‘Big Three’ hoping for MAC tournament run, NCAA bid

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Leadership, versatility and hunger. All three possess it.

Senior guard Shonda Long, senior forward Kaihla Szunko and sophomore guard/forward Brandie Baker want to win and want to win now. For Long and Szunko, this is it.

As seniors there is no looking back and saying “what if.”

Using their leadership and experience, the group plans on leading the Central Michigan women’s basketball team to a Mid-American Conference championship in March.

“My expectations are endless this year,” said Szunko, who is averaging a double-double per game, with 17 points and 12.5 rebounds. “We can do anything and our main goal is to get that MAC championship at the end.”

Both Long and Szunko believe that last year’s victory over Louisville, a Top 25 team, was a stepping stone toward bigger goals for this program.
And neither crumbled in that game.

Long scored a game-high 29 points on 10-of-14 shooting and made 6-of-10 from beyond the arc. Szunko used her versatility to contribute in all fascists of the game, scoring 11 points and snatched down 10 boards to earn a double-double. The win marked its first of the season, but more importantly it proved something to them.

Now as the leaders of a team that consists of seven underclassmen, they know this team can do it.

Earlier in the season CMU competed until the very end with 22nd ranked Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.

“We played Iowa tough and we competed,” said Long, who is second on the team with 16.2 points per game. “I expect our team to build on last year and also expect to compete for the MAC championship this year and win it.”

If Long’s expectations hold true, the Chippewas would make their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 1984.

Baker is back into the mix this year after suffering an ACL injury that held her out of last season.

She’s averaging 13.8 points and seven rebounds per game.

“It’s great to have Brandie back,” said head coach Sue Guevara. “She’s a nightmare matchup and she gives us scoring and additional rebounding.”

The “Big Three” of Long, Szunko and Baker aren’t just causing havoc on the court, but also off it.

Freshman forward Taylor Johnson has looked to Szunko for guidance in her early career and she’s gotten plenty of it.

“It can be hectic as a freshman. Different things catch your attention,” she said. “There’s school, basketball, hanging out with friends, and meeting new people, so I just tried to give her advice.”

On and off the court, these three are bringing the total package together in a push for new program heights. Guevara has noticed their hard work and understands it’s the last shot for Long and Szunko.

“I know they are working very hard to pursue a MAC championship and get into the NCAA Tournament,” she said.

She knows what it takes to get to the spot Long Szunko and Baker are striving for. As the head coach at the University of Michigan, she made three NCAA Tournament appearances.