Central Michigan University Athletics
CMU vs. Eastern Michigan Notes
1/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Central Michigan at Eastern Michigan Notes
January 12, 2011 (Convocation Center)
CMU 76, EMU 67
Kaihla Szunko finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds for her 11th double-double of the season, 34th of her career. She also had a career-high eight assists, narrowly missing her second triple-double of the season.
Kylie Welch played a season-high 21 minutes against the Eagles after having seen the floor for just three minutes in CMU's last seven games.
Shonda Long tied the Central Michigan career three-pointers made mark at the 11:58 mark and passed Molli Munz (1999-02) for first place all-time with 6:44 remaining. The historic shot gave the Chippewas a 63-58 lead.
With one block against Eastern Michigan, Kaihla Szunko now has 69 in her career and moved into a tie for sixth-place on CMU's career chart with Shelly Woods (1997-00).
Brandie Baker played at least 39 minutes for the seventh time in eight games.
Brandie Baker tied a career-high with four made three-pointers, equalling her 4-for-8 effort against Valparaiso on Nov. 25, 2008. She had made just five three-pointers on the season after sinking 51 as a freshman in 2008-09.
Brandie Baker is now 17-for-30 (.567) in MAC play, including a 4-for-7 mark from three-point range. She is averaging a team-best 16.7 points in league games.
Shonda long scored 18 points in the second half, going 5-for-8 from the floor and 6-for-6 from the line in the final 20 minutes.
The Chippewas picked up the victory despite turning the ball over more than their opponent for just the third time this year (1-2 in those contests), and more than 20 times for just the second time all season.
CMU finished with double-figure steals for the second-consecutive game and 10th time this season.
The Chippewas outrebounded their opponent for the first time in four contests and for just the second time in their last six (5-1 in that stretch).
CMU connected at 40 percent from three-point range and hit eight treys, snapping out of a three-game slump that saw the Maroon and Gold connect on just 14-of-58 triple-tries (24 percent).
The Chippewas got to the free throw line 22 times against Eastern Michigan, marking the fifth-consecutive game CMU has reached the charity stripe at least 20 times.
Eastern Michigan shot just seven percent from long range (1-for-15). It's the eighth time this season Central Michigan has held its opponent below 30 percent from the arc, including three efforts of less than 20 percent.
CMU's defense has held its opponent to less than 40 percent from the field in four of its last five, winning all four of those contests. The stretch includes all three MAC opponents so far this season.
CMU is now 10-0 when holding its opponents below 80 points.
The Chippewas are now 22-3 the last three seasons when outrebounding their opponents. and 35-13 when shooting at least 40 percent (22-2 when shooting 45 percent).
Shonda Long's 22-point effort gives CMU 78 20-plus scoring efforts in head coach Sue Guevara's career (106 games). It is the sixth 20-plus scoring effort of the season for Long, the 13th of her career.
CMU has now beaten Eastern Michigan in four of the last five meetings.
The victory gives CMU back-to-back wins in conference play for the first time since head coach Sue Guevara's first season (2007-08), when the Chippewas beat Kent State (87-70 in overtime, Feb. 9, 2008)) and Buffalo (80-57, Feb. 16, 2008).
CMU is now 8-3 away from McGuirk Arena in 2010-11, including a 2-0 mark in MAC play.
Central Michigan has not started 2-0 on the road in MAC play since 1987-88, when the Maroon and Gold opened their conference road slate with wins at Toledo (Jan. 9, 1988; 61-58) and at Kent State (Jan. 16, 1988; 103-70).
At 11-4, the Chippewas are off to their best start since 1990-91, when the squad started 12-3. It's just the second time since the 1983-84 MAC Championship season (which featured a 26-game winning streak) that CMU has won at least 11 of its first 15 contests, and just the fifth time in program history (1979-80, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1990-91, 2010-11)
