Central Michigan University Athletics
Prochaska's Career Day Stops Chippewas, 94-79
2/15/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- Shonda Long scored 21 points in the second half on her way to a career-high 29 for the Central Michigan women’s basketball team but Lauren Prochaska set a single-game scoring record for Bowling Green with 43, as the Falcons won their eighth straight against the Chippewas, 94-79, at Anderson Arena.
Long finished the game 9-of-16, including 5-of-10 from deep, to go with four rebounds and a block. Britni Houghton gave the Chippewas 24 points off the bench on 8-of-17 from the field, including a career-best three treys, and Angel Chan hit 6-of-13 attempts for 16 points, but the rest of Central’s lineup went just 2-of-18 from the field.
Despite playing nearly the entire first half without Kaihla Szunko due to foul trouble and the Falcons connecting on 54 percent of their field goals compared to just 33 for the Chippewas, CMU headed into the break down just seven at 41-34.
A whistle just 37 ticks into the second frame sent Szunko back to the bench with her fourth foul. She was held to season lows in points (four) and rebounds (1) in just 10 minutes of action.
Thanks to Long, the Chippewas were able to stay close and entered the final 12 minutes down just seven, 67-60, following a triple by Long. Prochaska scored 15 points in a span of 5:16 to continually thwart any comeback attempt by Central, and allowed the Falcons to push their lead to 16 with six minutes left and never look back.
Central finished at 39 percent from the field in the contest (25-of-64) and 33 percent from deep (10-of-30), while Bowling Green hit 59 percent of its attempts (32-of-54) and 53 percent of its treys (10-of-19). The Falcons held the edge on the glass (38-29) and in the paint (40-30). The loss was CMU's 11th straight at Anderson Arena.
The Chippewas (14-11, 6-5 Mid-American) now have a week off until their second run through the West Division. Central enters the stretch run in fourth place in the West Division and fifth overall, two games back of Northern Illinois and Toledo who sit tied for the No. 3 spot at 8-3. CMU’s stretch run begins with Ball State at Rose Arena on Feb. 22.
