Women close out Thanksgiving tournament with win

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Sophomore guard Jalisa Olive continues to provide a spark off the bench as her 17 points helped the women’s basketball team defeat Binghamton 76-55 on Saturday.

It was a nice bounce back win for the team after losing the first game of the Hilton Garden Inn Thanksgiving Tournament on Friday, 90-70 against Drake.

Olive’s 17 points and game-high five steals came in just 20 minutes of play and senior Kaihla Szunko added 18 points and 13 rebounds to pace the Chippewas. It was Szunko’s fifth double-double of the season.

With the win on Saturday, the Chippewas improved their record to 4-2 on the season. Sophomore Brandie Baker saw her scoring production drop, but finished with five points, eight rebounds, five assists and two blocks in what was a great all-around effort from Baker.

Four of Binghamton’s players finished the game in double figures, led by Kara Elofson with 12 points and 12 rebounds. CMU trailed the Bearcats by one with four minutes to go before half, but rallied with a 19-7 run in the final four minutes to take a 41-30 lead into halftime.

A 16-2 run by the Chippewas late in the game blew the score open, leading to the win.

CMU shot 39 percent from the floor, a nice improvement from a tough shooting performance last weekend. The bench continues to play a big role for the Chippewas with freshman Taylor Johnson adding 11 points of her own to help CMU earn the victory.

Just one tournament remains on the road-heavy schedule to start the season. CMU opens the Evansville Tournament in Evansville, Ind., at 6 p.m. Friday against Coastal Carolina.