Sunday, December 17
East Lansing, Mich. / Breslin Center
2 p.m.
Central Michigan University
1-7,0-0MAC
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Michigan State
8-2,0-1Big Ten
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Central Mich.
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Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Chippewas Fall, Make Strides in Front of Friendly Breslin Crowd, 91-67
12/17/2023 5:09:00 PM | Women's Basketball
In the not-long-awaited return of Kristin Haynie to Michigan State, CMU Women’s Basketball found a new gear for its second-half play
EAST LANSING, Mich. — "This place is always home, and it'll always be special for me."
A return to the Breslin Center that Chippewa and Spartan fans alike did not have to wait long for Sunday as Central Michigan Head Women's Basketball Coach Kristin Haynie led her program against her alma mater to a 91-67 result.
A mixed bag of emotions, "Excited, nervous, happy, proud," for CMU's first-year head coach pregame Sunday afternoon but when the clock ran down to tip, it was time to go.
As has sometimes plagued the Chippewas this season, Michigan State got out to strong start early, 21-6, to force the first called timeout with more than three minutes to go in the first quarter.
"How we were playing in the first half wasn't Chippewa Basketball," Haynie said. "We played a little timid."
While the skid certainly slowed, the Spartans continued to work out to a 48-25 halftime mark. CMU's leading scorer, Karrington Gordon (Detroit / Lincoln Park), had put up eight of her 13 points, and Madisen Wardell (Detroit / Edison) was well on her way to her second double-double of the season with seven rebounds.
With all factors as obstacles—the storylines, the flow of the game, and a season deficit of 27 points in third quarters—the Chippewas took control of the Breslin Center crowd with a 27-18 response in the third quarter.
"We're proud that they came out the way they did. We responded and it was really good to see."
An 8-2 run opened the half, bookended by three-pointers from Taylor Anderson (South Lyon, Mich. / East) and Tiana Timpe (Stockton, Ill. / Stockton), to force a quick timeout from the MSU bench and ignite the Chippewa faithful seated behind its bench.
The fight continued as Nadège Jean (Richton Park, Ill. / Rich South) bullied her way to eight points in the frame, en route to her 12 for the contest. Wardell rounded out double-digit scorers with her 10-and-10 double-double.
The Chippewas powered all the way back to a 13-point deficit at the midway point of the fourth quarter, 76-63, before the rally lost its steam.
Grit and growth have shown through in the Chippewas' last two outings as they had Oakland on the ropes after an explosive first quarter in Rochester, Mich. last Saturday.
"Every game, we've gotten better. We're not going to be great overnight."
And for the first-year coach, the direction is clear.
"We gotta shoot the ball better. Today we shot 40 percent overall and 60 percent from the free throw line. We're gonna start to win games when we start scoring more efficiently."
One more time on the court for Central Michigan Women's Basketball before the turn of the New Year Wednesday as the Chippewas visit North Dakota State University. Tip-off from Scheels Arena is slated for 7 p.m. CT, 8 p.m. ET.
The Mid-American Conference schedule begins Jan. 3 with a visit to McGuirk Arena from Bowling Green.
A return to the Breslin Center that Chippewa and Spartan fans alike did not have to wait long for Sunday as Central Michigan Head Women's Basketball Coach Kristin Haynie led her program against her alma mater to a 91-67 result.
A mixed bag of emotions, "Excited, nervous, happy, proud," for CMU's first-year head coach pregame Sunday afternoon but when the clock ran down to tip, it was time to go.
As has sometimes plagued the Chippewas this season, Michigan State got out to strong start early, 21-6, to force the first called timeout with more than three minutes to go in the first quarter.
"How we were playing in the first half wasn't Chippewa Basketball," Haynie said. "We played a little timid."
While the skid certainly slowed, the Spartans continued to work out to a 48-25 halftime mark. CMU's leading scorer, Karrington Gordon (Detroit / Lincoln Park), had put up eight of her 13 points, and Madisen Wardell (Detroit / Edison) was well on her way to her second double-double of the season with seven rebounds.
With all factors as obstacles—the storylines, the flow of the game, and a season deficit of 27 points in third quarters—the Chippewas took control of the Breslin Center crowd with a 27-18 response in the third quarter.
"We're proud that they came out the way they did. We responded and it was really good to see."
An 8-2 run opened the half, bookended by three-pointers from Taylor Anderson (South Lyon, Mich. / East) and Tiana Timpe (Stockton, Ill. / Stockton), to force a quick timeout from the MSU bench and ignite the Chippewa faithful seated behind its bench.
The fight continued as Nadège Jean (Richton Park, Ill. / Rich South) bullied her way to eight points in the frame, en route to her 12 for the contest. Wardell rounded out double-digit scorers with her 10-and-10 double-double.
The Chippewas powered all the way back to a 13-point deficit at the midway point of the fourth quarter, 76-63, before the rally lost its steam.
Grit and growth have shown through in the Chippewas' last two outings as they had Oakland on the ropes after an explosive first quarter in Rochester, Mich. last Saturday.
"Every game, we've gotten better. We're not going to be great overnight."
And for the first-year coach, the direction is clear.
"We gotta shoot the ball better. Today we shot 40 percent overall and 60 percent from the free throw line. We're gonna start to win games when we start scoring more efficiently."
One more time on the court for Central Michigan Women's Basketball before the turn of the New Year Wednesday as the Chippewas visit North Dakota State University. Tip-off from Scheels Arena is slated for 7 p.m. CT, 8 p.m. ET.
The Mid-American Conference schedule begins Jan. 3 with a visit to McGuirk Arena from Bowling Green.
Team Stats
CMU
MSU
FG%
.407
.466
3FG%
.313
.387
FT%
.609
1.000
RB
42
35
TO
20
9
STL
6
13
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
12
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's BasketballF
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