Preview: Women's basketball refuses to focus on Bowling Green's poor conference record
Central Michigan Women's Basketball coach, Sue Guevara, talks to her team following a timeout during a game against Ball State on Feb. 6 at McGuirk Arena.
Bowling Green is 1-11 in the Mid-American Conference thus far in the 2018-19 season.
However, the Falcons (8-15) are just one game removed from a 78-72 victory over tough conference opponent Buffalo on Feb. 13.
Sue Guevara, the Central Michigan women's basketball coach, recognizes the raw talent put on the court by first-year coach Robyn Fralick and refuses to get caught up in the standings.
The Chippewas (18-6, 9-3 MAC) hold sole possession of the MAC West Division and have a road test against Bowling Green at 7 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Stroh Center.
"People can't be fooled by their record," Guevara said. "They're good."
Guevara said she's impressed with two freshmen guards for Bowling Green – Morgan McMillen and Kadie Hempfling. As a team, the Falcons shoot 42.3 percent from the field, 35.4 percent from 3-point range and 76 percent from the free throw line.
In comparison, CMU's knocks down 48 percent from the field, 37.4 percent from downtown and 76.6 percent from the charity stripe.
"If you look at it statistically, it's very similar to us," Guevara said. "They are averaging 70.7 points per game which is nothing to sneeze at, but they are giving up 73.7 (per game)."
Senior guard Presley Hudson is the catalyst for 3-point shooting in Mount Pleasant, making 82-of-210 from beyond the arc. However, sophomore guard Micaela Kelly leads the Chippewas with a 41 percent mark from 3-point range.
Kelly, despite her ability to score from outside, is more focused on maintaining the cadence of the game.
"We need to slow them down in transition," Kelly said. "We have to push the tempo and just battle."
CMU senior forward Reyna Frost is fresh of her eighth MAC West Division Player of the Week award this year. Averaging a double-double, she pours in 20.5 points and 13.2 rebounds per game.
In CMU's 100-95 victory over Buffalo on Feb. 16, Guevara got key minutes from sophomore forward Kyra Bussell, who has yet to start this season. Bussell posted 20 points, four rebounds and three assists in 28 minutes off the bench against the Bulls.
"I think (Bussell) is the (MAC) Sixth Player of the Year as far as what she is doing shooting the basketball, rebounding the ball," Guevara said after the win. "I give our bench a great deal of credit."
Scouting Bowling Green
McMillen, one of the two players Guevara was impressed with on film, averages 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. She shoots 37.7 percent from downtown, one spot behind team leader Andrea Cecil at 43.2 percent.
At just 5-foot-9, Guevara said Hempfling is relentless in the rebounding category. Of her 193 total rebounds, 58 have come on the offensive end.
"She gets a lot of offensive rebounds," Guevara said. "The other thing she does is get a lot of 50/50 balls. She recently has been shooting the 3-ball pretty well."
Cecil, a junior forward, paces her team with 15.3 points per game, tossing in 5.3 rebounds and two assists. She has converted on 48-of-111 triples, good for 43.2 percent.
"Cecil is a very nice forward that loves to drive it down your throat," Guevara said. "The style is attacking on both ends of the floor. When they start to fall behind, they'll run their little press and make you take quick shots."
Speaking directly on the guidance of Fralick, who is in her first season leading the Falcons, Guevara is galvanized.
"The culture has changed," Guevara said. "They just flat out get after it. Once the defense comes, you better watch out."
Up next
After playing Bowling Green, the Chippewas return home for a battle against Northern Illinois at 1 p.m. Feb. 23 at McGuirk Arena.
