Women rally late against EMU to secure first-round MAC tournament bye

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The script couldn’t have been written much better.

With 13 seconds remaining in the final regular season home game at McGuirk Arena, the Central Michigan women’s basketball team trailed in-state rival Eastern Michigan by a point.

If CMU comes up with a bucket, it secures itself a first-round bye in the Mid-American Conference tournament.

The ball was inbounded to senior forward Kaihla Szunko.

Does she shoot it?

The forward was 3-of-14 from the field, but it’s senior day. Her final chance to shine in front of the CMU students, season-ticket holders, alumni and everyone else who watched her play during her career.

So when the 6-foot-1 forward released the mid-range jump shot, it was only fitting for her to make it, sealing up a first-round bye, end her home career on a positive note and send the Eagles back to Ypsilanti with a loss.

And that’s what she did.

Her game-winning jump shot propelled the Chippewas to a 68-67 victory Saturday.

“I was questioning in my mind if I should shoot it or not, but everybody gave me the confidence to shoot it,” Szunko said about her game-winner. “I didn’t want to hesitate, and it came natural.”

Szunko finished with 10 points on 4-of-15 shooting and hauled down a game-high 13 rebounds.

CMU was playing for a first-round bye, but head coach Sue Guevara knew it was more than that.

“It was a real big win for us,” said Guevara. “It was for the seniors and that’s what that whole team was talking about on the bench.”

It didn’t always look like it would be a fairy tale ending for the senior class. EMU (18-11 overall, 9-6 MAC) had as large as a nine point lead in the second half.

The Eagles were led by junior guard Tavelyn James and senior guard Sydney Huntley, as the two scored 24 and 21 points, respectively.

It was a tale of two halves.

CMU (19-8 overall, 11-4 MAC) found itself down seven at the half after attempting 19 first-half 3-pointers.

Then the Chippewas decided to make an adjustment, attacking the EMU defense and making an effort to penetrate to the basket.

That, and the performance of sophomore guard Jalisa Olive off the bench proved to be major factors in the comeback win. While she only tallied two points, her four assists and four steals proved to be helpful in leading the offense in the second.

“Jalisa was outstanding today,” Guevara said. “She was a difference maker for us.”

The Chippewas wrap up the regular season at 7 p.m. Wednesday against Toledo in Toledo, Ohio.