Women’s Basketball Hounds Northern Illinois in MAC Opener, 89-51

Saturday, December 20

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

1 p.m.

Central Michigan University

7-4,1-0MAC

Northern Illinois

2-9,0-1MAC

NIU

Central Mich.

Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography

Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography

Photo by: Josie Ransley '25,M'27 - @josieransmedia

Women’s Basketball Hounds Northern Illinois in MAC Opener, 89-51

12/20/2025 5:06:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Full Game Book (PDF)Photo Gallery

Morson drops 26, Anderson tallies career-high rebounds in back-to-back outings; Chippewas open MAC schedule with first 30-plus point conference win since 2019

By: Harrison LaLone

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — Central Michigan Women's Basketball outscored Northern Illinois, 55-21, in the second half to collect an 89-51 Mid-American Conference victory on Saturday.

"They played really well together," Head Coach Kristin Haynie said. "The players have been in the gym shooting, so that is what happens: you make shots when you put in extra time.

The Chippewas used a 10-0 run to claim the final lead change midway through the second quarter, but still led by just four, 34-30, going into the break.

Reigning MAC Freshman of the Year Madi Morson (Canton, Mich. / Salem) posted 26 points, 17 in the first half, on eight-of-12 from the field and seven-of-eight from the free throw line. The performance marked her third game of the season with 20-plus points, 13^th of her career.

"We made some adjustments on the offensive end [at halftime] but, really, it was our defense. The last three quarters were led by our defense and our rebounding."

Central Michigan outrebounded the Huskies, 49-23, led by senior captain Taylor Anderson (South Lyon, Mich. / East) who posted a career-high 17 rebounds, 12 in the second half, to go with five steals, four assists and six points.

"Defense and rebounding is about toughness. It's the want-to, the heart, the effort. I'm proud of her, she brings a lot to us. She deserved that."

Freshman point guard Lilah Turnbull (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Western Reserve) collected a season-high 11 points via three three-pointers, after her previous high was set at nine at Valparaiso Wednesday night.

The Chippewas shot 50 percent from three-point range (14-of-28) including a five-of-seven mark in a 31-point third quarter that featured a pair of strikes from Riley Smith (Miamisburg, Ohio / Archbishop Alter), who finished with nine points.

Nekhu Mitchell (Baltimore, Md. / McDonogh) and Rylan Buschell (Belleville, Mich. / Belleville) combined for 16 points, all in the second half. Mitchell produced a career-high seven assists and an emphatic three-quarter-court buzzer-beater to end the third quarter.

CMU posted two crucial runs en route to the knockout.

The 10-0 run in the first half began with a Morson interception and fastbreak bucket one minute into the second quarter; the first of three makes from beyond the arc from Jayda Mosley (Cincinnati, Ohio / Purcell Marian) marked the final lead change, 26-23 with 5:50 left in the quarter.

A 10-1 run in the final 90 seconds of the third quarter triggered the first 20-point lead, capped by Mitchell's buzzer-beating heave. The onslaught turned into a 27-4 run by the five-minute mark of the fourth. Mitchell and Buschell combined for 12 of the 27 points in those six-and-a-half minutes.

The victory marked the first win of 30-plus in MAC play since March 9, 2019 (Toledo, 78-45), which was also the last time CMU won back-to-back games by 30-plus. The Chippewas defeated Valparaiso, 91-41, Wednesday night before Saturday.

Central Michigan Women's Basketball remains idle through the holidays as it waits to host Ohio on New Year's Eve (Dec. 31, 1 p.m. ET). The Chippewas host the 15^th edition of Hoops For Hunger on Jan. 7 (Kent State; 11 a.m. ET) after a visit to Bowling Green (Jan. 3, 2 p.m. ET).

Follow Central Michigan Women's Basketball:
TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK

— CMU —