Without Green, women's basketball opens MAC play with win over Kent State
It was a bittersweet way to start 2015 and Mid-American Conference play for Central Michigan University’s women’s basketball team on Saturday.
The CMU women began the MAC season with an 83-62 win over Kent State University to push their record to 6-6 overall and 1-0 in the conference.
After a rigorous nonconference schedule, the Chippewas appeared battled-tested and prepared for the best of the MAC.
However, the Chippewas hopes of capturing a conference championship took a huge blow when the women learned senior point guard Jessica Green would miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL. Green sustained the injury in the women’s 98-89 loss to Dayton University on New Year’s Eve.
The injury to Green is the second crucial hit to the women’s team after sophomore forward Jewel Cotton also tore her ACL in late November.
In an emotional performance, the women played one of their most complete games of the season.
“You have to give our kids a lot of the credit,” said CMU coach Sue Guevara. “They were playing without their point guard. Everybody is just so devastated and sad for Jessica. We just really tried to put all of that emotion into the game and put it into a positive way. They played it for her (Green).”
The Chippewas shot 11-of-25 from the 3-point line and 52 percent from the field, which forced Kent State to play catchup the entire game. The women were also consistent from the charity stripe shooting 82 percent from the free-throw line.
The CMU women opened the second half on a 12-4 run, pushing their lead to 56-38.
All five CMU starters finished the game in double figures, with Bradford leading the way scoring 17 points.
“They are like sisters,” Guevara said of Bradford and Green. “She did that in support of her teammate. I know it weighs on (Bradford’s) mind about Jessica and her own knee and how quickly things can be taken away from you.”
The Chippewas wasted little time jumping out to an early lead in the first half thanks to solid 3-point shooting. The women knocked down nine 3-pointers including three from Kerby Tamm and Cassandra Breen.
CMU led 44-43 at halftime.
