CMU gets revenge against Buffalo, stays undefeated in conference play
After last season's heartbreaking finish at Quicken Loans Arena against Buffalo in the Mid-American Conference Championship game, the Central Michigan women's basketball team had a chance for revenge against the Bulls on Saturday at McGuirk Arena.
After a game the Chippewas took control of in the second quarter, CMU won 88-71 to stay undefeated in conference play.
Junior guard Tinara Moore led the Chippewas in scoring with 22 points on 52.9 percent shooting while adding 9 rebounds.
Moore said her team "believes in each other right now and its only growing."
“It feels great that we are such a confident team right now,” Moore said. “(Buffalo) pretty much has the same team as last year, so it shows how far we have come since that game a year ago.”
CMU went 1-for-11from 3-point range, but its 37-of-40 free throws was the key to its victory over the Bulls.
Coach Sue Guevara said Saturday's game showed how many different ways her team can find the way to win.
“I think with all five of our starters finishing in double figures while going just 1-for-11 from 3-point line says a lot about the quality and different things that this team brings,” Guevara said. “It’s not just a 3-point shooting team, or just an inside game, but we have versatility to score in many different ways.”
Sophomore guard Presley Hudson scored 21 points while going 11-for-11 from the free throw line, as she went 0-for-5 from 3-point range. Junior guard Cassie Breen scored 13 points while adding two rebounds and an assist. Senior Forward Jewel Cotton came alive in the second half to score 17 points with five rebounds.
Sophomore forward Reyna Frost had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds and added an assist. Frost said the game was a challenge that helped her team "push harder."
“It was definitely a challenge down there but I think it helped us understand what we are going to see in March and over the next few weeks,” Frost said. “Teams will play their A game against us, and I think we did a good job responding to Buffalo’s effort today.”
CMU will be back at McGuirk Arena to finish up a three-game home stand. The Chippewas will take on Ball State with the opening tip at 7 p.m.
