Monday, November 22
Las Vegas, Nev.
11 p.m.
Central Michigan University
1-3,0-0MAC
54
vs
107
Gonzaga
5-0,0-0WCC
1
2
F
Gonzaga
56
51
107
Central Mich.
32
22
54
Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Men's Basketball Bows To Top-Ranked Gonzaga
11/23/2021 8:09:00 AM | Men's Basketball
CMU closes Las Vegas tournament on Tuesday night with Bellarmine
LAS VEGAS – A big ask for a rebuilding team looking to make strides and find itself.
The No. 1 team in the nation lived up to its billing on Monday as Gonzaga handed the Central Michigan men's basketball team a 107-54 loss in the Chippewas' opening game at the Good Sam Empire Classic at T-Mobile Arena.
CMU (1-3) will play Bellarmine in its second and final game of the classic on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET). The Knights (0-5) fell to No. 2 UCLA, 75-62, on Monday.
Bellarmine was a Division II power that moved to Division I a year ago, finishing 14-8 and in second place in the Atlantic Sun Conference. The Knights may not carry the resumé and name recognition of a Gonzaga or a UCLA, but they no doubt pose a stiff test for the Chippewas.
Bellarmine last season was third in the nation in field goal percentage and it, like CMU, has played a rugged schedule to open the season, facing the likes of Gonzaga and Purdue.
"Very good, well-coached basketball team," CMU associate head coach Shane Hierman said. "It goes back to (our) toughness and what we're trying to build and some of those things we're trying to correct from (the Gonzaga game) hopefully transfers over to tomorrow."
CMU played catchup from the get-go against Gonzaga (5-0), last year's national runner-up. Though down double digits less than four minutes into the game, CMU stayed in the hunt until a 17-0 Gonzaga run left the Chippewas in a 42-17 hole with six minutes to play in the first half.
They never got closer than 22 points the rest of the way.
"They're the No. 1 team in the country for a reason," Heiman said. "There's plenty to clean up. We're going to get back, watch a little bit of film. We've got to put in the rearview mirror as quick as we can."
Harrison Henderson scored 11 points to lead CMU and Kevin Miller added nine. Chet Holmgren, a 7-foot freshman and the consensus No. 1 high school player in the nation a year ago, scored 19 points to lead the Bulldogs.
Monday's game, and Tuesday's with Bellarmine, are the latest dates in an ambitious nonconference schedule that first-year coach Tony Barbee has laid out for his Chippewas.
CMU is set to play at No. 10 Kentucky and at No. 25 Xavier next week.
"(Barbee's) message, as we've played the schedule that we have, is you've got to see the bigger picture and you've got to get some of these younger guys some experience, game reps," Heirman said. "There are good things you can see on the floor, certain things that are happening. But when you're continuing to play against this level of talent and experience and programs that are well-run machines, they're going to expose some of your inexperience.
"You have to continue to get incrementally better in every aspect. There are certain pillars of our culture that we're trying to instill. It's getting better. It's going to be a process and we know that."
The No. 1 team in the nation lived up to its billing on Monday as Gonzaga handed the Central Michigan men's basketball team a 107-54 loss in the Chippewas' opening game at the Good Sam Empire Classic at T-Mobile Arena.
CMU (1-3) will play Bellarmine in its second and final game of the classic on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET). The Knights (0-5) fell to No. 2 UCLA, 75-62, on Monday.
Bellarmine was a Division II power that moved to Division I a year ago, finishing 14-8 and in second place in the Atlantic Sun Conference. The Knights may not carry the resumé and name recognition of a Gonzaga or a UCLA, but they no doubt pose a stiff test for the Chippewas.
Bellarmine last season was third in the nation in field goal percentage and it, like CMU, has played a rugged schedule to open the season, facing the likes of Gonzaga and Purdue.
"Very good, well-coached basketball team," CMU associate head coach Shane Hierman said. "It goes back to (our) toughness and what we're trying to build and some of those things we're trying to correct from (the Gonzaga game) hopefully transfers over to tomorrow."
CMU played catchup from the get-go against Gonzaga (5-0), last year's national runner-up. Though down double digits less than four minutes into the game, CMU stayed in the hunt until a 17-0 Gonzaga run left the Chippewas in a 42-17 hole with six minutes to play in the first half.
They never got closer than 22 points the rest of the way.
"They're the No. 1 team in the country for a reason," Heiman said. "There's plenty to clean up. We're going to get back, watch a little bit of film. We've got to put in the rearview mirror as quick as we can."
Harrison Henderson scored 11 points to lead CMU and Kevin Miller added nine. Chet Holmgren, a 7-foot freshman and the consensus No. 1 high school player in the nation a year ago, scored 19 points to lead the Bulldogs.
Monday's game, and Tuesday's with Bellarmine, are the latest dates in an ambitious nonconference schedule that first-year coach Tony Barbee has laid out for his Chippewas.
CMU is set to play at No. 10 Kentucky and at No. 25 Xavier next week.
"(Barbee's) message, as we've played the schedule that we have, is you've got to see the bigger picture and you've got to get some of these younger guys some experience, game reps," Heirman said. "There are good things you can see on the floor, certain things that are happening. But when you're continuing to play against this level of talent and experience and programs that are well-run machines, they're going to expose some of your inexperience.
"You have to continue to get incrementally better in every aspect. There are certain pillars of our culture that we're trying to instill. It's getting better. It's going to be a process and we know that."
Team Stats
Gonz
CMU
FG%
.568
.304
3FG%
.281
.391
FT%
.583
.688
RB
51
23
TO
10
17
STL
8
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
6
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
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