DaytonDailyNews.com

Something very strange took place Wednesday, March 11, at Quicken Loans Arena.

A basketball player with the last name of James scored 31 points at the Q, which is pretty normal, but down the stretch this player was shown exactly how the game of basketball is supposed to be played, which is not normal.

No, because there was nothing normal about Jenna Schone's game, perhaps the most remarkable offensive performance in Miami's post-season history.

The 5-foot-7 senior from Pickerington scored a career-high 30 points as Miami shocked the Eastern Michigan Eagles 75-69 in the opening round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament.

It was a shock because EMU (8-21), spurred by a 31-point effort by freshman guard Tavelyn — not LeBron — James, led by as many as 16 points in the second half, only to see Miami end the game with a 20-2 run.

Schone ignited that comeback with a 3-point basket with 5:43 remaining after EMU had led 67-55 and scored 11 of her points during that run.

"Obviously I was feeling it from the 3-point line," said Schone, who hit 10-of-16 field goal attempts, including 6-of-9 from the arc. "I was open and my teammates found me at the right times."

Miami coach Maria Fantanarosa said she had to almost force Schone to start shooting.

"You heard me at the beginning of the game," Fantanarosa said. "I told her to shoot. She's such an unselfish player. Two or three times she passed up open looks."

Schone wasn't the only Miami player to come through in the clutch.

"When it came down to it, our senior leadership won this game," said Fantanarosa, whose team improved to 16-14 and will face Ball State in the quarterfinals at 1 p.m. today, Friday, March 13.

Miami senior Jaclyn Leininger, who also played a key role with 14 points, said it was "tough" when the Eagles held a double-digit lead for much of the second half.

"We just came together," Leininger said. You can't get panicky or you'll lose it."

Leininger noted that fellow senior Stephanie Ford gave Miami a boost off the bench by scoring six of her 13 points during Miami's game-ending rally, including two free throws which tied the game at 67-67 with 1:59 left.

"Stephanie is a senior and there was a sense of urgency with her," Leininger said.

Fantanarosa noted that Miami presented EMU with an almost impossible problem with Schone being red hot from the arc, Leininger hitting 15-foot jumpers and Ford producing points on the inside.

"We were overloading that side and making them choose who they were going to guard," the Miami coach said.

Miami's defense had its own hands full.

"How about Miss James?" Fantanarosa said. "She's only a freshman. I'm going to have nightmares about her."

James connected on 12-of-23 field goal attempts. Her 31 points were a career high.