Led by outstanding senior class, women’s hoops poised for MAC Championship run
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A total of 238 days have passed since the Central Michigan women’s basketball team was bounced out of the 2014 Mid-American Conference Tournament by Akron.
The women’s expectations of getting back to Cleveland have been growing ever since.
No expectations on the team are higher than the ones senior guard and reigning MAC Player of the Year Crystal Bradford has set for herself as she prepares to lead the Chippewas to an NCAA Tournament berth in 2015.
“I learn from all my losses,” Bradford said. “I take them all really hard. I hate losing. Every year I’ve become more driven.”
The Roster
The Chippewas return several familiar faces from last season. The senior class of Bradford, Jas’Mine Bracey, Jessica Green and Kerby Tamm is among the best ever assembled in program history.
The four scored 58 percent of the Chippewas’ points last season during their junior campaign.
“We have a different team from last year,” Tamm said. “We have a lot of people coming back and a lot of new people. It’s a different team dynamic, but we have been embracing it.”
CMU added five freshmen from last season, many of which have impressed the veteran group and head coach Sue Guevara.
“I don’t usually like freshman, but I really like this group,” Guevara said. “(In practice) things have been a little fast for them, but they seem to be picking things up pretty well. Our seniors help a lot with that.”
Bradford’s health
Bradford suffered season-ending knee injury just days before the Chippewas’ loss to Akron in Cleveland last spring.
Guevara said Bradford’s health has been improving all offseason, though she is still not 100 percent.
“Right now we are on a basis of three minutes in, six minutes out,” Guevara said. “When we scrimmage, she plays nine minutes. The most important thing for her is to be 100 percent by conference play.”
Green suffered a similar knee injury two years ago and said she knows what Bradford is going through. The point guard said she will take personal responsibility for making sure the women do not suffer greatly due to their best player’s absence.
“I am a scorer and a leader this season,” Green said. “I need to score more than 12 points a game this season. Crystal is hurt. Someone has to step up. I think that role will be mine.”
Green was the third leading scorer last season shooting 41 percent from the field.
Defensive Changes
Guevara said she has implemented the pack line defense made famous by the Virginia Men’s basketball team.
The scheme is a version of man-to-man defense focused on eliminating the offense’s ability to penetrate from the low post and rebound.
“It’s really effective,” Bracey said. “It gets more people in the paint and involved in rebounding. It’s going to be real helpful this year.”
Guevara’s dislike for playing the Pack defense is one of the reasons she has decided to run it.
“Northern Illinois runs it and they are one of the best defenses in our conference,” Guevara said. “We always struggle against them. The reason I hate it the same reason I’m going to use it.
The Chippewas tip-off the season Nov. 16 at home against the University of Massachusetts.
