Saturday, January 25
Mount Pleasant, MI
1:00 p.m.
Central Michigan University
14-4,7-0MAC
73
vs
66
Toledo
9-8,4-2MAC
1
2
3
4
F
Toledo
10
23
23
10
66
Central Mich.
17
14
21
21
73
Photo by: Benjamin Suddendorf
Similar Route, Same Result
1/25/2020 4:27:00 PM | Women's Basketball
CMU women outscore Toledo 21-10 in fourth quarter, remain unbeaten in MAC
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Molly Davis scored a career-high 28 points and Micaela Kelly posted a double-double as the Central Michigan women's basketball team defeated Toledo, 73-66, in a Mid-American Conference game before 1,800 on Saturday at McGuirk Arena.
The Chippewas, 14-4, 7-0, continue to thrive in the final period, recording their third-consecutive fourth-quarter comeback win. And it came over CMU's closest competitor in the MAC West. The Rockets, who entered the game in second place, are 8-8, 4-2. Ball State moved into second place in the West at 5-2 in the conference with an 80-63 victory over Miami (Ohio) on Saturday.
"I think this is going to help us come March," CMU coach Heather Oesterle said. "The fact that we're able to close out games in the fourth quarter … I think all of this is helping us towards March."
How It Happened
The Chippewas entered the fourth quarter trailing, 56-52, and were down 61-58 after a Quinesha Lockett 3-pointer with under 6 minutes remaining.
CMU then went on a 13-2 run that began with two Kyra Bussell free throws with 5:22 to play. CMU took the lead, 63-61, on a Bussell 3-pointer 50 seconds later. Kelly closed the spurt with two free throws that left CMU in charge, 71-63, with 35 seconds to play.
"This team is relentless," said Davis, a freshman whose previous career high (23) came at Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 28. "We see that we've got to put some points on the board in the fourth quarter, and we just stayed calm. Everyone's calm and we know how to get the job done."
Leaders
Davis drilled four 3-pointers and finished with a career-high 10 field goals on 18 attempts.
"She took advantage of the way they were playing," Oesterle said. "I was glad she came out firing in the first quarter, because that's what we were asking her to do all year."
Kelly, the nation's second-leading scorer at 24.2 points per game, shot just 6-20 from the field in a tough night offensively by her standards, but still posted her first double-double of the season with 19 points and a team-high 11 rebounds.
"When my shot's not falling, I have to keep myself up in general," Kelly said. "So, look for other ways to get the points on the board. Passing to my teammates, attacking to kick, then staying composed."
Jahari Smith and Bussell had good rebounding nights as well, posting totals of 10 and nine, respectively. Smith's 10 boards were a season high. Bussell nailed two 3-pointers, hitting both during the Chippewas' crucial fourth-quarter surge. She scored eight of her 10 points in the final stanza.
Next
The Chippewas will go to Buffalo, 13-5, 4-3 for a MAC game on Wednesday (7 p.m.) at the Bulls' Alumni Arena.
The Chippewas, 14-4, 7-0, continue to thrive in the final period, recording their third-consecutive fourth-quarter comeback win. And it came over CMU's closest competitor in the MAC West. The Rockets, who entered the game in second place, are 8-8, 4-2. Ball State moved into second place in the West at 5-2 in the conference with an 80-63 victory over Miami (Ohio) on Saturday.
"I think this is going to help us come March," CMU coach Heather Oesterle said. "The fact that we're able to close out games in the fourth quarter … I think all of this is helping us towards March."
How It Happened
The Chippewas entered the fourth quarter trailing, 56-52, and were down 61-58 after a Quinesha Lockett 3-pointer with under 6 minutes remaining.
CMU then went on a 13-2 run that began with two Kyra Bussell free throws with 5:22 to play. CMU took the lead, 63-61, on a Bussell 3-pointer 50 seconds later. Kelly closed the spurt with two free throws that left CMU in charge, 71-63, with 35 seconds to play.
"This team is relentless," said Davis, a freshman whose previous career high (23) came at Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 28. "We see that we've got to put some points on the board in the fourth quarter, and we just stayed calm. Everyone's calm and we know how to get the job done."
Leaders
Davis drilled four 3-pointers and finished with a career-high 10 field goals on 18 attempts.
"She took advantage of the way they were playing," Oesterle said. "I was glad she came out firing in the first quarter, because that's what we were asking her to do all year."
Kelly, the nation's second-leading scorer at 24.2 points per game, shot just 6-20 from the field in a tough night offensively by her standards, but still posted her first double-double of the season with 19 points and a team-high 11 rebounds.
"When my shot's not falling, I have to keep myself up in general," Kelly said. "So, look for other ways to get the points on the board. Passing to my teammates, attacking to kick, then staying composed."
Jahari Smith and Bussell had good rebounding nights as well, posting totals of 10 and nine, respectively. Smith's 10 boards were a season high. Bussell nailed two 3-pointers, hitting both during the Chippewas' crucial fourth-quarter surge. She scored eight of her 10 points in the final stanza.
Next
The Chippewas will go to Buffalo, 13-5, 4-3 for a MAC game on Wednesday (7 p.m.) at the Bulls' Alumni Arena.
Team Stats
UT
CMU
FG%
.397
.385
3FG%
.375
.296
FT%
.583
.750
RB
41
43
TO
18
12
STL
5
9
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
28
FGM
10
3FGM
4
FTM
4
Pts
19
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
5
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
F
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