Time is running out for women’s basketball team to learn to play on the road

The CMU women’s basketball team had their toughest loss of the season Wednesday against Toledo.

Now, it will have to try to use that loss as fuel to its fire as the season nears its end.

The Chippewas have two games remaining, both road games, and the road is somewhere this team does not like to be (2-12 road record).

But with two beatable opponents ahead in Western Michigan and Ball State, the team should be able to pick up some road victories and regain some confidence before the Mid-American Conference Tournament.

The MAC tournament begins March 7 and, as of right now, the Chippewas would host their first-round game. The top four teams overall in the conference will receive a first-round bye while the next four teams host the first-round game.

After beating second-place Eastern Michigan last weekend, the Chippewas extended their home unbeaten streak to nine games. They were virtually unbeatable at Rose Arena.

Toledo proved that was not the case.

Team defense seemed to break down in large stretches throughout the game, and some key turnovers and missed free throws left the Chippewas with their heads hanging.

The team has won just one road conference game this season, which is something that is going to have to change. You cannot expect to compete for a conference title if you cannot win on the road.

More than anything, the next two road games are crucial to a team looking to find some sort of rhythm on the road. All of those great wins and home winning streaks are in the past. And if the team cannot win away from Rose Arena, it will not go very far in the tournament.

The Chippewas sit sixth overall in the MAC standings, just one game behind Akron and Eastern Michigan. Although it is highly unlikely, it is still mathematically in the running for a first-round bye in the tournament.

Bowling Green, Kent State and Toledo all won on Wednesday and have claimed first-round bye’s for the tournament. It leaves one spot up for grabs.

If the Chippewas can win their last two games, they can still earn the bye with some help.

Without at least two losses from EMU or Akron in their remaining schedules, the team will end up hosting a first-round game here at Rose Arena.

The Chippewas take on Western Michigan at 2 p.m. Saturday in Kalamazoo. The Broncos have had a tough season, only winning two conference games and have been in the West Division basement all season.

It’s imperative this team learns to win on the road. Starting with an inferior WMU team, it only makes sense to start now.

CMU might be remembered in the future for its incredible home winning streak of nine games, the longest since 1984-85, but what it really wants to be remembered for is the incredible run it made to win the MAC tournament.