Central Michigan University Athletics
Saturday, January 5
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
1:00 p.m. ET
Central Michigan University
vs
Akron
Photo by: Allissa Rusco
CMU Women Begin Title Defense At Home On Saturday
1/4/2019 1:36:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Akron the opponent for MAC opener; then potentially tough back-to-back road games
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Sue Guevara has coached 366 games as the women's basketball coach at Central Michigan University.
The only one that matters to her? Saturday's 1 p.m. Mid-American Conference opener against Akron at McGuirk Arena.
"I don't think about being at the top, staying at the top," said Guevara, the reigning MAC Coach of the Year who led her team to both the MAC regular-season and tournament championships and a Sweet Sixteen berth a year ago. "I just know the biggest game we're going to play is Akron and Akron's 9-2.
"They're coming in here with a great deal of confidence. We had a really close game with them last year at their place and their leading scorer didn't play for them last year. We know we're going to be in for a really big battle."
The Chippewas, particularly their veterans, are used to big battles. That's by design.
CMU is fresh off a 90-80 victory over 24th-ranked Miami (Fla.) in the Miami Holiday Classic on the Hurricanes' home court. Everything that the Chippewas have done well so consistently, particularly during the Presley Hudson-Reyna Frost era, was on display in that game, including outstanding 3-point shooting, seizing the early lead, and never backing down.
And, poise.
The Chippewas led throughout most of the game (they were up 11 in the third quarter) and maintained their composure when Miami crept to within three points with under a minute to play.
"There's no panic in the team and I think that's a direct reflection of what our backcourt brings to us," Guevara said of Hudson and fellow guard Micaela Kelly, who is one-third of the way through her sophomore season after starting as a freshman on a team that won a program-record 30 games.
The Chippewas will need that poise as they embark on an 18-game MAC slate, during which they are the red-letter date for every opponent. CMU went 17-1 in league play a year ago and several of those wins were of the white-knuckle variety.
Teams don't continually win such games – or any games, for that matter -- by accident or by luck.
"I think our team has a lot of the same qualities that we had last year," said Frost, who made the all-tournament team in Miami and is the reigning MAC West Player of the Week. "People who want to win, people who play hard, with passion and with their heart so we get the loose balls and we get extra possessions."
BOUNCEBACK
While winning tight games is the mark of a good, maybe even great, program, so too is the ability to rebound, both in the literal and the figurative.
First the literal: Guevara has long made strong rebounding a cornerstone of her program and the proof is obvious in the results. Frost ranks 22nd nationally in rebounds-per-game (11.2) and needs just three more boards – giving her 1,224 in her career -- to become the MAC's all-time leader.
Now, the figurative: The Chippewas made just six of 30-pointers in falling to Tulane 68-57 in their first game in Miami. Some 26 hours later, they tipped it off against the Hurricanes. They drilled 16 triples in the game, tying for the second most in program history.
"Sometimes you have to have short-term memory and let it go," Guevara said. "For this team to shoot the ball like we did against Tulane and then come back with the confidence to shoot it and know that it's going to go in (against Miami). The same shots that we took against Miami were the same shots we took against Tulane, and they went in against Miami."
RUGGED ROAD
The Chippewas finished nonconference play 9-3, including a 1-1 slate against ranked teams (they lost, 72-68, at home to third-ranked Louisville).
CMU went 4-2 in nonleaguers this season against teams that made the 2018 NCAA Tournament. They defeated Miami, Virginia, Western Kentucky and Quinnipiac; they lost to South Dakota State and to Louisville.
The seventh team on CMU's 2018-19 schedule that reached the NCAA Tournament a year ago is Buffalo. The Bulls visit Mount Pleasant on Saturday, Feb. 2, and CMU goes to Buffalo on Saturday, Feb. 16.
Five of those seven teams have an RPI of 79 or better. The Chippewas' RPI is 38.
RANKINGS
The Chippewas are ranked sixth – down one spot after going 1-1 in Florida a week ago – in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll. CMU is one of four MAC teams in the poll. Unbeaten Ohio (11-0) has moved past CMU and into the No. 5 spot, while Buffalo is seventh and Toledo is 23rd. Miami (Ohio) also received votes in the poll.
CMU is also receiving votes in the Associated Press Top 25 and ESPNW columnist Graham Hays has the Chippewas second, behind Gonzaga, in his mid-major rankings which were published before CMU's trip to Florida.
SCOUTING
At 9-2, Akron is off to the second-best start in program history under first-year coach Melissa Jackson, who had served the previous six season as the Zips' associate head coach.
Akron finished 9-21 a year ago including 3-15 in the MAC. Megan Sefcik, a senior guard, leads the Zips in scoring at 16.5 points per game.
Akron has held its opponents to an average of 56.3 points per game, ranking second in the league in that category.
THE CHIPPEWAS
Hudson ranks 16th nationally, and third in the MAC, in scoring at 21.1 points per game. Buffalo's Cierra Dillard is second in the nation with 25.4 per game, while Mikayla Voigt (22.3) of Northern Illinois is 11th.
CMU is averaging 77.9 points per game and is holding opponents to an average of 64.8. The Chippewas rank 37th in the nation in scoring and 191st in defense.
The Chippewas rank eighth nationally in 3-point field goal percentage (40.4). Hudson has made 39.4 percent of her triple tries, while Micaela Kelly has knocked down long-rangers at a 45.6-percent rate. Frost had a career-high four 3-pointers in the victory over Miami and is making shots from beyond the arc at a 47.2-percent rate.
"I like how Frostie is playing, especially (in shooting) the 3 ball," Guevara said. "She adds that to her repertoire and she's pretty tough to defend. Everybody knows that (Kelly) is quick and can get to the basket. When she starts shooting the 3 ball like that, she's very, very tough to defend."
NEXT
The Chippewas begin a key two-game road stretch on Wednesday, Jan. 9 at Ohio, and then go to Northern Illinois (8-4) on Saturday, Jan. 12.
The only one that matters to her? Saturday's 1 p.m. Mid-American Conference opener against Akron at McGuirk Arena.
"I don't think about being at the top, staying at the top," said Guevara, the reigning MAC Coach of the Year who led her team to both the MAC regular-season and tournament championships and a Sweet Sixteen berth a year ago. "I just know the biggest game we're going to play is Akron and Akron's 9-2.
"They're coming in here with a great deal of confidence. We had a really close game with them last year at their place and their leading scorer didn't play for them last year. We know we're going to be in for a really big battle."
The Chippewas, particularly their veterans, are used to big battles. That's by design.
CMU is fresh off a 90-80 victory over 24th-ranked Miami (Fla.) in the Miami Holiday Classic on the Hurricanes' home court. Everything that the Chippewas have done well so consistently, particularly during the Presley Hudson-Reyna Frost era, was on display in that game, including outstanding 3-point shooting, seizing the early lead, and never backing down.
And, poise.
The Chippewas led throughout most of the game (they were up 11 in the third quarter) and maintained their composure when Miami crept to within three points with under a minute to play.
"There's no panic in the team and I think that's a direct reflection of what our backcourt brings to us," Guevara said of Hudson and fellow guard Micaela Kelly, who is one-third of the way through her sophomore season after starting as a freshman on a team that won a program-record 30 games.
The Chippewas will need that poise as they embark on an 18-game MAC slate, during which they are the red-letter date for every opponent. CMU went 17-1 in league play a year ago and several of those wins were of the white-knuckle variety.
Teams don't continually win such games – or any games, for that matter -- by accident or by luck.
"I think our team has a lot of the same qualities that we had last year," said Frost, who made the all-tournament team in Miami and is the reigning MAC West Player of the Week. "People who want to win, people who play hard, with passion and with their heart so we get the loose balls and we get extra possessions."
BOUNCEBACK
While winning tight games is the mark of a good, maybe even great, program, so too is the ability to rebound, both in the literal and the figurative.
First the literal: Guevara has long made strong rebounding a cornerstone of her program and the proof is obvious in the results. Frost ranks 22nd nationally in rebounds-per-game (11.2) and needs just three more boards – giving her 1,224 in her career -- to become the MAC's all-time leader.
Now, the figurative: The Chippewas made just six of 30-pointers in falling to Tulane 68-57 in their first game in Miami. Some 26 hours later, they tipped it off against the Hurricanes. They drilled 16 triples in the game, tying for the second most in program history.
"Sometimes you have to have short-term memory and let it go," Guevara said. "For this team to shoot the ball like we did against Tulane and then come back with the confidence to shoot it and know that it's going to go in (against Miami). The same shots that we took against Miami were the same shots we took against Tulane, and they went in against Miami."
RUGGED ROAD
The Chippewas finished nonconference play 9-3, including a 1-1 slate against ranked teams (they lost, 72-68, at home to third-ranked Louisville).
CMU went 4-2 in nonleaguers this season against teams that made the 2018 NCAA Tournament. They defeated Miami, Virginia, Western Kentucky and Quinnipiac; they lost to South Dakota State and to Louisville.
The seventh team on CMU's 2018-19 schedule that reached the NCAA Tournament a year ago is Buffalo. The Bulls visit Mount Pleasant on Saturday, Feb. 2, and CMU goes to Buffalo on Saturday, Feb. 16.
Five of those seven teams have an RPI of 79 or better. The Chippewas' RPI is 38.
RANKINGS
The Chippewas are ranked sixth – down one spot after going 1-1 in Florida a week ago – in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll. CMU is one of four MAC teams in the poll. Unbeaten Ohio (11-0) has moved past CMU and into the No. 5 spot, while Buffalo is seventh and Toledo is 23rd. Miami (Ohio) also received votes in the poll.
CMU is also receiving votes in the Associated Press Top 25 and ESPNW columnist Graham Hays has the Chippewas second, behind Gonzaga, in his mid-major rankings which were published before CMU's trip to Florida.
SCOUTING
At 9-2, Akron is off to the second-best start in program history under first-year coach Melissa Jackson, who had served the previous six season as the Zips' associate head coach.
Akron finished 9-21 a year ago including 3-15 in the MAC. Megan Sefcik, a senior guard, leads the Zips in scoring at 16.5 points per game.
Akron has held its opponents to an average of 56.3 points per game, ranking second in the league in that category.
THE CHIPPEWAS
Hudson ranks 16th nationally, and third in the MAC, in scoring at 21.1 points per game. Buffalo's Cierra Dillard is second in the nation with 25.4 per game, while Mikayla Voigt (22.3) of Northern Illinois is 11th.
CMU is averaging 77.9 points per game and is holding opponents to an average of 64.8. The Chippewas rank 37th in the nation in scoring and 191st in defense.
The Chippewas rank eighth nationally in 3-point field goal percentage (40.4). Hudson has made 39.4 percent of her triple tries, while Micaela Kelly has knocked down long-rangers at a 45.6-percent rate. Frost had a career-high four 3-pointers in the victory over Miami and is making shots from beyond the arc at a 47.2-percent rate.
"I like how Frostie is playing, especially (in shooting) the 3 ball," Guevara said. "She adds that to her repertoire and she's pretty tough to defend. Everybody knows that (Kelly) is quick and can get to the basket. When she starts shooting the 3 ball like that, she's very, very tough to defend."
NEXT
The Chippewas begin a key two-game road stretch on Wednesday, Jan. 9 at Ohio, and then go to Northern Illinois (8-4) on Saturday, Jan. 12.
Players Mentioned
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