Four players score in double figures to lead women to win against MAC East Akron
The CMU women’s basketball team had four players in double-figures Saturday, helping lead it to a 74-62 victory against Akron at McGuirk Arena.
Senior Kaihla Szunko led all scorers with 25 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
Senior Shonda Long, sophomore Brandie Baker, and freshman Taylor Johnson also scored in double figures.
But it wasn’t the scoring effort that pushed CMU to a conference win. It was the team’s defensive and rebounding efforts that got it done.
“It wasn’t perfect but we had a good week of practice and we are finally realizing we are a better team than the way we have played the past two games,” Szunko said. “We want people to fear us on defense and not take advantage of us. It is a confidence booster.”
Johnson and Baker combined for 30 points and 16 rebounds, helping CMU gain a major edge on the glass. The Chippewas out-rebounded Akron 43-31, including a 18-5 edge in offensive boards.
The Chippewas defense held strong, limiting Akron to its first offensive rebound of the game with less than nine minutes remaining, a big improvement over the past few games.
Head coach Sue Guevara said the team really responded today.
“That (Buffalo) loss really hit hard and they responded," Guevara said. "We held Akron to 20 points in the first half and they had no offensive rebounds in the first half. I’m happy with that. It is a step in the right direction.”
One rough patch in the game for the Chippewas was the long ball. CMU shot just 11.8 percent from 3-point range but still managed a 12-point win.
When the three wasn’t dropping the team attacked the basket, and that was the calling card for Szunko.
Szunko scored 19 of her 25 points in the second half and earned her 13th double-double of the season, once again in quiet fashion.
The Chippewas now hit the road to take on Miami Wednesday in Oxford, Ohio.
