Women’s basketball goes to Ypsilanti for first-place battle

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The Central Michigan women’s basketball team will try and keep its strong conference play start going at 7 p.m. Thursday when it takes on in-state rival Eastern Michigan in Ypsilanti.

The Chippewas and Eagles are tied for first in the Mid-American Conference West with identical 3-1 records.  The winner will take sole-possession of first place, but the Chippewas aren’t treating this game any different.

“This is just another game,” said head coach Sue Guevara “The kids know the importance of this game, but it is going to be a good game between two good teams.”

The last time the two teams met was on Feb. 26. last year. The Chippewas won 68-67 after knocking down a shot with 12 seconds remaining.

The Eagles will look to avenge that loss Thursday night.

The game will feature two of the MAC’s highest-scoring offenses. The Chippewas have the second-highest scoring offense averaging 73.3 points per game. The Eagles are fourth, averaging 69 PPG.

Defense will be critical for CMU to be successful.

“We are going to have to have good transition defense,” Guevara said. “EMU loves to score off of steals and deflections so we are going to have to be ready to run and get back on defense.”

CMU’s defense will need to focus on one player in particular as the Eagles boast the MAC’s leading scorer in senior guard Tavelyn James who is averaging 22.4 PPG.  She is the eighth leading scorer in the country.

“Tavelyn James is just a really good scorer,” Guevara said. “She can score many different ways so we are going to have to know where she is at all times.”

The Eagles have won three games in a row, most recently against Western Michigan 84-59. The Chippewas are coming off an 84-66 victory against Ball State.

CMU is led by freshman guard Crystal Bradford who is the MAC’s fourth-highest scorer averaging 15.4 PPG.