Central Michigan University Athletics
Game Notes: Chippewas Open McGuirk versus Jackrabbits
11/21/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Central Michigan (1-2) vs. South Dakota State (2-2)
Friday, November 23 - 7 p.m. (McGuirk Arena)
Broadcast Information
Live Audio: www.cmuchippewas.com
Radio: 91.5 wmhw-fm; Adam Jaksa (play-by-play), David Lyden (color) and Jim Costa (host)
Preview
Central Michigan will open its 2012-13 home schedule Friday night when it takes on 2012 NCAA Tournament qualifier and Summit League champion South Dakota State at 7 p.m.
The Chippewas are coming off back-to-back losses to Northwestern and Green Bay and looking to push their record back to .500 as they currently sit 1-2 on the season. The contest is the second of four straight versus NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago and the first of two straight at home for the Chippewas.
Head Coach Sue Guevara is 3-2 in home openers with the Chippewas and has posted a .734 winning percentage (36-13) at home over the last four seasons.
| Probable Starters (Based on previous game) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| | | | | | | Name | | | | Ht. | | | | Yr. | | | | GP-GS | | | | PPG | | | | RPG | | | | Other |
| G | | 3 | | | | Jessica Green | | | | 5-10 | | | | So. | | | | 3-3 | | | | 16.3 | | | | 4.7 | | | | 2.3 SPG |
| G | | 23 | | | | Crystal Bradford | | | | 6-0 | | | | So. | | | | 3-3 | | | | 12.7 | | | | 9.7 | | | | 3.6 APG |
| G | | 33 | | | | Brandie Baker | | | | 6-0 | | | | Sr. | | | | 3-3 | | | | 5.7 | | | | 6.0 | | | | 2.3 SPG |
| G | | 24 | | | | Niki DiGuilio | | | | 5-10 | | | | Jr. | | | | 3-3 | | | | 4.3 | | | | 1.3 | | | | 16.3 MPG |
| F | | 32 | | | | Jas'Mine Bracey | | | | 6-2 | | | | So. | | | | 3-2 | | | | 7.0 | | | | 6.0 | | | | 50 FG% |
News and Notes
Welcome Home, Chippewas!
After playing their first three games of the season on the road, the Chippewas open McGuirk Arena Friday night for the first home contest of the season. CMU is 3-2 in home openers under head coach Sue Guevara and has gone 16-7 at home since McGuirk Arena was reopened in 2010. The Chippewas posted the first win in the renovated arena’s history, defeating Ole Miss on Dec. 18, 2010, 82-66.
More on the McGuirk Tough Tests Opponents in the Rankings Gotta Get to 70 Ms. 1,000! Baker Can Dish It Too 20-point Prowess Downtown DiGuilio 200 Strong CB-23 Chippewas Add Senior Schroll
• CMU has averaged 76.4 points per game over 23 contests since McGuirk Arena was reopoened in 2010.
• Four players - Bradford, Green, Johnson and Baker - each averaged more than 10 points per game
at home in 2011-12.
• The Chippewas have scored at least 70 points 16 times inside McGuirk Arena, including three games in which they scored at least 90 points. CMU’s 98 points versus Wichita State on Dec. 22, 2010 is a McGuirk Arena record.
The Chippewas are in the midst of a tough four-game stretch in which each opponent appeared in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. Three of the four squads - Green Bay, South Dakota State and No. 12 Purdue - won their conference tournaments, while No. 5 Notre Dame won the regular season Big East title and went on to become the National Runner-Up.
Three of Central Michigan’s non-conference opponents are currently ranked in the top 25 in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls. Defending national runner-up Notre Dame (5 AP/5 Coaches) will visit CMU Nov. 29, while the Chippewas will travel to Purdue (14 AP/12 Coaches) Dec. 2. Texas, who the Chippewas could see depending on results at the Surf N’ Turf Classic in San Diego, also are among the top 25 teams in both polls, coming in at No. 15 and No. 21.
Known for its high-octane offense, Central Michigan has gone 61-36 under Guevara when scoring 70 points or more. In contrast, the Chippewas have gone 16-48 when they fail to hit the 70-point threshold, with eight of the 16 wins coming last season. CMU scored 70-plus points in 19 of its 36 games last season, finishing second in the MAC in points per game. The Chippewas accomplished the feat in each of their first two games, splitting with Bradley and Northwestern.
Senior guard Brandie Baker scored nine points in CMU’s season opener at Bradley, becoming the 21st player in program history to go over the 1,000-point plateau. Baker enters Friday’s contest ranked 19th in program history with 1,014 points, just four points shy of tying Ann Skufca (2003-07) for 18th all time.
The senior guard dished out two assists last Saturday at Green Bay to move into third all-time in career assists with 342 career helpers. Former Chippewa and current Michigan State head coach Suzy Merchant holds the CMU record for assist with 463.
The Chippewas have had a player score 20-plus points on 106 occasions in head coach Sue Guevara’s five-plus seasons (157 games). CMU had just 14 such scoring outputs in its previous 114 games prior to Guevara’s tenure. Jessica Green was the first to accomplish the feat this season with her career-high 25 point effort Sunday at Northwestern.
With three three-point field goals in the Chippewas’ first two games, junior guard Niki DiGuilioi s now tied for fourth place with Carrie Isanhart (1990-93) with 128 career three-point field goals. Of her 183 career field goals, just under 70 percent of them have come from behind the arc. Next in her sights is Angel Chan, who finished her career with 171 treys from 2006-09.
Sixth-year head coach Sue Guevara earned her 200th career win at Bradley. Guevara, who has led the Chippewas to back-to-back 20-plus win seasons and postseason appearances, has recorded 77 wins at the helm of the Chippewas and held a record of 123-82 at the University of Michigan over seven seasons.
Sophomore Crystal Bradford was in a league of her own in the Mid-American Conference as she was the only player in the conference, and just one of two in the nation (Elena Delle Donne - Delaware), to lead her team in scoring (455/14.7 ppg), rebounds (269/8.4 rpg), steals (69/2.2 spg) and blocks (57/1.8 bpg) last season. The all-freshman team and honorable mention All-MAC selection stepped her game up in the Chippewas MAC Tournament run, setting tournament records for most field goals made (36), field goals attempted (80) and rebounds (53), while averaging 16.4 points and 10.6 rebounds per game.
Senior forward Jessica Schroll will join the Chippewas rotation following the completion of the first semester. Schroll was added to the program after starting the first 10 games for Iowa State last season where she averaged 6.9 points per game on 47.5 percent shooting.
