HARRISONBURG, VA. –  Before heading home for Thanksgiving, the EMU Women's Basketball Team had one last piece of business to attend to with a home game against Mary Baldwin. After a slow start, the Royals roared in the second half, outscoring the Fighting Squirrels 49-18 in the final 20 minutes to pull away for an emphatic 76-38 win to get back to a .500 record on the young season.
Four different EMU players scored in double figures, led by Jeriyah Osborne at 16 points. Kayla Surles added 14 points and filled the stat sheet in other ways with seven assists, five steals and five rebounds. Caris Lucas and Laila Glymph contributed 12 points apiece.  Aryauna Brent and Imari Knight led Mary Baldwin with nine points each.

Records: EMU 3-3, 0-1 ODAC | Mary Baldwin 1-5, 0-2 USA South

Highlights
First Quarter
Both teams started slow out of the gate, combining for only 18 points in the first quarter. Brant scored the first field goal of the contest for Mary Baldwin at 7:48, but then Surles countered with a pull-up jumper 20 seconds later. After a Mary Baldwin bucket by Codie Heilig, the Royals rattled off a 7-0 scoring over three-plus minutes of action, consisting of an Osborne three-pointer, a Jayla Gray lay-up, and a pull-up jumper by Osborne.

Second Quarter
EMU got out to an 18-6 lead after a Lucas three-pointer, but then Mary Baldwin found its form with a 12-3 run to draw within three at 21-18. The resilient Royals nailed back-to-back threes from Surles and Lucas to open the gap back up, leading 27-20 at the intermission.

Third Quarter
The Royals came out of the locker room firing on all cylinders, opening up the second half on a 7-2 run, four of the points coming from Surles to grow the lead back to double digits. EMU would not let up, as Osborne and Glymph combined for 13 points over a 3:10 span to break the game wide open. Jayda Jones sank two free throws to cap a tremendous third quarter with a 49-29 lead.

Fourth Quarter
EMU kept up the scoring in the final 10 minutes, as nine different Royals scored at least one point down the stretch.

Statistical Leaders
Points: Osborne (16)
Rebounds: Trinity Washington (8)
Assists: Surles (7)
Steals: Gray (6)
Blocks: Three players tied with 1

What's Next
The EMU Women's Basketball players and coaches will take a break for Thanksgiving before resuming with an ODAC matchup at Shenandoah on Wednesday, Nov. 29. Tip-off in Winchester will be at 7 p.m.