Chippewas Outscore Purdue Northwest 115-69

Sunday, December 1

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

2:00 PM

Central Michigan University

4-3,0-0MAC

115

Purdue Northwest

2-4,0-0GLIAC

Purdue Northwest

Central Mich.

115

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Aquinas College (Mich.)

W, 93-69

Dec 5 (Thu)

7:00 PM

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Team Stats

Pur-NW

CMU

FG%

.382

.646

3FG%

.138

.476

FT%

.500

.636

STL

Cayden Vasko

/ Men's Basketball

Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography

Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography

Photo by: Madison Davidson '25 - @_mld.jpeg

Photo by: Madison Davidson '25 - @_mld.jpeg

12/1/2024 6:03:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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Damarion Bonds scores a career-high 22 points (4-6 3FG) with six assists; Ugnius Jarusevicius finishes with 21 points in 17 minutes; Jakobi Heady adds 17 points, Kyler VanderJagt scores 16.

By: Greg Hotchkiss

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich.—With Santa Claus in the building for a Holiday Hoops promotion, the Central Michigan men's basketball team put on its best offensive display of the Tony Barbee era, scoring 115 points, hitting 10 3-pointers in the first half, and converting 64.6 percent of its field goals as the Chippewas rolled to an easy 115-69 victory over Purdue Northwest Sunday afternoon at McGuirk Arena.

Central Michigan reached the 100-point mark for the first time since Dec. 20, 2020 when it scored 127 points vs. Olivet College. The 115 points were the most scored by a Barbee-coached CMU team. Previously, the Chippewas scored 90 points vs. Davenport on Dec. 19, 2023.

Five Chippewas reached double figure scoring led by Damarion Bonds, who finished with a career-high 22 points on 8-10 field goals with six assists and five rebounds. Bonds also hit 4-6 3-pointers. Ugnius Jarusevicius scored a career-high 21 points on 9-10 shooting in only 17 minutes of action, Jakobi Heady added a career-best 17 points (7-9 FG) with four assists and five rebounds, Kyler VanderJagt finished with 16 points (4-9 FG) with six assists, and Quentin Heady scored a career-high 11 points. Cayden Vasko grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds, scored eight points and added three assists. Bryan Ndjonga added nine points, and Anthony Pritchard had eight with five assists.

The Chippewas held Purdue Northwest to 4-29 from 3-point range and outrebounded the Pride 46-28. CMU also had 10 steals.

"No matter who you play, we're working on our identity," Central Michigan head coach Tony Barbee said. "There's no question what our program is built on—it starts on the defensive end of the floor. When we get healthy, we have all the pieces to be an elite defensive team. This is one of those games. Today, they had to beat us from the 3-point line and we hold them to 4-29. That was the focus of our game plan. We've been an elite rebounding team. We have to keep honing in on those things, making that our identity."

Central Michigan burst out to a 62-37 halftime lead after converting 10 3-pointers (62.5 percent, 10-16 3FG) and shooting a blistering 69.7 percent (23-33) from the floor. The 62 first half points were the most scored by CMU in a first half this season and the 25-point lead was its largest halftime lead of the year. The 10 3-pointers tied a season-high with 20 minutes left to play. In the first half, Jarusevicius scored 15 points and Damarion Bonds went for 14 while hitting 4-4 3-pointers.

Central Michigan started the game quickly as it used four 3-pointers to take a commanding 20-3 lead with 14:57 lead. The Chipppewas opened the contest on a 6-0 run as Jarusevicius opened the game with a layup, Heady scored on a layup, then Heady fed Jarusevicius for another layup and the Chippewas were up 6-0. After a Purdue Northwest 3-pointer, the Chippewas went on a 14-0 run. A 3-pointer by Jarusevicius and a layup by Vasko pushed CMU's lead to 11-3 at the 16:40 mark. A Vasko 3-pointer made it 14-3, VanderJagt swished a 3-pointer from the opposite corner and then Heady hit a 3-pointer for a 20-3 lead at the 14:57 mark.

CMU went up 29-5 on a Damarion Bonds 3-pointer at the 11:18 mark.

For the first time this season, Central Michigan had a starting lineup of Jarusevicius, Heady, VanderJagt, Vakso, and Pritchard.

The Chippewas are back in action on Thursday night when they travel to Grand Rapids, Mich. to play Aquinas. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. at the Sturrus Sports and Recreation Center.

CMU men's basketball season tickets and single game tickets are on sale. Fans can order season tickets by calling Ticket Central at (989) 774-3045, by ordering on this link, or by stopping by Ticket Central located in the John G. Kulhavi Events Center between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Single-game tickets are also on sale. For more information, click here.

—CMU—

Central Michigan Announces Entire 2025-26 Men's Basketball Schedule

Thursday, August 21

Men's Basketball to Host Appalachian State in MAC-SBC Challenge

Tuesday, July 01

Men's Basketball Signee Keenan Garner to Compete with Under-19 German National Team at 2025 FIBA World Cup

Friday, June 27

Jimmy Booth Named Director of Men's Basketball Operations

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Team Stats

Game Leaders

Damarion Bonds

Ugnius Jarusevicius

Jakobi Heady

Kyler VanderJagt

Players Mentioned

Damarion Bonds

Jakobi Heady

Quentin Heady

Ugnius Jarusevicius

Bryan Ndjonga

Anthony Pritchard

Kyler VanderJagt

Cayden Vasko

Chippewas Outscore Purdue Northwest 115-69

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