Central Michigan University
Toledo
CMU Women Hold Off Toledo, Stand Alone Atop MAC West
2/18/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Lindsay Gerber, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - A hotly contested game. A leading scorer in foul trouble. Pulling out a win to break a five-game losing streak against a hard-nosed, tough-to-beat competitor.
A tribute to the all-time winningest coach to follow.
Cassie Breen had her third 20-plus-point game in a row to lead the Central Michigan women's basketball team to a 72-61 Mid-American Conference victory over Toledo on Saturday at McGuirk Arena.
The win lifted CMU to 20-6, 12-2 MAC as it took sole possession of first place in the West Division after Northern Illinois lost to Ball State, 92-84, on Saturday. The Huskies, 11-3 MAC, visit Mount Pleasant on Wednesday.
The Chippewas have won six consecutive games and own the best overall record in the MAC. Toledo, which had taken the last five meetings with CMU, fell to 17-8, 8-6 MAC.
CMU coach Sue Guevara was honored in front of the big home crowd after Saturday's win. She became the winningest coach in CMU women's basketball history on Wednesday when her Chippewas won at Ohio.
A video was played on the McGuirk Arena board during the post-game celebration. The video featured coaches from around the country and others, including Guevara's father, who congratulated the 10th-year CMU mentor on her accomplishment.
"I was surprised," said Guevara, who is 173-139 as CMU's head coach. "I was touched and I was overwhelmed. All those people that were on there have really played a part in my coaching career and it really means a lot to me."
Breen, who ranks fourth in the MAC in free throw percentage (89.2), made all seven of her free throw attempts en route to 22 points. CMU senior forward Jewel Cotton recorded her first double-double of the season with 17 points and a career-high 15 rebounds.
CMU outrebounded the Rockets, 54-36, continuing a recent trend of glass dominance by CMU. Twenty-three of the Chippewa boards came on the offensive end.
"When you have that, you're getting extra chances, extra possessions." Guevara said. "It's the relentless pursuit. When does a lion hunt best? When it's hungry. We have to be hungry and we have to stay hungry."
CMU wasn't just hungry, it was starving, but, as usual against Toledo, it was tight all the way. CMU never trailed by more than two points, and its lead didn't reach double digits until late in the fourth quarter.
Point guard Presley Hudson, CMU's leading scorer, picked up her fourth foul with 8:14 left, forcing her to sit for a long stretch. The Rockets led by two, 49-47, when Hudson sat down.
Tinara Moore tied the game with two free throws with 7:51 left, and then Breen converted a three-point play 38 seconds later to put CMU in front for good, 52-49.
Mikaela Boyd led Toledo in scoring with 15 points.
