Chippewas finish Central Michigan Tournament undefeated, Simons and Simmons named to all-tournament team
For the second time in 34 years, the Central Michigan men’s basketball team is undefeated after four games.
The Chippewas blew out Maine and Arkansas-Pine Bluff Friday and Sunday in the Central Michigan Tournament, winning by an average of 30 points.
CMU shot 15-for-33 from the 3-point line Sunday, being one 3-point attempt and one 3-point make away from tying program records for most 3-point attempts and makes in a single game.
“When you’re making those shots, you’re ok with them continuing to fire away,” said Head Coach Keno Davis. “To only make five 2-point shots is a number we have to improve on.”
The Chippewas had just one 2-point basket in the first half, coming from Sunday’s leading scorer, sophomore guard Braylon Rayson.
Guarding a stagnant ball carrier, Rayson was elbowed in the face Sunday with the game tied 6-6, but no foul was called. Rayson stole the ball, drove down the court, made a layup while being fouled and made the free throw.
“Sometimes things are just going to try to get in your head,” Rayson said. “That’s what they were trying to do. It definitely made me play harder and it made my team play harder, too.”
The play was part of a 9-0 CMU run in which all nine points came from Rayson. He scored 18 points Sunday coming off rolling his ankle in Friday’s game.
With Rayson and junior guard Chris Fowler getting into early foul trouble in both games, Davis relied on junior guard Rayshawn Simmons and the defense to maintain the Chippewa lead.
“When both (Fowler and Rayson) got into foul trouble in the first half, you could see our offense kind of grinded to a halt,” Davis said. “But fortunately our defense had improved, or else I would have had to play both of them in the first half.”
CMU gave up 48 points to Maine and 43 to APB. It’s the first time the Chippewas have held opponents under 50 points in back-to-back games since January 2010.
Fowler’s 14 weekend assists moves him into sixth place all-time in CMU history with 372 career assists.
Technical fouls
Four players were given technical fouls in Sunday’s game after a confrontation fighting for a loose ball with 14:43 to go in the second half.
CMU freshman forward DaRohn Scott and Rayson and APB’s Marcel Mosley and Thaddeus Handley Jr. all received unsportsmanlike technical fouls and APB’s Trent Whiting received a personal foul.
“From my perspective, DaRohn got a great rebound and they came in to try to strip it and fouled him,” Davis said. “When they do that, you have a tendency to get them off you. There were swinging of elbows, there was a push, a shove, a couple of words said.”
When the shoving began, more players moved in and Fowler pulled Scott away from the group.
“The first reaction is to retaliate or to get in the mix,” Davis said. “So every player that you have that can try and pull guys that are in the heat of the moment away is important.”
All-tournament team
Simmons and junior forward John Simons were named to the all-tournament team for their weekend performances.
Simmons averaged eight-and-a-half points, four rebounds, six assists, two steals and 30 minutes per game.
Simons scored 17 points and drained all six of his shots Friday, five of which were 3-pointers. He put up eight points Sunday. The Cadillac native averaged five rebounds per contest.
APB’s JoVaughn Love, Maine’s Shawn Lawton and Valparaiso’s Alec Peters and Vashil Fernandez were the other players named to the all-tournament team.
Upcoming opponents
The Chippewas have three more games before finals week, facing Grand Canyon and Southern Illinois Edwardsville at home and traveling to play Bradley.
CMU’s next game is against Grand Canyon at 6 p.m. Saturday at McGuirk Arena.
