Seniors Da'Jourie Turner and Chelsea Lynn end home careers with win at McGuirk Arena
Da’Jourie Turner and Chelsea Lynn received standing ovations Saturday as it was senior day for the two veterans.
It was a successful ending to both players’ careers at home as the Central Michigan women’s basketball topped Eastern Michigan 78-70, sending the two seniors off with a win in their final contest at McGuirk Arena.
“The feeling is great,” Turner said. “I’m just really happy and proud that my teammates came and played hard for each other and for me. It was good to get the win today.”
Turner scored 14 points including two 3-pointers and pulled in six rebounds. The 3-pointers were a bit of a surprise as the Detroit native was 5-for-20 from deep coming into the game.“I work on that every day,” Turner said. “You have to shoot with confidence especially with this being senior day and my last game (at home), so (I was) just not holding anything back and doing what I’ve been working on.”
During a break in the final seconds of the game, junior Jewel Cotton spoke to CMU Head Coach Sue Guevara about making sure Lynn played in her last game.
“I just really wanted her last home game experience to be out there on the floor,” Cotton said. “I wanted her to absorb the moment.”
With the Chippewas leading 76-70 with 8.8 seconds to play, CMU Head Coach Sue Guevara subbed the fellow Detroit native Lynn into game.
“My goal was to get her in a lot earlier and we just didn’t get a chance,” Guevara said. “When we were waiting (during the break) Jewel came over to me and said, ‘Coach, we gotta get Chelsea into the game,’ and I said don’t you worry about that, that’s my job and we will get her in, and we did.”
Guevara called an out-of-bounds play for Lynn, who received the ball and was fouled near mid-court, sending her to the free-throw line.
Lynn, who had made her presence felt as a Chippewa player during practice, knocked down two free-throws, scoring the final points for CMU. “I said to Chelsea I was really proud of her,” Guevara said. “She came in cold as ice and sunk two free-throws, which is a nice ending for her in McGuirk.”
“I’m just so happy right now,” Turner said. “It was a happy environment, I love our fans. We have the best fans.”
