Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Marshall
Chippewas Win 81-78 Thriller at Marshall
1/14/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 14, 2003
HUNTINGTON, W. Va. - Central Michigan University claimed a huge Mid-American Conference road victory here Tuesday night over Marshall University, 81-78, in men's basketball.
The Chippewas are now 10-3 for the season and 3-1 in MAC play while the Thundering Herd drop to 8-4 overall and 4-1 in conference action. It marked Marshall's first loss in the Henderson Center this season against five wins.
"Anytime you can win one on the road in the MAC, it's difficult," said CMU head coach Jay Smith. "We feel fortunate to win this game but we found a way, We made key free throws down the stretch.
"It was a big team win. Everybody chipped in. We beat a good team on a hot streak."
With the game tied at 78-78, sophomore Tony Bowne stepped to the foul line and calmly sank two free throws with 25 seconds remaining to make it 80-78.
Marshall then turned the ball over with 10.5 seconds to go, and J.R. Wallace was fouled when CMU put the ball in play. The senior guard made one of two attempts for an 81-78 margin. MU's Ronnie Blackshear had a three-point attempt spin out that would have tied the game.
Marshall trailed by a 45-41 margin at the half but rallied for its first lead of the game on a three-pointer by Ronny Dawn with 17:06 remaining, 50-49. CMU battled back to take the lead for good on a layup by Chris Kaman, 53-52, with 16:27 left.
Kaman, a 7-0 junior, led four Chippewa players in twin figures with 23 points to go along with his game-high nine rebounds and four blocks. Whitney Robinson added 16 points, Wallace 14, and Mike Manciel 13.
CMU meshed 32-of-58 shots from the field for 55.2 percent, and claimed a 31-25 edge in rebounding. The Chippewas managed to overcome a plus-20 turnover outing once again, losing the ball 22 times. It marked CMU's sixth win of the season in a game marred by 20 or more miscues.
However, CMU came up with 12 steals against the Thundering Herd, and forced 20 turnovers.
Blackshear led Marshall with 27 points while Ardo Armpalu added 15 and Dawn had 11 off the bench. MU hit on 54.7 percent of its shots from the floor on 29-of-53.
After opening MAC play with three games in four outings on the road, the Chippewas return home for a pair of league contests against Buffalo this Saturday ( 2 p.m.) and Toledo on Wednesday, January 22, at 7 p.m.
