Central Michigan University
NIU
Chippewas Win Showdown at Northern Illinois
2/9/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Lindsay Gerber, CMUChippewas.com
DEKALB, Ill. - Presley Hudson and Reyna Frost scored 24 points apiece Wednesday in leading the Central Michigan women's basketball team to a 109-94 victory over Northern Illinois in a Mid-American Conference basketball game at the Huskies' Convocation Center.
The Huskies entered the game 9-1 in MAC play and leading the West Division. The Chippewas are now tied for second place with NIU at 9-2, one-half game behind Ball State, which is 10-2 in league play.
CMU is 17-6 overall, NIU is 16-6.
The 24 points was a season-high for Frost, a sophomore forward who hauled down a game-high 18 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season. She was 11-for-15 from the field.
Hudson, the MAC's third-leading scorer, eclipsed the 20-point mark for the first time in six games. She made nine of her 10 free throw attempts.
Junior guard Aleah Swary came off the bench to score a career-high 21 points and grab seven rebounds. Cassie Breen and Tinara Moore added 16 points apiece as the Chippewas totaled a season-high in points and surpassed the century mark for the third time this season.
The 109 points is tied for the sixth-most in program history.
"We take out a post player and bring in a shooter," CMU coach Sue Guevara said in regards to Swary. "That's where Swary came in. When you have Hudson, (Cassie) Breen and Swary in there, that's three kids that can shoot a three."
The Chippewas controlled the pace of the game by dominating in the paint. They outrebounded the Huskies, 58-30, and held a 55-26 advantage in points in the paint.
"We knew it was going to be a shootout and we knew that it had to be on the defensive end of the floor," Guevara said. "If you look at the rebounding, that tells the story right there. Rebounding wins championships."
A Breen jumper less than two minutes into the second quarter put the Chippewas up, 29-27, and it ignited a 26-3 onslaught that ended with CMU's largest lead of the night, 23 points, 53-30, with under three minutes left in the half.
CMU's lead remained in double-digits for all but a few seconds - the closest NIU came was nine points - the rest of the way. The Chippewas made eight 3-pointers on 28 attempts.
"You look at our team, what are you going to take away? If you take away our 3-ball, then you get 55 points in the paint," Guevara said. "If you take away the paint, then you'll get the three ball."
Ally Lehman had 31 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds for Northern Illinois.
The Chippewas will face off against NIU again in two weeks at McGuirk Arena. CMU has won 11 of the last 12 meetings with the Huskies.
Central Michigan returns home Saturday to play host to rival Western Michigan (14-8, 5-6) on Saturday (1 p.m.).
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