Central Michigan University
Utah Valley
CMU Women Open Tourney With a Win
11/25/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Cullen Maksimowski, CMUChippewas.com
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — The Central Michigan women's basketball team came away with a 71-62 win over Utah Valley on Friday in the opening round of the Cal Poly Tournament.
The Chippewas (3-2) close the tournament on Saturday (2 p.m.) against North Dakota State (1-5). Utah Valley is 0-5.
Central Michigan finished the game shooting 41 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from long distance. Utah Valley finished at 46.7 percent and 38.1 percent respectively.
The Chippewas held a 36-28 rebounding advantage and a 20-1 edge in bench points.
Senior Jewel Cotton, who made her first start since the season opener, made all seven of her field goal attempts in leading the Chippewas with 16 points.
"I asked (Jewel) yesterday to put herself in a good frame of mind to give that energy and spark coming out of the gate," CMU coach Sue Guevara said. "She goes 7-of-7 from the field, I don't think there is any doubt she did that today."
Sophomore guard Presley Hudson broke out of her early season shooting slump, finishing with a season-high 15 points connecting on five 3-pointers in the second half.
"(Hudson) has been struggling so badly so it is great to see her get on track a little bit, especially shooting that 3-ball," Guevara said.
Sophomore forward Reyna Frost shared the team lead in rebounding with Cotton as they each tallied nine.
The Chippewas led for all but 24 seconds of the game. CMU's lead grew to 10 points, 42-32, midway through the third quarter. Utah Valley never got closer than eight points the rest of the way. CMU led by as many as 21 points in the fourth quarter.
Same Lubcke led the Bison with 20 points to go along with seven rebounds.
North Dakota State dropped its first game of the tournament to Cal Poly, 73-46, on Friday.
