Central Michigan University
SIUE
Balanced CMU Women Roll Past SIUE
12/7/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Lindsay Gerber, CMUChippewas.com
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - In a dominating matchup, the Central Michigan women's basketball team downed Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, 94-56, on Thursday in the Cougars' Vadalabene Center.
Five Chippewas scored in double-figures as CMU (7-1) picked up its seventh straight win. Central Michigan is slated to play the third of four-straight road games at Indiana State (2-6) on Saturday (1 p.m.).
Cassie Breen posted a team-high 20 points to lead CMU. Reyna Frost recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 16 points and a season-high 18 rebounds. Micaela Kelly and Tinara Moore scored 13 and 12 points, respectively. Kelly finished with six assists and Frost tied her career high with four steals.
The CMU only starter who did not reach double figures? Leading scorer Presley Hudson. However, CMU head coach Sue Guevara said after the game that that fact isn't exactly a negative.
"Just looking at the stats, four of our starting five is in double figures," Guevara said. "Hudson is not, but that speaks to the rest of our team. (Hudson) didn't have a lot of space, but I was pleased we were be able to get the bench in again to get some experience."
Hudson finished with nine points and five assists. Freshman Kyra Bussell came off the bench to score 12 points in 14 minutes - making 5-of-6 field goal attempts.
From the get-go, the Chippewas held the lead over the Cougars. CMU built a 27-14 lead at the end of the first quarter with a 3-pointer by Breen in the final second. The Chippewas swelled the deficit to 19 points, 44-25, at halftime, overcoming 11 first-half turnovers. They finished with 15.
"We have seven (turnovers) in the second quarter because we were trying to force the ball inside instead of taking the shot," Guevara said. "(Moore) had a rough game - she struggled because of the smaller post players getting under her."
Central Michigan made 52.4 percent of its field goal attempts including 10-of-24 from 3-point range. The Chippewas, who came into the game ranked second in the nation making 84.8 percent of their free throw attempts, finished 18-for-24 (75 percent) from the line.
Lauren White had a team-high 14 points for the Cougars while Donshel Beck scored 13. Cloe Churchill recorded five rebounds to lead SIUE.
CMU outrebounded SIUE 49-31.
