Men's basketball moves into three-way tie for first place in MAC West
After starting 0-3 in conference play, a third-straight Mid-American Conference West Division title appeared unlikely for the Central Michigan men’s basketball team.
In the preseason poll, the Chippewas were predicted to finish in last place in the division and looked deserving of that ranking.
However, behind the play of the nation’s top scoring backcourt, the Chippewas have won six of their last eight and are now in a three-way tie for first place.
In a 97-87 victory at Ohio Tuesday night, junior Marcus Keene and senior Braylon Rayson once again took over and led CMU to its largest conference win this season and its second MAC win away from McGuirk Arena.
Keene scores 41 points as men's basketball tops Ohio, 97-87
Junior Marcus Keene once again put on a show scoring 41 points on 15-of-25 shooting and 9-of-18 on 3-pointers as the Central Michigan men's basketball team topped Ohio, 97-87 Tuesday night.
It was CMU's fourth-straight victory over the Bobcats dating back to 2015. After going on a 13-0 run in the first half, the Chippewas controlled the rest of the game.
“I don’t know if we have their number or anything, but we’ve been fortunate to play well against them,” said head coach Keno Davis.
Keene hit nine 3-pointers and shot 50 percent on his way to 41 points. Rayson added 21 points — 14 of which came in the second half.
Keene — the country’s top scoring player (30.7) — has gone over 40 points five times this season and scored 30 points 14 times. Gonzaga’s Adam Morrison (2006) is the only other player in the last 20 years to have five 40-point games in the same season.
The transfer from Youngstown State is only 24 points away from breaking the program record for points in a season set by Dan Majerle (759) during the 1987-88 season.
Rayson, the third-highest scoring player in the MAC (20.3), has scored 20 points in 10 straight games. The Dallas, Texas native is 43 points away from passing Chris Fowler (1,736) for fifth all-time in CMU history.
The Chippewas (16-8, 6-5 MAC) have seven games left in the regular season and will play four of those at home. After playing at Miami (Oh.) this Saturday, CMU will have three-straight games at McGuirk Arena. Two of those games are against Ball State (2/18) and Northern Illinois (2/21), who they are currently tied for first place with.
Of its last seven games, the Chippewas will play every team for the second time this season. Central Michigan went 3-4 in its first time against those teams.
The RedHawks have lost four-straight games and are averaging only 60 points per game in that span. Keene delivered the first D-1 50-point performance since 2013 in their last meeting on Jan. 21. CMU won 101-92 in Mount Pleasant.
Tip-off Saturday is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
