Chippewas rally from double-digit halftime deficit to knock off Eastern Michigan on senior day


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Central Michigan senior forward MacKenna Kelly reacts after teammate Maddy Water hits her second 3-pointer in the third quarter against Eastern Michigan March 7 at McGuirk Arena.

Central Michigan honored two of its winningest seniors in program history Saturday afternoon prior to its game with Eastern Michigan. As losers of two straight, the Chippewas were looking to honor their seniors with a victory in a building where they hadn't lost since the season opener. 

For the first time since the beginning of the season, consecutive losses haunted the Chippewas as they sprinted onto the hardwood Saturday afternoon and for half of the contest, things didn't look too bright. 

Eastern Michigan (14-15, 9-9) used a big second quarter to take a double-digit lead over the Chippewas heading into the locker room. However, Central Michigan (23-6, 16-2) heated up from beyond the arc in the second half and rallied back to secure their 23rd win of the season. 

"I was really proud of the way we responded in the second half," coach Heather Oesterle said. 

The seniors, Gabi Bird and MacKenna Kelly, combined for 12 points on the afternoon. Each has played a key role in the Chippewas claiming four consecutive Mid-American Conference titles. 

"Being here for one last time, it's a happy-sad," Bird said. "I love playing in McGuirk Arena."

"In terms of approaching the game, it was no different than any other night," Kelly added. "Thankfully, after halftime, we had a little chip on our shoulder which is something that I think we had been missing in the last couple games."

How it happened

The Chippewas got an early boost from Bussell, who scored eight of her team's first 11 points. She was able to gain mismatches inside due to the Eagles switching of screens, knocking down turnaround jumpers with ease. Bird hit a 3-pointer late in the quarter to give the Chippewas an 18-10 advantage, however, the Eagles wouldn't go away quietly. 

Eastern Michigan's Areanna Combs hit a jumper as time expired in the opening quarter, kick-starting a 28-5 Eagle run that gave them a double-figure lead heading into halftime. In that first half, the Eagles shot 50 percent from 3-point range while the Chippewas sat at just 15 percent from beyond the arc.

"This morning, our shootaround wasn't focused where we needed to be," Oesterle said. "We came out like we did in shootaround." 

Courtnie Lewis hit four 3-pointers in the second quarter alone, fueling her team's run. The Chippewas scored just nine points in the quarter, and only MacKenna Kelly was able to hit from beyond the arc. 

The tables turned early in the second half. 

The Chippewas got three consecutive triples, including two from junior guard Maddy Watters, to cut the deficit down to seven points. Those triples ignited a 21-6 run that would give the Chippewas the lead, taking the advantage on a 3-pointer from Micaela "Twin" Kelly. However, the Eagles responded and outscored Central Michigan 8-4 the rest of the way to take a 55-52 lead into the fourth quarter. 

"As soon as Twin hit that first three to open up the third quarter, I thought we were going to be just fine," Oesterle said. "We needed her and we needed our guards to step up and they really did."

Both teams traded leads early in the fourth, with Eastern Michigan going up by as many as five before the Chippewas battled back, retaking the lead on the strength of a Micaela Kelly triple. After Eastern tied the game at 62, a Watters steal turned into a MacKenna Kelly layup that gave Central Michigan the lead. 

The Chippewas would never trail again. 

Freshman guard Molly Davis hit a pair of dagger 3-pointers and Bussell knocked down a jumper to put the proverbial icing on the cake. The seniors were sent off with standing ovations, as McGuirk Arena remained full well after the final buzzer. 

The Chippewas were led by Micaela Kelly's first career triple-double. The Detroit native totaled 21 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Bussell added 18 points and five boards. Davis scored 11 of her 13 points after halftime. 

What's next

The Chippewas will travel to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio as the top seed in the conference tournament. Their opponent is to be determined, but they will play their first game of the tournament at noon on Wednesday. 

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