Sue-perstition: Women's basketball yet to lose MAC game in gold jerseys
Following the two December losses to Duquesne and Quinnipiac, Central Michigan women's basketball coach Sue Guevara knew a change was needed.
Guevara knew her lineup wasn't a problem, and neither were the play calls.
The Chippewas needed to wear their gold jerseys.
"It's a golden anniversary — the 50th anniversary of women's basketball," Guevara said. "We lost at home against Quinnipiac in our white (jerseys) and we lost on the road in maroon (jerseys) at Duquesne. So, I thought, 'Let's just stay in the gold.'"
At Ball State in the gold jerseys, the Chippewas snapped their two-game losing streak and defeated the Cardinals, 69-65.
Since then, the gold jerseys may have helped give CMU its best conference start in four years.
At 11-0 in the Mid-American Conference, the defending conference regular season champions remain the lone undefeated team. Each MAC win has come in gold jerseys.
The Chippewas have begun to garner attention on the national level because of their undefeated conference record. CMU picked up three votes in the USA Today Coach's Poll and two votes in the Associated Press Poll.
"We literally just keep winning," said senior forward Tinara Moore.
The Chippewas are ranked No. 29 in rating percentage increase — a quantity used to rank basketball teams based on strength of schedule and wins.
Most of the Chippewas do not buy into Guevara's superstition, but support her theories.
"It wasn't really our decision. It was more of coach's decision," said senior guard Cassie Breen. "She's just superstitious."
Over her career, Guevara said she's had her fair share of jersey superstitions. But, she's never had a superstition like CMU's "Team 50."
"I don't know if it's ever been this long," Guevara said. "I think I've had some superstition with the uniforms before but probably not for this many games."
CMU is used to having a target on its back as it has led the conference for the past two seasons. The Chippewas were picked to win the MAC prior to the start of the 2017-18 season.
"We're pretty used to it," Breen said. "(Having to play harder) trickles down to the sophomores and juniors."
