Wednesday, January 8
Athens, OH
7:00 p.m.
Central Michigan University
9-4,2-0MAC
73
at
71
Ohio
8-5,1-1MAC
1
2
3
4
F
Central Mich.
12
23
21
17
73
Ohio
24
10
17
20
71
Senior Gabrielle Bird hit a 3-pointer with 7 seconds remaining on Wednesday, lifting the CMU women to a dramatic 73-71 MAC victory at Ohio.
Huge 3, Huge Win
1/8/2020 9:24:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Chippewas top Ohio in battle of MAC favorites
ATHENS, Ohio – Gabrielle Bird hit a 3-pointer with 7 seconds remaining on Wednesday, lifting the Central Michigan women's basketball team to a thrilling – and important – 73-71 Mid-American Conference victory over Ohio at the Bobcats' Convocation Center.
The win, CMU's ninth in its last 10 starts, puts the Chippewas at 2-0 in the MAC. CMU (9-4 overall), the three-time defending league regular-season champion, was picked to win the West Division in the preseason poll of league coaches.
Ohio (8-5, 1-1) was picked to win the East, the overall regular-season title, and the MAC Tournament. The teams meet on Feb. 1 in Mount Pleasant. CMU entered the game ranked 14th in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25, while Ohio was 12th.
"That's a huge win on the road," first-year CMU coach Heather Oesterle said. "The MAC is tough and to steal one on the road. It's huge."
How It Happened
The Chippewas overcame a 15-point first-quarter deficit and led by as many as seven points in the third quarter.
The fourth quarter was nip-and-tuck, featuring three ties and six lead changes. Ohio went up, 71-70, when Eric Johnson scored on a short pullup in the lane with 10.1 seconds to play.
CMU called timeout and Bird took the inbounds pass from Molly Davis, turned and drilled the game-winning 3-pointer from just to the right of the circle.
It was her career-high-tying fifth triple of the night on eight attempts. She also finished with 11 rebounds, a career high.
"How about Gabrielle Bird?" Oesterle said. "They were sagging off of her a little bit there and we were going to go to (Micaela Kelly). But I was like, 'Let's make them pay for sagging off and she hit that shot. It was a big shot.
"She's a senior and she wants it. I couldn't be more happy for her and the entire team."
Ohio had the final possession, but Johnson's highly contested jumper from just inside the foul line missed and Kelly chased down the rebound as time ran out.
Leaders
Kelly scored 21 points, Bird had 17, Davis finished with 11, and Kyra Bussell had 10 for the Chippewas, who made 30 of their 59 (50.8 percent) field goal attempts after starting the game two for 10 from the floor.
Davis finished with eight assists.
"They listened to the scouting report, they listened to what we were telling them when things were open offensively," Oesterle said. "They've totally bought in. I'm happy for the to come in here and get the win."
Cece Hooks scored 27 points and Johnson had 17 for the Bobcats. The Chippewas held the duo to a combined 18 for 49 (36.7 percent) shooting including two of 10 from 3-point range.
Big Win, But …
While it is a big win for the Chippewas, it is, Oesterle said, just the second game of a long 18-game MAC grind to March.
That is something that this CMU program, eyeing a fifth-consecutive MAC West title and a fourth-straight league crown, knows better than most.
"It's only a big game for us because it's the next game," she said. "I think some people built this game up to be more than it was. We're on a mission and it's just the next game. And now we have Miami.
"Now we get to go home. It's been over a month, and our fans are excited to see us."
The Chippewas entertain Miami (Ohio) on Saturday (1 p.m.) at McGuirk Arena. It will be CMU's first home game since Dec. 5. The RedHawks are 8-6, 1-1 after a 66-64 league home win over Northern Illinois on Wednesday.
The win, CMU's ninth in its last 10 starts, puts the Chippewas at 2-0 in the MAC. CMU (9-4 overall), the three-time defending league regular-season champion, was picked to win the West Division in the preseason poll of league coaches.
Ohio (8-5, 1-1) was picked to win the East, the overall regular-season title, and the MAC Tournament. The teams meet on Feb. 1 in Mount Pleasant. CMU entered the game ranked 14th in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25, while Ohio was 12th.
"That's a huge win on the road," first-year CMU coach Heather Oesterle said. "The MAC is tough and to steal one on the road. It's huge."
How It Happened
The Chippewas overcame a 15-point first-quarter deficit and led by as many as seven points in the third quarter.
The fourth quarter was nip-and-tuck, featuring three ties and six lead changes. Ohio went up, 71-70, when Eric Johnson scored on a short pullup in the lane with 10.1 seconds to play.
CMU called timeout and Bird took the inbounds pass from Molly Davis, turned and drilled the game-winning 3-pointer from just to the right of the circle.
It was her career-high-tying fifth triple of the night on eight attempts. She also finished with 11 rebounds, a career high.
"How about Gabrielle Bird?" Oesterle said. "They were sagging off of her a little bit there and we were going to go to (Micaela Kelly). But I was like, 'Let's make them pay for sagging off and she hit that shot. It was a big shot.
"She's a senior and she wants it. I couldn't be more happy for her and the entire team."
Ohio had the final possession, but Johnson's highly contested jumper from just inside the foul line missed and Kelly chased down the rebound as time ran out.
Leaders
Kelly scored 21 points, Bird had 17, Davis finished with 11, and Kyra Bussell had 10 for the Chippewas, who made 30 of their 59 (50.8 percent) field goal attempts after starting the game two for 10 from the floor.
Davis finished with eight assists.
"They listened to the scouting report, they listened to what we were telling them when things were open offensively," Oesterle said. "They've totally bought in. I'm happy for the to come in here and get the win."
Cece Hooks scored 27 points and Johnson had 17 for the Bobcats. The Chippewas held the duo to a combined 18 for 49 (36.7 percent) shooting including two of 10 from 3-point range.
Big Win, But …
While it is a big win for the Chippewas, it is, Oesterle said, just the second game of a long 18-game MAC grind to March.
That is something that this CMU program, eyeing a fifth-consecutive MAC West title and a fourth-straight league crown, knows better than most.
"It's only a big game for us because it's the next game," she said. "I think some people built this game up to be more than it was. We're on a mission and it's just the next game. And now we have Miami.
"Now we get to go home. It's been over a month, and our fans are excited to see us."
The Chippewas entertain Miami (Ohio) on Saturday (1 p.m.) at McGuirk Arena. It will be CMU's first home game since Dec. 5. The RedHawks are 8-6, 1-1 after a 66-64 league home win over Northern Illinois on Wednesday.
Team Stats
CMU
Ohio
FG%
.508
.354
3FG%
.345
.240
FT%
.750
.636
RB
43
43
TO
19
6
STL
5
10
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
21
FGM
9
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
17
FGM
6
3FGM
5
FTM
0
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
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