Bradford breaks career scoring record, women lose to Ohio
Senior guard Crystal Bradford drives to the net during the Central Michigan University women's basketball team's 74-66 loss against Ohio University on Saturday at McGuirk Arena.
After being overpower on the road in the first matchup, Central Michigan University women’s basketball team was unable to avenge that loss, and lost again to Ohio University 74-66 at McGuirk Arena on Saturday.
It was a close game until the 8:49 mark when Ohio’s offense got going, mainly due to the production of Kiyanna Black who finished the game with 19 points.
The Bobcats went on a 14-5 run scoring on four consecutive possessions to take a 55-45 lead and quiet the CMU home crowd. OU extended its lead to 60-49 with five minutes to play, putting the game out of reach.
“There was a four minute stretch in the second half where we lost is,” CMU coach Sue Guevara said. “We lost it on the defensive end of the floor. Our help side was late coming over, and that’s where we lost it because we were toe to toe with them until that stretch.”
CMU has dropped three of its last four games and are now 10-9 overall and 5-3 in the Mid-American Conference.
CMU forward Jas’Mine Bracey finished the game with 16 points and 16 rebounds including a 3-pointer late in the second half. Bracey said a "defensive lapse" in the second half overshadowed her performance.
“We had a defensive lapse in the second half,” Bracey said. “We went four possessions and didn’t get a shot. That’s unheard of. We just can’t have that with a good shooting team.”
Ohio’s ability to make shots and free-throws during crucial moments late in the game, and CMU’s inability to do the same proved to be the difference.
CMU shot 37.9 percent from the field and 2-for-22 from the 3-point line (9.1 percent). The Chippewas were also 14-of-24 from the charity stripe, while Ohio shot 88 percent from the line.
“We just gotta be better,” Crystal Bradford said about her team’s shooting. “They (Ohio) beat us from the free-throw line.”
Bradford finished the game with 29 points and 14 rebounds and became the all-time leader in points in CMU women’s basketball history.
“I’m thankful,” Bradford said.
Ohio moves to 17-3 overall and 8-1 in the MAC. Bradford said she believes Ohio is currently the team to beat in the conference.
“I think (Ohio is) the best team all-round,” she said. “Offensively and defensively, they have some girls that can actually go.”
CMU has now lost two of three home games after going undefeated at McGuirk last season, but Guevara said she doesn’t feel like the team is in panic mode.
“We’re a work in progress,” Guevara said. “I told the kids ‘if you’re going to hang your head, hang it. You get 24 hours, and I get to hang it for 24 hours. We get to go back at. Our goals are still the same.”
