Central Michigan University Athletics
Owls Top Chippewas, 80-58
1/28/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
MOUNT PLEASANT -- The shots were not falling for the Central Michigan women's basketball team and Temple was seemingly unable to miss at Rose Arena on Wednesday, as the Owls left with an 80-58 victory.
Angel Chan scored 21 of CMU's 58 points, but the Chippewas shot just 32 percent from the floor (21-of-66) and 19 percent from deep (7-of-36). Central's woes extended to the foul line, where it hit just 9-of-15 tries (68 percent).
The Owls hit an eye-popping 64 percent of their second-half tries to finish at 55 percent from the floor (32-of-58) in the contest and 57 percent from long range (12-of-21). The 12 made treys tied Temple's school record, despite the fact that the Owls entered the day shooting just 33 percent from three-point range as a squad, averaging just five made treys per contest.
The Central offense actually got off to a good start, building a 14-6 lead eight minutes while hitting five of its first 12 shots, but it was an offensive struggle from there. The Chippewas would connect on just one of their next 14 shots, falling behind by as many as 14 with 2:51 remaining in the half and heading into the break down 12, 39-27. However CMU seemed to create some flow to its offense entering halftime hitting four of its final seven attempts.
Momentum did not carry over, however, as Central hit just two of its first nine shots and fell behind by 19 with just under 15 minutes remaining. The Maroon and Gold's vaunted offense would never get on track, falling behind by as many as 25 (63-38) with 8:37 left. The Chippewas would get no closer than 19 the rest of the way.
Chan got it going late in the second half to finish with 21 points, but Kaihla Szunko was the only other Chippewa to finish in double-figures (13 points, nine boards). Szunko was the only Chippewa to finish at better than 40 percent from the field (5-of-7).
CMU set season lows for points scored in a game (58) and a half (27 in the first), as well as field goal percentage (31.8). It's the second time in three games they have set season lows in points and field goal percentage, after never scoring fewer than 72 points through the season's first 17 games.
With the loss, CMU finishes at 8-6 during non-conference play in the 2008-09 season. Central returns to Mid-American Conference action this weekend, when the Chippewas travel to Athens, Ohio to fave Ohio University on Saturday.
