Chippewas Win Big In Early Showdown

Wednesday, January 9

Athens, Ohio

7:00 p.m. ET

Central Michigan University

Ohio

Central Mich.

Ohio

Photo by: Allissa Rusco

1/9/2019 9:50:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Hudson's 24 points, Frost's double-double lead CMU

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

ATHENS, Ohio – A team accustomed to big games on the road played like it on Wednesday.

The Central Michigan women's basketball team left no doubt that it is still the team to beat in the Mid-American Conference in handing Ohio its first loss of the season, 88-70, in a highly anticipated early season league game the Bobcats' Convocation Center.

Reyna Frost posted her 12^th double-double of the season – 23 points and a season-high 17 rebounds – and Presley Hudson scored 24 points to lead the Chippewas, who improved to 11-3, 2-0 MAC.

Ohio, 12-1, 1-1, entered the game coming off a league-opening victory over Buffalo, the team that most figured would pose the biggest challenge as the Chippewas seek their third-consecutive MAC regular-season title and second straight conference tourney crown.

Ohio, one of three Division I programs entering play on Wednesday undefeated, is ranked third in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25, while the Chippewas are fifth. Ohio is third in the ESPNW Mid-Major rankings; CMU is fourth.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Chippewas led 20-14 after one quarter and then took command by outscoring the Bobcats, 25-13 in the second for a 45-27 halftime lead. Ohio never got closer than 12 points the rest of the way. CMU upped its lead to as many as 20 points in the third quarter.

"I give our kids credit," CMU coach Sue Guevara said. "This is a tough place to play and we withstood their punches and we punched back."

KEY STAT
The Chippewas finished with a dominant 51-22 rebounding advantage.

LEADERS
Frost, who on Monday was named the MAC West Player of the Week for the third consecutive week, delivered her eighth straight double-double.

Maddy Watters and Kyra Bussell added 12 points apiece and Jahari Smith added 10 for the Chippewas.

BIG NUMBER
CMU's 88 points was the most scored on the Bobcats this season. The Chippewas have scored an average of 90.6 points per in their last three games.

"We did a good job of moving the ball and making them defend and we took advantage of their (defensive) switches, and we were hitting the 3 ball," Guevara said.

OHIO LEADERS
Cierra Hooks scored 15 points to lead the Bobcats, who, at 12-0, were off to the best start in program history. Hooks, who scores the vast majority of her points on drives and at the free throw line, finished 6-for-17 from the floor and was 0-for-3 from 3-point range. Her three triple tries matched her season high.

"She's a big part of their offense," Guevara said. "I thought we did a good job of clogging up the paint."

NEXT
The Chippewas close their two-game early season MAC road trip at Northern Illinois on Saturday (2 p.m.). The Huskies are 9-5, 1-1 MAC after a 74-69 loss to Kent State on Wednesday.