CMU Men Host Alma on Tuesday
11/16/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 16, 2015
Game Notes: Central Michigan | Alma
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - The Central Michigan men's basketball team put on an offensive show Friday in its 89-83 season-opening win at McGuirk Arena over Jacksonville State.
Act 2 is Tuesday (7 p.m.), when the Chippewas take on Division III Alma in a non-leaguer at McGuirk.
The Chippewas played Friday's game without star point guard Chris Fowler, who is listed as day-to-day. Guards Rayshawn Simmons and Braylon Rayson combined to score 58 points to lead the Chippewas past the Gamecocks.
The 30 points were a career-high for Simmons, a senior who was named the Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week on Monday.
"I was really pleased with our team in our opening game," CMU coach Keno Davis said. "Not so much from not having Chris Fowler on the court, although that's a big part of it, but for not really having the experience or the preparation time to play a game without Chris.
"To have a different point guard out there for 40 minutes and to be able to play at a relatively high level, still get the win, and to come back to the practice court this week in preparation has made us a better team in the short run. And hopefully it's made us a better team in the long run as well."
The Chippewas, who finished 23-9 and won the MAC regular-season title a year ago, returned all five starters and were picked to win the MAC West and the league tournament in the preseason media poll. CMU is ranked eighth in the Collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Top 25.
Part of the optimism and high expectations surrounding the Chippewas was their depth, which, coming into the season, was substantial. However forward Blake Hibbitts, a contributor off the bench last season, is lost for the year to an injury and without Fowler, that depth is suddenly more mortal looking.
Davis used just two reserves, guard Josh Kozinski and center DaRohn Scott, against Jacksonville State. Simmons and forward John Simons logged 40 minutes apiece. Senior Austin Stewart drew start in place of Fowler.
Alma, which fell at Ohio Northern, 69-67, in its season opener, returns all five starters from a team that qualified for the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament for the first time since 1997. The Chippewas defeated the Scots, 106-64, last season.
After the Alma game, CMU will play three games in the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Fla., Nov. 23-25. They open against Weber State.
"I think our team's confidence continued to show," Davis said of Friday's performance. "They have extreme confidence in their individual abilities and in their abilities collectively.
"Just because you take one of those players out - albeit a very important piece -- you didn't see a lack of confidence because of that and I think that was a good sign for the future."
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - The Central Michigan men's basketball team put on an offensive show Friday in its 89-83 season-opening win at McGuirk Arena over Jacksonville State.
Act 2 is Tuesday (7 p.m.), when the Chippewas take on Division III Alma in a non-leaguer at McGuirk.
The Chippewas played Friday's game without star point guard Chris Fowler, who is listed as day-to-day. Guards Rayshawn Simmons and Braylon Rayson combined to score 58 points to lead the Chippewas past the Gamecocks.
The 30 points were a career-high for Simmons, a senior who was named the Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week on Monday.
"I was really pleased with our team in our opening game," CMU coach Keno Davis said. "Not so much from not having Chris Fowler on the court, although that's a big part of it, but for not really having the experience or the preparation time to play a game without Chris.
"To have a different point guard out there for 40 minutes and to be able to play at a relatively high level, still get the win, and to come back to the practice court this week in preparation has made us a better team in the short run. And hopefully it's made us a better team in the long run as well."
The Chippewas, who finished 23-9 and won the MAC regular-season title a year ago, returned all five starters and were picked to win the MAC West and the league tournament in the preseason media poll. CMU is ranked eighth in the Collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Top 25.
Part of the optimism and high expectations surrounding the Chippewas was their depth, which, coming into the season, was substantial. However forward Blake Hibbitts, a contributor off the bench last season, is lost for the year to an injury and without Fowler, that depth is suddenly more mortal looking.
Davis used just two reserves, guard Josh Kozinski and center DaRohn Scott, against Jacksonville State. Simmons and forward John Simons logged 40 minutes apiece. Senior Austin Stewart drew start in place of Fowler.
Alma, which fell at Ohio Northern, 69-67, in its season opener, returns all five starters from a team that qualified for the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament for the first time since 1997. The Chippewas defeated the Scots, 106-64, last season.
After the Alma game, CMU will play three games in the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Fla., Nov. 23-25. They open against Weber State.
"I think our team's confidence continued to show," Davis said of Friday's performance. "They have extreme confidence in their individual abilities and in their abilities collectively.
"Just because you take one of those players out - albeit a very important piece -- you didn't see a lack of confidence because of that and I think that was a good sign for the future."
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