Central Michigan University Athletics
CMU Women Look to Bounce Back
2/3/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jared Porter, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - The Central Michigan women's basketball team has had a grind-it-out year, and the road will not get much easier in the final month of the regular season.
CMU (10-9, 5-3 in Mid-American Conference) has fallen in three of its last four MAC games after starting 4-0 and looks to get back in the win column at Bowling Green (9-11, 2-7) on Wednesday.
The Chippewas are 1 ½ games back of Western Michigan (7-2 in the MAC) for the top spot in the West and have ground to make up, but are far from afraid of the challenge. After all, this is a team that is coached by Sue Guevara, who does not believe in putting a season on cruise control no matter the circumstances.
"Even if we are 5-3 or 8-0, our foot is always on the gas pedal," Guevara said. "We're never on cruise control. What's different from this team as opposed to the past is that we have had to rely on our defense rather than our offense.
"In the past, our offense has carried us to wins. Right now, that's probably where we're struggling the most, so that's why it is more a grinder than anything. But I think our players know what we have to do, and that's why, in every practice, we're in their shooting."
The Chippewas have had an up and down season offensively. In their three MAC losses, dismal three-point shooting has been the common denominator. CMU is just 12-of-57 (21.0 percent) overall from deep in those games.
To go along with shooting inconsistencies, injury has also played an unfortunate role in CMU's season. Sophomore forward Jewel Cotton was lost to a knee injury early in the season, and senior guard Jessica Green suffered a season-ending knee injury in late December.
In light of the injuries, Guevara has given freshmen Amani Corley, Cassandra Breen, Tinara Moore and Aleah Swary bigger roles than what was expected of them coming into the season.
"I have said this ever since I came here (CMU): `I will play freshmen if they produce,'" said Guevara, who is in her eighth year at CMU. "I don't care what year you are, I'm going to play you. We have had (MAC) Freshman of the Year twice. And every year, except the past two, we had someone on the (MAC) All-Freshmen team.
"What I have had to do is be as patient as I possibly can to get our players in positions to make good decisions and to help teach them that they're going to make mistakes, but let's not make them over and over.
"I have challenged this freshmen class to be more aggressive. It looks like this group is not very resistant. But I've challenged them (in practice) to knock Jas'Mine Bracey on her tail and to take Crystal Bradford to the hole and make her defend. We've seen Amani and Cassie produce, I just want to get them playing with a little more swag."
In the absence of Green, who averaged 13.0 points per game prior to her injury, Corley and Da'Jourie Turner have split time at point guard.
The two players have different styles and bring different things to CMU's offense, Guevara said, adding that each of them can contribute to the team in their own way.
"You can contribute whether you're shooting or facilitating the basketball," Guevara said. "Right now, I would tell you I'm looking for more scoring (from the position), as well as more penetration which will facilitate some outside or inside dumps. Mostly, we just need that consistency.
"I've been hesitant to play (Corley and Turner) together. Both of them are different kinds of players. Amani has really good court vision. The kid can pass. I just have to give her the confidence she needs, because she makes a mistake and her shoulders slump.
"(Turner) doesn't even look my way anymore. If she makes a mistake, she's already on to the next play. That's because she's a junior and then you have a freshman (in Corley). But, right now, they both bring different things and they just need to think score first and facilitate second."
