Central Michigan University Athletics
Win Clinches Share Of West For CMU Women
2/26/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Cullen Maksimowski, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — The Central Michigan women's basketball team has put itself in control of its own destiny with three games remaining on the Mid-American Conference schedule.
With an 18-8 record overall and a 12-3 mark in league play, CMU owns a two-game lead in the MAC West and would clinch a share of the division title with win at Western Michigan (15-12, 7-8) on Saturday (2 p.m.).
The Chippewas would also put themselves in excellent position to clinch the No. 2 seed for the MAC Tournament. East-leading Ohio has the inside track to the top seed as it enters the weekend 14-1 in conference play.
"It's not in the way and it's not a distraction because it's not a focal point for us," CMU coach Sue Guevara said of possibly grabbing the No. 1 seed in the MAC tournament. "It's more about our performance and getting better going into the tournament."
The Chippewas lost just three times since the start of 2016. That third loss, an 81-79 overtime defeat to Toledo last Saturday, ended an eight-game win streak. CMU rebounded on Wednesday with a dramatic 67-66 home win over Ball State.
Ask Guevara what has propelled her team to such a successful run this season and she will tell you about their relentless work ethic and the hours of extra work they put each week.
With the Chippewas racking up so many wins, Guevara's statement in her post-game press conference following Wednesday's win may have been surprising.
"I know it sounds crazy, but I think at this time of the year they have to cut back on the extra stuff that they're doing," she said. "I think we're starting to get tired both mentally and physically."
A closer look at some of the games CMU has played this season might explain the source of the fatigue and the logic behind a reduced workload.
Of the 15 conference games CMU has played, six have been decided on the final possession, with four of them ending in the win column.
The Chippewas got a chance to rest up on Thursday as Guevara gave the team the day off from practice, focusing on getting treatment and game planning for WMU
CMU defeated the Broncos, 53-51, at McGuirk Arena on Jan. 27. Western enters play Saturday having lost two straight games and is fifth in the MAC West.
"When you're wounded like that you're going to do everything in your power to get back in the win column especially coming down to tournament time with seeding," Guevara said.
The Broncos will present a stiff challenge on the perimeter as they enter Saturday's game tied with Toledo for the top spot in 3-point shooting percentage (.343).
"They've got really good 3-point shooters," Guevara said. "We have to understand where they are and we have to get them in transition and make sure we have a hand up in their face."
Miracle Woods is Western's leading scorer at 13.9 points per game, while Meredith Shipman ranks third in the league in 3-point shooting percentage (.403).
The Chippewas lead the MAC in scoring offense (74.7 points per game), rebounding (44.5) and free throw percentage (.743).
Freshman guard Presley Hudson leads CMU in scoring averaging at 13.5 points per game and is the MAC's best free throw shooter, knocking down 89.2 percent of her free throw attempts.
Hudson is coming off the worst shooting performance of her young career. In Wednesday's win over Ball State, she was held scoreless going 0-of-12 from the field including 0-of-7 from 3-point range.
"(Hudson) took six wide-open 3s in that game that I really don't have a problem with that kid taking because she makes those all the time in practice so she has to keeping taking them," Guevara said.
"The other six shots, she took three at the end of a shot clock where she had to throw those up. Those are the shots that I want to eliminate for her with better execution on offense. The other three were contested shots driving in and that's the move that she has to change."
Sophomore forward Tinara Moore leads CMU and is third in the MAC in rebounding with 9.8 per game. Reyna Frost is second on the team and fourth in the MAC at 9.6 per game.
The Chippewas will wrap up their regular season with a road game at Toledo (15-11, 10-5) on March 2 followed by Eastern Michigan (18-8, 9-6) at home on March 5.
