Chippewas Tip It Up In The Tropics

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- With snow beginning to fall in Mount Pleasant, the Central Michigan men's basketball team will head to much more pleasant climes this weekend when it partakes in the Junkanoo Jam in Bimini, Bahamas.

The Chippewas, who open the Jam on Thursday against Cal State Bakersfield, are 2-0 and averaging a shade below 100 points per game.

CMU coach Keno Davis said he loves the intensity with which his team has played; the trip to the Bahamas is a new experience for those seven players on the roster who are new to the program.

"There's going to be a lot of firsts for this year's team," Davis said. "Playing with a lead, playing from behind, going on the road for the first time (this season), playing in a tournament with multiple games in a short window (of time).

"We're going to be able to learn from (this trip), but if we can keep our intensity where it's been and continue to improve our execution, we have a chance to be a really good basketball team by the time conference action rolls around."

CMU and Bakersfield are set to tip off at 6 p.m. Thursday in a first-round game. The winner plays on Friday at 8:30 p.m. against either Weber State or San Jose State. The CMU-Bakersfield loser plays on Saturday at 6 p.m. The tournament concludes on Sunday with games at 6 p.m. and at 8:30 p.m.

The Chippewas defeated Bakersfield, 75-72, last season in the Great Alaska Shootout championship game.

LEADERS
The Chippewas enter this weekend with five players averaging at least 10 points per game. Junior Kevin McKay leads with 19 point per, and has made 76.5 percent of his field goal attempts. That number is the best among players in the Mid-American Conference and ties him for 26^th best in the nation.

Larry Austin Jr. is second on the Chippewas in scoring with 17 points per contest, with Shawn Roundtree Jr., Matt Beachler and David DiLeo are averaging 13, 10.5, and 10 points per, respectively.

Junior Rob Montgomery is CMU's top rebounder at 8 per game; McKay is averaging 6.5, while Austin is averaging 6 assists per.

SCOUTING
Bakersfield enters the tournament 1-1, with its win coming over Antelope Valley, 111-75, and its loss to No. 20 TCU, 66-61, in its season opener. The Horned Frogs and Chippewas are scheduled to clash in Fort Worth, Texas on Nov. 29.

Jarkel Joiner leads Bakersfield in scoring, averaging 14.5 points and 4.5 assists per game, while Justin Edler-Davis averages 13.5 points and a team high 5.5 rebounds.

The Roadrunners return 12 members from last season's team which finished 12-18, including leading scorer Damiyne Durham and Edler-Davis, the leading rebounde.

Weber State (1-1) fell, 83-66, at San Diego, and defeated Bethesda 123-53. John Cody leads the Wildcats with 19.5 points per game and is shooting 60 percent from the field.

The Wildcat roster features 10 underclassmen. Randy Rahe is in his 13th season in charge of the program and is coming off a 20-11 finish in 2017-18

San Jose State (1-1) opened the season with an 89-72 win over Life Pacific and then dropped a 66-59 decision to Southern Utah. Guard Brae Ivey is the Spartans' top scorer at 13.5 points per game. San Jose State finished 4-26 a year ago. Jean Prioleau is in his second season as the Spartans' coach.

NEXT
After the Junkanoo Jam, the Chippewas return to McGuirk Arena to take on Siena Heights in a nonconference game on Sunday, Nov. 25.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Larry Austin Jr.

Matt Beachler

David DiLeo

Kevin McKay

Rob Montgomery

Shawn Roundtree Jr.

Central Michigan University Athletics