Central Michigan University Athletics
CMU Men Tip It Off Tonight
11/11/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
CENTRAL MICHIGAN (0-0) vs. IU KOKOMO (2-2)
Friday, November 11 • 7 p.m. • McGuirk Arena • Mount Pleasant, Mich.
Game Notes: Central Michigan | IU Kokomo
Watch: CSN Digital
Listen: Central Michigan IMG Sports Network
Live Stats:
Twitter: @CMUMensBball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Fans of the Central Michigan men's basketball team got a glimpse of the 2016-17 team's potential a week ago in an exhibition victory over Slippery Rock.
Time to tip it off for real.
The Chippewas play host to Indiana Kokomo tonight (7 p.m.) in the season opener at McGuirk Arena. Judging by the early returns, there ought to be plenty of fireworks.
Marcus Keene scored 32 points in leading the Chippewas past Slippery Rock, 91-74. It was the first time the junior guard, a transfer from Youngstown State, had appeared in a CMU uniform.
Kokomo comes in 2-2, having dropped a 99-86 decision to Indiana Northwest last week. The Cougars are averaging 83.5 points per game, and allowing 88.7. Their wins have come over Marygrove and Calumet College of St. Joseph after a season-opening loss to Concordia.
The Cougars offer the Chippewas a different challenge than that presented by Slippery Rock. Which is exactly what Davis sought when CMU put together its schedule.
"Slippery Rock was more of a half-court team and a good offensive rebounding team, but not necessarily a shooting team," he said. "Kokomo is an up-tempo, very good shooting team. So now we need to prepare for different things, just like we'll have to the entire season."
Keene and senior Braylon Rayson, who averaged 16.3 points per game last year, combine to give the Chippewas a potentially explosive backcourt, while sharpshooting junior Josh Kozinski - who made 35.9 percent of his 3-point tries a year ago - also can fill it up.
Inside, the Chippewas' mainstay is 6-10 junior Luke Meyer, who averaged 8.9 points and 4.7 rebounds a year ago. Meyer posted a perfect shooting line, 4-for-4 from the floor, 5-for-5 from the free throw line, en route to 14 points against Slippery Rock.
Cecil Williams, a 6-6 junior transfer from Moberly Area Community College in Missouri, will also start in the paint. Williams and Keene are among the number of newcomers expected to play key roles throughout the season.
Nine Chippewas logged double-digit minutes against Slippery Rock. As expected in an exhibition, particularly with so many new faces, there were some starts and stops from the Chippewas' perspective.
Still, Davis drew plenty from his team's performance.
"I liked the energy we had and I like the depth we have on this team," he said. "We're going to play extremely hard throughout the year and we're a deeper team we've been the last four years.
"We're hopeful that translates into being a really good team this year. We know we're going to be really good in the future, but it's just a matter of when it will all come together. Good things are coming."
The Chippewas play at Tennessee Tech, which opens at Georgia Tech tonight, on Monday. The Golden Eagles finished 19-12 including 11-5 in the Ohio Valley Conference a year ago. CMU plays host to Marygrove on Thursday, Nov. 17.
