Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Toledo
Toledo Surges Past Chippewas To Win MAC Title
3/4/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 4, 2003
TOLEDO, Ohio -- The Central Michigan University women's basketball team made it a rocky road to the Mid-American Conference title for Toledo on Tuesday evening.
The Rockets will hang another banner in the rafters of Savage Hall after topping the Chippewas, 62-50. Toledo won a share of the regular season conference title with Ball State. But, Toledo will head into the conference tourney as the No. 1 seed since it topped Ball State in both meetings earlier this season.
While Toledo led the Chippewas the entire match, it was never a sure thing that Toledo was going to walk away with a "W." Each time the Rockets built a significant lead, CMU would cut it back down to three-points. Six different times did the Chippewas have the game down to one possession. But, Toledo's offense found a way to surge past the Chippewas. The last three-point deficit was at the 10:56 mark of the second half. Toledo stretched its lead to 14 in the final minute but a last-second jumper by Laurie Henderson made it only a 12-point win for Toledo.
With the loss, the Chippewas finish the regular season 11-16 and are 5-11 in the MAC. Toledo ends the year 19-8 for the year, 12-4 in the MAC.
Erin Kuhl led the Chippewa offense with a team-high 14 points. She was 4-for-6 from the floor, all of which were three-point attempts. Kuhl also had five baords, four assists, and two steals. Henderson was the only other Chippewa in twin figures. She had 11 points. Desiree Eidson, needing only five points for 1,000 career points, finished the game with four. Karin Hoogendam paced the Rockets with a game-high 25 points.
The two shot nearly even from the floor. Toledo was 36.7 percent (22-for-60) from the floor while CMU was slightly better at 37.5 percent (18-for-48). But, Toledo dominated the glass, pulling down 41 caroms to CMU's 31.
The two foes came out firing in the first half. Both teams exhanged three-pointers and field goals in the first three minutes. But, where the Chippewa offense stalled, the Toledo offense excelled. A 16-5 run allowed the Rockets an 11-point cushion at the 10-minute mark. However, Kuhl hit two three-pointers to fuel a 10-2 streak as the Chippewas cut the Rocket lead to three with 3:47 left before the break. Toledo scored the last six points of the half to take a nine-point lead into the lockerroom.
The Chippewas will have three days off before venturing into the postseason. The Mid-American Conference Tournament begins on Saturday, March 8. CMU's seeding and opponent will be determined when the remainder of Tuesday's game are finished. Please check CMU's official athletics Web site for the latest information on the Chippewas' road through the tourney.
