Central Michigan University Athletics
Wednesday, January 29
DeKalb, Ill.
7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT
Central Michigan University
8-12,4-5MAC
75
at
80
Northern Illinois
9-11,3-6MAC
1
2
3
4
F
Central Mich.
14
11
27
23
75
NIU
18
21
19
22
80
Photo by: Madison Davidson '25 - @_mld.jpeg
Women’s Basketball Comeback Bid Falls Short at NIU, 80-75
1/29/2025 10:03:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Morson logs back-to-back 25-point games, Lawson brings down career-high 18 rebounds—neither feat has been accomplished by a Chippewa in over three years
DEKALB, Ill. — Central Michigan Women's Basketball nearly erased a 17-point second-half deficit in an 80-75 loss at Northern Illinois Wednesday night as Madi Morson (Canton, Mich. / Salem) scored 18 of her 26 points and Jess Lawson (Las Vegas, Nev. / Legacy) tallied 10 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in the final 20 minutes.
Morson's effort made her the first Chippewa to score at least 25 points in back-to-back games since Micaela Kelly's '21 dominant run in the 2021 Mid-American Conference Championship tournament. For Lawson, her career-high 18 rebounds are the most in a single game in over three years.
The Chippewas nearly matched the most points scored in a half under Head Coach Kristin Haynie with 50 in the second-half rally, one shy of the first half in the win over Eastern Michigan (Jan. 18).
Northern Illinois stretched out to its largest lead of the night, 46-29, with over eight minutes left to play in the third. At the end of the first half, CMU shot 35.7 percent from the field—2-of-10 from three-point range—and turned the ball over 12 times.
Morson needed just eight points to lead the way for CMU in the first half; she scored her team's first six points in the third and had her total more than doubled before the quarter was over as she went 5-for-6 from the field. Meanwhile, Lawson had marked her fourth double-double of the season with over 13 minutes left to play.
A four-minute barrage enabled Central Michigan's rally: a 16-3 run, capped by the Lawson transition bucket that tallied her double-double, brought the Chippewas back to within four, 49-45. Jayda Mosley (Cincinnati, Ohio / Purcell Marian) hit back-to-back three-pointers—her third and fourth of the night—in the heart of the run to force NIU to trigger the first media timeout of the second half with a 47-39 advantage.
The margin hovered between two and three possessions well into the fourth quarter until Morson found the bottom of the net with one of several mid-range jumpers on the evening, drawing to within a possession, 66-64, with over three minutes left; the Huskies found their cushion between an unsuccessful attempt at a four-point play and a CMU offensive foul in the following 35 seconds.
Lawson led the way as Central Michigan produced its fourth rebounding margin of 20 or more of the season, third in the last four games, though Taylor Anderson (South Lyon, Mich. / East) muscled down 12 boards of her own for her second double-digit performance of the season, 10th of her career.
Central Michigan Women's Basketball returns to McGuirk Arena Saturday to host Bowling Green (1 p.m.) for the A-side of a CMU-BGSU doubleheader. The Chippewas will stay at home for Ohio (Feb. 5; 6:30 p.m.) before three straight on the road.
Morson's effort made her the first Chippewa to score at least 25 points in back-to-back games since Micaela Kelly's '21 dominant run in the 2021 Mid-American Conference Championship tournament. For Lawson, her career-high 18 rebounds are the most in a single game in over three years.
The Chippewas nearly matched the most points scored in a half under Head Coach Kristin Haynie with 50 in the second-half rally, one shy of the first half in the win over Eastern Michigan (Jan. 18).
Northern Illinois stretched out to its largest lead of the night, 46-29, with over eight minutes left to play in the third. At the end of the first half, CMU shot 35.7 percent from the field—2-of-10 from three-point range—and turned the ball over 12 times.
Morson needed just eight points to lead the way for CMU in the first half; she scored her team's first six points in the third and had her total more than doubled before the quarter was over as she went 5-for-6 from the field. Meanwhile, Lawson had marked her fourth double-double of the season with over 13 minutes left to play.
A four-minute barrage enabled Central Michigan's rally: a 16-3 run, capped by the Lawson transition bucket that tallied her double-double, brought the Chippewas back to within four, 49-45. Jayda Mosley (Cincinnati, Ohio / Purcell Marian) hit back-to-back three-pointers—her third and fourth of the night—in the heart of the run to force NIU to trigger the first media timeout of the second half with a 47-39 advantage.
The margin hovered between two and three possessions well into the fourth quarter until Morson found the bottom of the net with one of several mid-range jumpers on the evening, drawing to within a possession, 66-64, with over three minutes left; the Huskies found their cushion between an unsuccessful attempt at a four-point play and a CMU offensive foul in the following 35 seconds.
Lawson led the way as Central Michigan produced its fourth rebounding margin of 20 or more of the season, third in the last four games, though Taylor Anderson (South Lyon, Mich. / East) muscled down 12 boards of her own for her second double-digit performance of the season, 10th of her career.
Central Michigan Women's Basketball returns to McGuirk Arena Saturday to host Bowling Green (1 p.m.) for the A-side of a CMU-BGSU doubleheader. The Chippewas will stay at home for Ohio (Feb. 5; 6:30 p.m.) before three straight on the road.
Team Stats
CMU
NIU
FG%
.443
.509
3FG%
.357
.533
FT%
.762
.696
RB
47
22
TO
22
11
STL
3
9
Game Leaders
Pts
26
FGM
12
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
17
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
7
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
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