CMU Women Surge Past Miami, Remain Unbeaten In MAC

Saturday, January 11

Mount Pleasant, MI

12:00 p.m.

Central Michigan University

10-4,3-0MAC

Miami (OH)

8-7,1-2MAC

Miami (OH)

Central Mich.

Central Michigan senior Gabrielle Bird launches a 3-pointer on Saturday in a 76-70 victory over Miami (Ohio) at McGuirk Arena.

Photo by: Allissa Rusco

1/11/2020 4:02:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Kelly, Bird trigger Chippewa victory

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Micaela Kelly was Micaela Kelly, Gabrielle Bird continued her senior-year surge, and the Central Michigan women's basketball team looked like a squad that is hitting its stride.

Kelly scored 29 points, Bird had 16, and the Chippewas used a big fourth-quarter run in downing Miami (Ohio), 76-70, on Saturday in a Mid-American Conference game at McGuirk Arena.

It was CMU's third-straight victory and its 10th in its last 11 starts as it improved to 10-4, 3-0 MAC. Miami is 8-7, 1-2.

"That's a very good Miami team that we beat, a team that can shoot the ball, has two players that I keep saying are two of the best players in the league," first-year CMU coach Heather Oesterle said. "We've gotten off to a great start. The goal is to get better every day. I think we're doing that right now."

How It Happened
With the game tied, 56-56, early in the fourth quarter, the Chippewas went on a 20-5 run that started with a Bird bucket with 8:30 to play and ended with a Bird nothing-but-net 3-pointer from the top of the key with just over two minutes to play. That made it 76-61.

Bird scored 12 of her points in the fourth quarter. The Chippewas held the RedHawks to two field goals on their first nine shot attempts of the final stanza. They stymied Lauren Dickerson, Miami's leading scorer, holding her without a point in the fourth quarter on 0-of-5 shooting.

"We were trying to bottle up Dickerson and get the ball out of her hands," Oesterle said. "Just having a hand up in her face."

Stars
Kelly, a junior guard, continued to establish herself as one of the MAC's top talents as she hit 10 of her 19 field goal attempts and finished 7-for-9 from the free throw line. Bird, meanwhile, was 6-of-10 from the floor and posted her third-consecutive double-digit scoring performance and her fourth in her last five games.

"Gabi hit huge shots in the game, and Twin is Twin," Oesterle said, referring to Kelly by her nickname. "We're getting a lot of contributions from a lot of different people right now."

Kelly, who has earned the MAC West Player of the Week Award in each of the past four weeks, is averaging 24.4 points per game. She entered the game as the MAC's leading scorer and ranked No. 2 in the nation.

Kelly is averaging 28.2 points per in her last seven games, beginning with her career-best 38-point effort in a win at South Dakota State on Dec. 14.

"It does have a lot to do with my confidence and me saying, 'This person can't guard me,'" Kelly said. "I do have to be cocky at times. I have to respect my own game in order for me to trust in my own game.

"It's a blessing. Without God and teammates, it wouldn't happen. Thankful for the confidence that they've given me."

Bird, a fifth-year senior, is taking advantage of extended playing time after putting in the time in the program, improving, and waiting her turn.

She averaged 2.6 points in her 73-game career entering the season. She scored a career-high 21 points in a Dec. 5 win over Iona and is averaging 10.1 points in her last five games. She is shooting 50 percent from the field during that span.

"My role has always been the same, and that's just to give whatever needs to be given in the moment," said Bird, who shares the team captainship with Kelly and fellow senior Mackenna Kelly. "It has been a long time coming. I put in the work, that's a big thing when I was younger, just getting in the gym. And now I can see that it's starting to pay off.

"When you get older you get a different sense of awareness and confidence. You just play a little bit looser and you're used to the atmosphere and you're used to your team and you're used to playing against other good teams and the style of play and the game pace and everything like that. I've just grown throughout the five years that I've been here."

Key Stat
The Chippewas outrebounded the RedHawks, 43-31, and held Miami to seven offensive rebounds. The RedHawks entered the game averaging 14.9 offensive boards per game, ranking second in the MAC in that category.

Maddy Watters and Jahari Smith grabbed eight rebounds apiece to lead CMU. It was a career high for Watters. Kelly also had seven boards.

"Very happy with the way we rebounded," Oesterle said. "That was the No. 1 goal and also taking care of the basketball. It's been all about pursuing the basketball. We box out, but then you have to go get it and you have to snatch it. And that's one thing I thought we did a good job with today. When the guards are rebounding, that's helps a lot for the post players."

The Chippewas allowed Ohio 19 offensive rebounds in their 73-71 victory over the Bobcats on Wednesday. Oesterle said a little film study of that game went a long way in the Chippewas' improved performance against Miami.

"A lot of it was just standing and watching and waiting for somebody else to go rebound (against Ohio)," she said. "It's to be a collective effort. Everybody's got to be going to the basketball."

Next
The Chippewas play host to Ball State on Wednesday, Jan. 15 (7 p.m.). The Cardinals downed Eastern Michigan, 59-54, on Saturday for their seventh-consecutive victory. They are 11-4, 3-0.