshmen Lexi Jarvis and Emily Bay combined for 11 points and six rebounds.

Senior Emmie Haring scored a team-high 13 points, sinking her last collegiate shot. She also stole the ball four times for 300 career steals, just one steal shy of tying the career steals record at Fontbonne. Fellow senior Lauren Willis tallied 11 points in her final contest while sophomore Kaitlynn Walker nabbed 10 rebounds.

Fontbonne ends the 2016-17 season 13-13 overall. It's the highest number of wins in a season since 2011-12 and first non-losing season since 2012 as well. It's also the largest number of wins in a season for third year head coach Maureen Sias.

Prior to the SLIAC semifinal contest, three Griffins accepted postseason honors including Emmie Haring, Raven Venegas and Lauren Willis. That article can be found here. Fontbonne will lose Haring and Willis to graduation.