Central Michigan University
Buffalo
CMU Women Remain Perfect in MAC
1/7/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Play good defense and make your free throws, it's an axiom that goes back to the days of the peach baskets.
A little extra motivation doesn't hurt either.
Tinara Moore scored 22 points, Presley Hudson had 21 and all five starters scored in double figures Saturday as the Central Michigan women's basketball team downed Buffalo, 88-71, in a physical Mid-American Conference game at McGuirk Arena.
The Chippewas made 37 of their 40 free throw attempts in improving to 11-4, 3-0 MAC.
"It's not a matter of technique, it's a matter of mental toughness because that's all it is - you have to do that in here," CMU coach Sue Guevara said, pointing to her head. "I think they're taking it heart and understanding it a big part of it is between their ears because there really isn't anybody whose form is bad."
The win came over a Buffalo team (11-3, 1-2) that beat the Chippewas, 73-71, in overtime on a buzzer-beater in the MAC Tournament championship game last March.
"That one obviously stung last year, but it's a new season and I think we've stepped past that and we're just playing for the championship this year," said CMU forward Reyna Frost, who finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds for her second double-double of the season.
Jewel Cotton added 17 points and Cassie Breen had 13 for the Chippewas, who built a 42-32 halftime lead and never let the Bulls closer than nine in the final 20 minutes, during which they made 27 of their 30 free throw attempts.
The 37 charity tosses are the second most in program history. Hudson, who entered the game shooting 91.4 percent from the line, led the way, going a perfect 11-for-11. CMU, which entered the game shooting 71.1 percent from the line, is 51-for-55 (92.7 percent) in its past two games.
"I was very pleased with the way that we handled the physicality of this game," Guevara said. "That's how Buffalo plays, that's just their style, which is OK, everybody's got their different style. I was pleased with the mental focus, that we didn't lose our minds with the physicality and start crying about officials."
The Chippewas limited Buffalo to 38 percent shooting from the floor, 24 percent (6-for-25) from 3-point range. Theresa Onwuka led the Bulls with 15 points. Buffalo's JoAnna Smith, who scored 29 points in the Bulls' last game, finished with 11.
The Chippewas play host to Ball State in a MAC game on Wednesday, Jan. 11. The Cardinals are 10-5, 3-0 after a 61-56 win over Western Michigan on Saturday.
"This win is as big as the one that we had on Wednesday," Guevara said. "That's how we're approaching it. If this game today is a big game, what is next Wednesday's? We talk all the time about, what is the biggest game that we're going to play? It's the one we're going to play today.
"You can't start practicing and playing like a champion when you get to Cleveland (in March). Every game that we play is a championship game and that's the type of effort that we have to have, that's the type of execution that we have to have because you just don't turn it on in March. That's faucet's got to be running."
