Tuesday, February 1
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
7 p.m.
Central Michigan University
4-13,3-3MAC
78
vs
74
Bowling Green
11-11,4-7MAC
1
2
F
Bowling Green
33
41
74
Central Mich.
39
39
78
Photo by: Keara Chaperon '22
Tough At Crunch Time: MBB Wins Second Straight
2/1/2022 10:31:00 PM | Men's Basketball
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Through a rugged nonconference schedule and then a slew of postponements, the Central Michigan men's basketball team could have packed it in.
The Chippewas didn't. And now, more evidence that they're coming around.
Kevin Miller and Cameron Healy scored 21 points apiece and Harrison Henderson hit two tie-breaking free throws with 3.3 seconds remaining on Tuesday as the Chippewas topped Bowling Green, 78-74, in a Mid-American Conference game at McGuirk Arena.
It was CMU's second straight victory, it's first at home this season, and the first at McGuirk for first-year coach Tony Barbee. The Chippewas are 4-13, 3-3 MAC. Those three wins have come in their last six starts. They entertain rival Western Michigan (4-17, 0-10) on Thursday.
"I told the guys in the locker room, 'Enjoy this,'" Barbee said. "There's got to be an assumption for teams when they come into Central Michigan, they know what they're in for. Doesn't mean you're going to win every one at home, but that's the expectation.
"The one thing about this group, they're a group of fighters. Doesn't mean they do everything perfect, but they are playing hard, they are playing unselfish, they are playing for each other, and it's what we've been working for so it's a pretty thing to watch."
Brian Taylor added a career-high 15 points and Henderson finished with 14.
The Chippewas led 61-51 with eight minutes remaining. Bowling Green rallied to seize a 72-71 lead with a minute to play.
The game was tied, 74-74, and the Chippewas worked the ball into Henderson in the post with under 4 seconds remaining. He was fouled on the play and calmly drilled both free throws. Taylor hit two charity tosses with 1.2 seconds left to ice.
Henderson, who entered the game making 58 percent of his free throws on the season, was a perfect 6-for-6 from the line after going a combined 3-for-8 in his last four games.
"It's something I noticed on tape, the Northern Illinois game (on Saturday), the free throws that he missed, he was up at the free throw line almost begging for the ball to go in," Barbee said. "We worked the last 48 hours, Harrison and I … we really worked on him staying in his free throws, staying in his jumpshot."
Miller, a 6-foot freshman, continued to put on display his immense talent and poise that belies his youth. His 21 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds were all career bests, a sensational encore to his 14-point, seven-assist, five-rebound performance at NIU on Saturday.
He logged 38-plus minutes against the Falcons after playing all 40 at NIU. He made a combined 16 of 30 field goal attempts in the two games.
"He's a freshman and he's learning and he's growing before our eyes," Barbee said. "He's never lacked for confidence. He's a tough kid. He's got great parents, he's a humble kid, and he works his tail off. Everything that's happening for Kevin, he deserves because of how hard he works."
Said Miller, who flirted with a triple-double in just his 17th collegiate game: "The coaching staff trusts me, my teammates trust me. In practice we just go as hard as we can every day. I feel like as a team, collectively, we're just coming together as a whole. We work so hard; hard work pays off."
"Coach Barbee always talks about adversity and when adversity hits, we have to fight through everything and be mentally prepared, be mentally strong. … We've just been locking into it."
The Chippewas didn't. And now, more evidence that they're coming around.
Kevin Miller and Cameron Healy scored 21 points apiece and Harrison Henderson hit two tie-breaking free throws with 3.3 seconds remaining on Tuesday as the Chippewas topped Bowling Green, 78-74, in a Mid-American Conference game at McGuirk Arena.
It was CMU's second straight victory, it's first at home this season, and the first at McGuirk for first-year coach Tony Barbee. The Chippewas are 4-13, 3-3 MAC. Those three wins have come in their last six starts. They entertain rival Western Michigan (4-17, 0-10) on Thursday.
"I told the guys in the locker room, 'Enjoy this,'" Barbee said. "There's got to be an assumption for teams when they come into Central Michigan, they know what they're in for. Doesn't mean you're going to win every one at home, but that's the expectation.
"The one thing about this group, they're a group of fighters. Doesn't mean they do everything perfect, but they are playing hard, they are playing unselfish, they are playing for each other, and it's what we've been working for so it's a pretty thing to watch."
Brian Taylor added a career-high 15 points and Henderson finished with 14.
The Chippewas led 61-51 with eight minutes remaining. Bowling Green rallied to seize a 72-71 lead with a minute to play.
The game was tied, 74-74, and the Chippewas worked the ball into Henderson in the post with under 4 seconds remaining. He was fouled on the play and calmly drilled both free throws. Taylor hit two charity tosses with 1.2 seconds left to ice.
Henderson, who entered the game making 58 percent of his free throws on the season, was a perfect 6-for-6 from the line after going a combined 3-for-8 in his last four games.
"It's something I noticed on tape, the Northern Illinois game (on Saturday), the free throws that he missed, he was up at the free throw line almost begging for the ball to go in," Barbee said. "We worked the last 48 hours, Harrison and I … we really worked on him staying in his free throws, staying in his jumpshot."
Miller, a 6-foot freshman, continued to put on display his immense talent and poise that belies his youth. His 21 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds were all career bests, a sensational encore to his 14-point, seven-assist, five-rebound performance at NIU on Saturday.
He logged 38-plus minutes against the Falcons after playing all 40 at NIU. He made a combined 16 of 30 field goal attempts in the two games.
"He's a freshman and he's learning and he's growing before our eyes," Barbee said. "He's never lacked for confidence. He's a tough kid. He's got great parents, he's a humble kid, and he works his tail off. Everything that's happening for Kevin, he deserves because of how hard he works."
Said Miller, who flirted with a triple-double in just his 17th collegiate game: "The coaching staff trusts me, my teammates trust me. In practice we just go as hard as we can every day. I feel like as a team, collectively, we're just coming together as a whole. We work so hard; hard work pays off."
"Coach Barbee always talks about adversity and when adversity hits, we have to fight through everything and be mentally prepared, be mentally strong. … We've just been locking into it."
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Team Stats
BGSU
CMU
FG%
.444
.456
3FG%
.400
.385
FT%
.500
.727
RB
43
30
TO
19
12
STL
6
8
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
21
FGM
10
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
21
FGM
7
3FGM
6
FTM
1
Pts
15
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
8
Pts
14
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
6
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG/F
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