The Emory women's basketball team got its 2010-11 season off on a resounding note Tuesday evening as it recorded a decisive win over crosstown rival Oglethorpe University at the Woodruff PE Center on the Emory campus.  The Eagles of head coach Christy Thomaskutty turned in an impressive offensive display, recording a 94-74 triumph over the Stormy Petrels who were also making their season debut. 

Emory ended the evening shooting 42.2 percent (35-of-83) from the field compared to the visitor's mark of 34.4 percent (22-of-64).  Oglethorpe finished with a slim 48-45 edge on the glass but turned the ball over 32 times that led to 29 Emory points.

Freshman Hannah Lilly came off the bench to lead Emory in scoring with 16 points, knocking down six-of-eight from the floor, including two-of-three from three-point range.  Lilly was one of four double-figure scorers with sophomore Misha Jackson also coming off the bench to notch 15 points along with eight rebounds, three steals and a pair of blocked shots.  Lilly and Jackson highlighted an exceptional effort by the Eagle reserves that saw them enjoy a 54-25 bulge in bench scoring.  Sophomore Danielle Landry and freshman Taylor Bruzzio rounded out the team's double-digit scorers with Landry leading the club with a career-high 10 rebounds en route to her her first double-double.

Sophomore Sarah Giles totaled 11 points and a game-high 15 rebounds for Oglethorpe while Katie Weeks tallied a squad-best 12 points.

Emory led from start to finish and used an aggressive defensive in bolting to a 21-4 lead with 12:23 left in the first half, forcing the Petrels to just one-of-nine field goal shooting and nine turnovers in that stretch.  Oglethorpe then scrapped back to within six points at 27-21 with 7:50 left in the stanza.  Both teams battled back and forth for the rest of the half with Emory holding a 38-30 edge at the intermission. 

A three-point play by freshman Savannah Morgan at the start of the second half upped the Eagles' lead to 41-30 but Oglethorpe continued to press Emory, using a 13-4 outburst to draw to within two points with 15:55 on the clock.  The Eagles were able to turn the tables from that stage, seeing five different players score, including five points from Jackson, in a 15-4 run that pushed their lead to 60-47 with 13:45 remaining.  Emory then sealed the outcome with a 9-0 streak that stretched a 62-52 lead to a 71-52 cushionwith 10:50 left.  From there, the closest Oglethorpe would get would be 15 points.

The Eagles return to action this Friday and Saturday (Nov. 19-20) when they host the Emory Tip-Off Tournament.  Emory will meet the University of the South on Friday in a 6:00 p.m. start.


NOTES – The 94 points represent the highest total by a Thomaskutty-coached Emory team, bettering the 93 points scored against Spelman on Nov. 16, 2007 … Emory now stands 15-8 all-time in season openers (6-2 under Thomaskutty) and shows an 18-5 ledger in home-opening contests … All 15 players on the roster saw action this evening with 13 finding their way into the scoring column … After seeing action as a reserve in 24 games during the 2009-10 season, Danielle Landry made her first start at Emory and responded with her sixth career double-figure scoring contest … Emory's 24 assists tied the ninth-highest single-game mark in school history.