Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Western Michigan*
Broncos Surge Past Chippewas, 64-54.
2/15/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 15, 2006
MOUNT PLEASANT - Western Michigan used a late 10-0 run to surge past the Central Michigan University women's basketball team as the Chippewas dropped a 64-54 decision at home on Tuesday night.
The Broncos improve to 12-11 on the year, 9-3 in the Mid-American Conference while CMU drops to 14-9, 5-7 in MAC play.
The deciding run began with just under eight minutes to play and WMU by a one point, 48-47. WMU's Carrie Moore started the run with a three-point play and Ashley Owens pushed Western's lead to six with a jumper.
Maria Jillian than took over with a lay up and three-pointer on back-to-back possessions to give the Broncos an 11-point lead, 58-47, with just over five minutes remaining and CMU could not get any closer than seven points down the stretch.
Chasidy Myers led CMU with her second double-double of the season, tallying 16 points and 11 rebounds. Myers went 6-of-11 from the field and 4-of-4 at the line. Ann Skufca also reached double figures with 11 points while Erin Kuhl and Candace Wilson both finished with a team-high four assists.
Casey Rost recorded a game-high 22 points to lead Western Michigan while Jillian added 20 more in the victory. Rost was 6-of-18 from the floor and Jillian finished 7 for-11.
Turnovers played a key role in the game as CMU committed eight more in the game, 21-13. WMU took advantage of whose miscues and turned them into 19 points while CMU had just 10 tallies off turnovers. Western also finished with more steals, 13-8, lead by Jillian's game-high four takeaways.
The Broncos got off to a fast start as an early 10-0 run gave them a 14-4 lead six minutes into the game. The Broncos maintained that advantage over the next few minutes before the Chippewas made a run of their own, outscoring WMU 14-4 over a five-minute stretch midway through the first stanza. That left the game tied at 23 with 7:27 remaining in the frame.
Western Michigan quickly responded to CMU's charge with a six-point run to give WMU a 29-23 advantage with six minutes left and the Broncos remained in the lead the rest of the half, holding a 31-27 advantage at the break. Skufca had nine to lead Cmu while Jillian paced WMU with 11.
CMU bolted out of half time to take the lead four minutes into the stanza as a 9-2 Chippewa rally gave the squad a 36-33 lead at the 16:04 mark. The two teams traded baskets over the next nine minutes with neither team taking a lead bigger than three over that stretch. That is when the Broncos put the game away with their big run to win their 11-straight game over CMU.
CMU actually finished the game with a better shooting percentage as the Chippewas shot 40.0 percent (20-of-50) from the field to WMU's 39.3 percent (22-of-56). The Broncos did shoot the three-ball better, going 6-of-17 (.353) while CMU was just 3-of-15 (.200). Western was also better at the line, hitting 14-of-17 (.824) to CMU's 11-of-14 (.786).
The Chippewas out-rebounded WMU on the night, 37-29, and also finished with more assists, 13-6, and blocks, 4-0.
CMU returns to action with a game at Northern Illinois on Saturday, Feb. 18, beginning at 2 p.m. CST.
