Women's basketball uses exceptional backcourt effort to rout Bethune-Cookman
Junior guard Micaela Kelly continues to roll over the competition.
The reigning two-time Mid-American Conference Player of the Week in the West Division hit five 3-pointers in the first quarter en route to her second 30-point performance of the season.
Kelly’s performance led Central Michigan (7-3) to a 92-67 victory over Bethune-Cookman (8-4) Saturday afternoon in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Freshman guard Molly Davis poured in 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting, highlighted by five triples. Her 23 points and five 3-pointers are each career-highs. She also played 39 minutes, the most out of any Chippewa in the game.
The outcome was never in doubt, as Kelly scored eight of the game's first 10 points. She finished with 17 in the opening stanza alone, leading the Chippewas to a 26-13 lead after the first 10 minutes.
After Kelly’s explosive start to the game set the tone, her backcourt counterpart Davis would score 18-second quarter points to push the lead to 57-32 at the half.
It was more of the same in the second half, as the backcourt tandem of Kelly and Davis paired with a solid effort from junior forwards Kyra Bussell and Gabi Bird were too much for the Wildcats.
Central Michigan hit 13 triples Saturday afternoon, its best team effort from beyond the arc since hitting 15 in a season opening double-overtime loss to Green Bay.
The Chippewas also outrebounded Bethune-Cookman 40-32, highlighted by a game-high eight boards by both Kelly and Bussell.
Bussell also added 17 points, while Bird added 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Junior guard Maddy Watters also added seven rebounds and six assists.
The Wildcats were led by forward Amaya Scott, who scored 13 points.
The victory gives the Chippewas their seventh consecutive nonconference victory since starting the season 0-3.
CMU closes out nonconference play with a road contest Central Florida at 6 p.m. Monday in Orlando, Florida.
