RAPID REACTION: CMU 77, Miami (OH) 54
After a slow start to the game, Central Michigan women’s basketball turned it on late in the second quarter and took down Miami (OH) 77-54 at McGuirk Arena.
Jasmine Harris led CMU with 17 points. Tinara Moore recorded a double-double, while Presley Hudson scored 11 points and Da'Jourie Turner added 10.
The win put CMU’s record at 13-7 overall and 7-2 in the Mid-American Conference.
Fast Start:
Miami’s Leah Purvis scored 14 points in the first quarter after scoring 10 points total in the first matchup. Purvis’ performance set the tone for the Redhawks offensive onslaught in the first half.
The Redhawks were on fire from deep in the first half, knocking down eight 3-pointers sparked by Purvis.
Buckling down:
Despite the impressive shooting performance by the Redhawks in the first half, CMU’s defense held Miami scoreless for the last 4:51 of the first half and took a 30-26 lead into the break.
The Chippewas opened the second half on a 19-4 run with stifling defense and efficient offensive execution. Miami opened the second half shooting just 1-for-8 (12.5 percent) from the field.
Tinara Moore dominant down low:
Moore only had 2 points at the end of the first half, but scored 12 points in the third quarter. Miami had no answer for the 6-foot-3 forward, who has been consistently good in conference play.
What it means:
This win not only extended CMU’s winning streak to four games, but more importantly kept the Chippewas one game behind Ball State for the MAC west lead.
It wasn’t the first half the Chippewas probably hoped for, especially defensively, but they were able to shut down the Redhawks when it mattered most. A win like this shows CMU it can win under any situation.
CMU came out of halftime with a sense of urgency. If the Chippewas can play the way they did in the third quarter for an entire game, they could be at the top of the MAC in no time.
Fire Alarm: The fire alarms in McGuirk Arena and the Student Activity Center were set off at the end of the game, forcing the crowd to evacuate the building. The alarm was turned off about 10 minutes later and people were allowed to go back inside.
It is still unclear why the alarm went off.
Looking ahead:
CMU travels to in-state rival Eastern Michigan Wednesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CMU will have to contain EMU’s Cha Sweeney, who is fourth in the MAC in scoring at 16.8 points per game.
