HADLEY, Mass. (Interstat) — The Massachusetts Minutemen used a dominant first half to build an insurmountable lead and cruised to a 75-60 victory over the Eastern Michigan Eagles in a non-conference women’s basketball game Wednesday night at the Mullins Center.

The Minutemen, improving to 16-4 overall, seized control from the opening tip, outscoring the Eagles 44-21 in the first half. Eastern Michigan, which fell to 10-11, endured a frigid start, managing only five points in the opening quarter while Massachusetts scored 22. The Minutemen matched that output in the second quarter to take a 23-point lead into halftime.

Despite the lopsided early score, the Eagles showed resilience after the break. Led by the high-scoring duo of Peyton Hill and Sisi Eleko, Eastern Michigan won the third quarter 23-15, cutting the deficit to 59-44 entering the final period. The Eagles continued to battle in the fourth, but could never draw closer than 15 points as Massachusetts consistently answered every push.

Hill, a guard from St. Louis, Missouri, spearheaded the Eastern Michigan comeback attempt, scoring a game-high 22 points in 33 minutes. Eleko, a forward from Montreal, Canada, added 20 points and a team-high 11 rebounds for a double-double. Point guard Ainhoa Cea of Irun, Spain, facilitated the offense with 11 assists but was plagued by 10 turnovers against Massachusetts’s aggressive defense.

The Minutemen’s victory was a balanced effort, fueled by defensive pressure and efficient offense. They forced 19 Eastern Michigan turnovers, converting them into 11 steals, and outscored the Eagles 18-7 from the free-throw line. Massachusetts posted an offensive rating of 102.2 points per 100 possessions, compared to Eastern Michigan’s 85.3.

Allie Palmieri of Trumbull, Connecticut, led Massachusetts with 18 points, including two three-pointers. Ayanna Franks of Windsor, Connecticut, filled the stat sheet with 14 points, seven assists, three steals and a block. Megan Olbrys of Norwood, Massachusetts, provided a strong interior presence with 15 points and eight rebounds.

The most critical phase of the game was undoubtedly the first quarter, where Massachusetts established its commanding lead. The Minutemen opened the game on a 17-2 run, capitalizing on Eastern Michigan’s early offensive struggles and turnovers. The Eagles started 1-for-10 from the field with four turnovers in the first six-and-a-half minutes. By the time Eastern Michigan’s Sisi Eleko hit a turnaround jumper at the 1:45 mark for just their second field goal, Massachusetts already led 17-4. The Minutemen closed the quarter with five straight points, including two free throws from Allie Palmieri with under a second left, to take a 22-5 lead. This early burst created a deficit from which the Eagles, despite a valiant second-half effort, could never recover.

Eastern Michigan finished the game shooting 42 percent from the field but only 28 percent from three-point range. Massachusetts shot 44 percent overall and 25 percent from beyond the arc. The Minutemen held a 12-9 edge in offensive rebounds.

The game was organized by the Mid-American Conference. Attendance was 1,020.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Massachusetts entered the game with a 92.90 percent probability to win.

Eastern Michigan next hosts Arkansas State on Saturday. Massachusetts returns to action Sunday at home against James Madison.