YPSILANTI, Mich. (MadonnaCrusaders.com) - Freshman center Kaylee McGrath (Livonia, Mich.) scored a team-high 12 points and added eight rebounds as the Madonna University women's basketball team held a lead for the first 12 minutes at NCAA DI Eastern Michigan University Saturday afternoon (Nov. 7) before falling 84-36 in exhibition action at the Convocation Center. Freshman guard Shantelle Herring (Macomb, Mich.) added nine points and a team high three steals in a losing effort.

The Crusaders - who had just nine healthy bodies available for the contest - jumped out to an early 8-2 lead on the strength of back-to-back three-pointers from junior Tabatha Wydryck (Wyandotte, Mich.) and sophomore Erin Bentley (Monroe, Mich.) as well as a driving layup from sophomore Heather Goodwin (Temperance, Mich.) at the 17:44 mark of the opening stanza.

The host Eagles took their first lead of the game, 13-11, with 11:44 remaining in the first half and never looked back, using a 22-3 run to close the first half, putting the Crusaders down 39-19 at the half.

The Madonna offense increased production in the second half, shooting at a 40-percent clip, but saw EMU use a 10-2 run to open the stanza and score 33 points off of 30 total Madonna turnovers en route to the 84-36 final.