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CMU junior Jahari Smith (21) puts up a shot on Saturday in the Chippewas' win at Buffalo.
Big Win For CMU Women At Buffalo
1/9/2021 3:33:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Chippewas one of two MAC unbeatens
BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Central Michigan women's basketball team made eight second-half 3-pointers and all five starters scored in double figures on Saturday as the Chippewas won a battle of Mid-American Conference heavyweights.
Maddy Watters hit five 3-pointers in scoring 21 points as CMU downed Buffalo, 79-63, at the Bulls' Alumni Arena. It was the fourth-consecutive win for the Chippewas, 7-2, 5-0 MAC. The Bulls are 7-3, 4-1.
CMU, which is seeking its fifth-consecutive MAC championship, is one of two unbeaten teams in league play. Kent State is 4-0 in the conference. At the start of play on Saturday, there were four unbeatens atop the standings, but that number was cut in half with the Bulls' loss to the Chippewas and Bowling Green's 78-71 loss to Northern Illinois.
CMU is ranked seventh in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25. Buffalo is 11th.
How It Happened
The Chippewas made eight of their 16 second-half 3-point tries after a 4-for-18 performance from long range in the first half.
Despite shooting it relatively poorly in the first half, the Chippewas led 31-26 at halftime. Their lead never dipped below three points in the third quarter and twice they bumped it to 12 points and appeared poised to pull away.
Anika Weekes hit two free throws with 51 seconds left in the third and a Micaela Kelly triple with 10 seconds left gave the Chippewas a 52-42 lead. Buffalo never got closer than nine points in the fourth quarter.
Leaders
Molly Davis added 16 points, Kelly and Jahari Smith had 13 each, and Kyra Bussell finished with 10 for the Chippewas. Four of Watters' triples came in the second half.
"I thought we moved the ball," CMU coach Heather Oesterle said. "They went back to their zone (defense) in the second half and we really worked a lot at attacking those gaps and kicking it out for shots. Maddy Watters hit some big shots down the stretch."
Clamping Down
Dyaisha Fair, who, along with Kelly, is one of the top players not only in the MAC but among all mid-major players in the nation, scored 30 points to lead Buffalo. She made 10 of her 25 field goals including a 4-for-12 clip from 3-point range.
"Our defensive won us that game," CMU coach Heather Oesterle said. "Dyaisha Fair, she's tough to guard. She got hers, but I thought we did a good job on everybody else.
"I was just proud of the way we grinded it out. It wasn't pretty. Our shots weren't falling in the first half, but our defense won us that game."
Season Bests
Smith led the Chippewas with a season-high eight rebounds and Davis finished with eight assists, also a season high.
Weekes once again provided a spark off the bench in grabbing seven rebounds – matching her career best – in 20 minutes. Four of her boards came on the offensive end.
Watters, who entered the game making 54.8 percent of her triple tries on the season, matched her season high with her five 3-pointers (on nine attempts).
Next
The Chippewas are scheduled to play two MAC games next week. They are slated to go to Northern Illinois – the team that on Saturday knocked off Bowling Green – on Wednesday, Jan. 13; and then return to McGuirk Arena for a date with Ohio on Saturday, Jan. 16.
Maddy Watters hit five 3-pointers in scoring 21 points as CMU downed Buffalo, 79-63, at the Bulls' Alumni Arena. It was the fourth-consecutive win for the Chippewas, 7-2, 5-0 MAC. The Bulls are 7-3, 4-1.
CMU, which is seeking its fifth-consecutive MAC championship, is one of two unbeaten teams in league play. Kent State is 4-0 in the conference. At the start of play on Saturday, there were four unbeatens atop the standings, but that number was cut in half with the Bulls' loss to the Chippewas and Bowling Green's 78-71 loss to Northern Illinois.
CMU is ranked seventh in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25. Buffalo is 11th.
How It Happened
The Chippewas made eight of their 16 second-half 3-point tries after a 4-for-18 performance from long range in the first half.
Despite shooting it relatively poorly in the first half, the Chippewas led 31-26 at halftime. Their lead never dipped below three points in the third quarter and twice they bumped it to 12 points and appeared poised to pull away.
Anika Weekes hit two free throws with 51 seconds left in the third and a Micaela Kelly triple with 10 seconds left gave the Chippewas a 52-42 lead. Buffalo never got closer than nine points in the fourth quarter.
Leaders
Molly Davis added 16 points, Kelly and Jahari Smith had 13 each, and Kyra Bussell finished with 10 for the Chippewas. Four of Watters' triples came in the second half.
"I thought we moved the ball," CMU coach Heather Oesterle said. "They went back to their zone (defense) in the second half and we really worked a lot at attacking those gaps and kicking it out for shots. Maddy Watters hit some big shots down the stretch."
Clamping Down
Dyaisha Fair, who, along with Kelly, is one of the top players not only in the MAC but among all mid-major players in the nation, scored 30 points to lead Buffalo. She made 10 of her 25 field goals including a 4-for-12 clip from 3-point range.
"Our defensive won us that game," CMU coach Heather Oesterle said. "Dyaisha Fair, she's tough to guard. She got hers, but I thought we did a good job on everybody else.
"I was just proud of the way we grinded it out. It wasn't pretty. Our shots weren't falling in the first half, but our defense won us that game."
Season Bests
Smith led the Chippewas with a season-high eight rebounds and Davis finished with eight assists, also a season high.
Weekes once again provided a spark off the bench in grabbing seven rebounds – matching her career best – in 20 minutes. Four of her boards came on the offensive end.
Watters, who entered the game making 54.8 percent of her triple tries on the season, matched her season high with her five 3-pointers (on nine attempts).
Next
The Chippewas are scheduled to play two MAC games next week. They are slated to go to Northern Illinois – the team that on Saturday knocked off Bowling Green – on Wednesday, Jan. 13; and then return to McGuirk Arena for a date with Ohio on Saturday, Jan. 16.
Team Stats
CMU
UB
FG%
.459
.383
3FG%
.353
.333
FT%
.917
.692
RB
39
35
TO
16
18
STL
6
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
21
FGM
6
3FGM
5
FTM
4
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
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