Sunday, November 12
Peoria, Ill. / Renaissance Coliseum
3 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. CT
Central Michigan University
0-2,0-0MAC
62
at
65
Bradley
1-1,0-0MVC
1
2
3
4
F
Central Mich.
21
9
21
11
62
Bradley
24
14
20
7
65
Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Women’s Hoops Makes Stride Forward in Loss at Bradley, 65-62
11/12/2023 6:21:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Fluidity on offense, power in the post show through in season’s second contest
PEORIA, Ill. — Central Michigan Women's Basketball fell at Bradley, 65-62, Sunday afternoon, though it put up a 40-minute dogfight in response to its season-opener Thursday night in Mobile, Ala.
The Chippewas (0-2) faced another slow start on the offensive end as the Braves (1-1) ran out to a 10-2 advantage in the early minutes to force an early timeout. Freshman Tamara Ortiz (Columbus, Ohio / Westerville South) took notes in the game's first stoppage as she responded with CMU's first of seven made three-pointers on the day.
"We have to punch first," Head Coach Kristin Haynie said of the early-season trend. "We had a better second half but we have to put two halves together. The urgency wasn't there to start the game."
Sophomore Madisen Wardell (Detroit, Mich. / Edison) led the way in the quarter with eight of her 10 points, with a converted and-one opportunity late in the frame, to keep from losing pace with Bradley, 24-21.
Notably, the Chippewa offense found a new gear in Peoria Sunday as it logged four assists on eight made field goals in the first quarter compared to just one in the first half at South Alabama on Thursday. Central Michigan would finish with 14 assists on 25 made baskets.
"We just have to play better team basketball," Haynie said, summarizing her notes from the season-opener. "It's frustrating because we don't practice like that. Tonight was better, we just have to build on it."
The chase was on after the break, but the offense was shut off in the second as the two teams combined for just 23 points in the second 10 minutes. Sophomore Taylor Anderson's (South Lyon, Mich. / South Lyon East) all-hustle stat line—10 rebounds, three assists, two steals and seven fouls drawn—began to take shape, though the margin widened, 38-30, at the half.
"[Anderon's] play is awesome and contagious," Haynie offered. "Getting six offensive rebounds…is grit. Getting 10 rebounds as a guard is excellent."
The offenses returned after intermission as senior Rochelle Norris (Stafford, Va. / New Hope) set up transition scoring with two blocks early, then powered through in the paint for six points in the quarter. Norris had her minutes limited in the first half due to foul trouble, though the adjustment was clearly made at the half.
"[Norris] was coming in with her body a little bit and swatting down," Haynie said. "We told her to just, 'stay tall, let the offensive player come into you.'"
Junior Tiana Timpe (Stockton, Ill. / Stockton) was the beneficiary of Norris's clean-up duty defensively as she knocked down back-to-back three-pointers less than three minutes into the second half, both set up by Norris blocks. Followed by Wardell's final points of the evening, the Chippewas sparked an 8-0 run in just 68 seconds to reach back into a one-possession tally, 40-38.
Norris's presence down low returned on both ends for the quarter as she collected three rebounds to go with her six points and two rejections.
"She can dominate in the paint, so it's unfortunate for her to pick up those two fouls in the first half. We feel like the perimeter players are missing her when she's not out there."
The margin reached double-digits for the final time just after the third quarter break, 61-51. A gutsy drive into the lane by Ortiz flipped a switch for the Chippewas with eight minutes to go as a 9-0 run that lasted 4:38 ensued.
"[Ortiz] is doing a really good job coming into the division one level as a freshman point guard and putting players in a position to use their strengths."
With 39 seconds to go, CMU went to the well again as Norris brought the tally back to 63-62. Unable to capitalize late, Bradley collected a pair of free throws in the final seconds to reach the final result.
Central Michigan Women's Basketball opens up McGuirk Arena Tuesday for the first time in the 2023-24 season against Concordia-Ann Arbor for a 7 p.m. tip. A pair of road trips—at Cleveland State (Nov. 18), at UW-Milwaukee (Nov. 25)—stand between Tuesday and the final home non-conference matchup, Indiana State, on Dec. 2.
The Chippewas (0-2) faced another slow start on the offensive end as the Braves (1-1) ran out to a 10-2 advantage in the early minutes to force an early timeout. Freshman Tamara Ortiz (Columbus, Ohio / Westerville South) took notes in the game's first stoppage as she responded with CMU's first of seven made three-pointers on the day.
"We have to punch first," Head Coach Kristin Haynie said of the early-season trend. "We had a better second half but we have to put two halves together. The urgency wasn't there to start the game."
Sophomore Madisen Wardell (Detroit, Mich. / Edison) led the way in the quarter with eight of her 10 points, with a converted and-one opportunity late in the frame, to keep from losing pace with Bradley, 24-21.
Notably, the Chippewa offense found a new gear in Peoria Sunday as it logged four assists on eight made field goals in the first quarter compared to just one in the first half at South Alabama on Thursday. Central Michigan would finish with 14 assists on 25 made baskets.
"We just have to play better team basketball," Haynie said, summarizing her notes from the season-opener. "It's frustrating because we don't practice like that. Tonight was better, we just have to build on it."
The chase was on after the break, but the offense was shut off in the second as the two teams combined for just 23 points in the second 10 minutes. Sophomore Taylor Anderson's (South Lyon, Mich. / South Lyon East) all-hustle stat line—10 rebounds, three assists, two steals and seven fouls drawn—began to take shape, though the margin widened, 38-30, at the half.
"[Anderon's] play is awesome and contagious," Haynie offered. "Getting six offensive rebounds…is grit. Getting 10 rebounds as a guard is excellent."
The offenses returned after intermission as senior Rochelle Norris (Stafford, Va. / New Hope) set up transition scoring with two blocks early, then powered through in the paint for six points in the quarter. Norris had her minutes limited in the first half due to foul trouble, though the adjustment was clearly made at the half.
"[Norris] was coming in with her body a little bit and swatting down," Haynie said. "We told her to just, 'stay tall, let the offensive player come into you.'"
Junior Tiana Timpe (Stockton, Ill. / Stockton) was the beneficiary of Norris's clean-up duty defensively as she knocked down back-to-back three-pointers less than three minutes into the second half, both set up by Norris blocks. Followed by Wardell's final points of the evening, the Chippewas sparked an 8-0 run in just 68 seconds to reach back into a one-possession tally, 40-38.
Norris's presence down low returned on both ends for the quarter as she collected three rebounds to go with her six points and two rejections.
"She can dominate in the paint, so it's unfortunate for her to pick up those two fouls in the first half. We feel like the perimeter players are missing her when she's not out there."
The margin reached double-digits for the final time just after the third quarter break, 61-51. A gutsy drive into the lane by Ortiz flipped a switch for the Chippewas with eight minutes to go as a 9-0 run that lasted 4:38 ensued.
"[Ortiz] is doing a really good job coming into the division one level as a freshman point guard and putting players in a position to use their strengths."
With 39 seconds to go, CMU went to the well again as Norris brought the tally back to 63-62. Unable to capitalize late, Bradley collected a pair of free throws in the final seconds to reach the final result.
Central Michigan Women's Basketball opens up McGuirk Arena Tuesday for the first time in the 2023-24 season against Concordia-Ann Arbor for a 7 p.m. tip. A pair of road trips—at Cleveland State (Nov. 18), at UW-Milwaukee (Nov. 25)—stand between Tuesday and the final home non-conference matchup, Indiana State, on Dec. 2.
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Team Stats
CMU
BRAD
FG%
.385
.434
3FG%
.368
.375
FT%
.556
.625
RB
36
39
TO
16
18
STL
6
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
14
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
14
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballC
/ Women's BasketballC
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballF
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