CMU falls to first-place Bowling Green, 76-67
CMU saw another halftime lead slip through its hands.
After taking a lead into the locker room, the Chippewas struggled to hang with Bowling Green in the second half on Wednesday in Mid-American Conference women's basketball.
CMU dropped its fourth road game of the season with a 76-67 loss to Bowling Green at the Stroh Center on Wednesday.
The size of the first-place Falcons grabbed 13 offensive rebounds, while the defense held the dynamic guard tandem of senior Micaela Kelly and sophomore Molly Davis in check for much of the night.
The Chippewas were outscored in the second half 42-29 in the second half and 24-14 in the third quarter alone.
Impact moments
Bowling Green jumped out to a 7-0 lead, only to have CMU answer with an 11-0 run in a back-and-forth battle of runs. Senior guard Maddy Watters scored five early after scoring just six in the last two games combined. The Falcons came back with an 8-0 spurt before the Chippewas scored the last four to force a 15-15 tie heading into the second quarter.
Bowling Green snatched the lead to begin the quarter, but Kelly led the Chippewas back. Watters hit a 3-pointer to put CMU up one, and Kelly followed with a layup to make the score 29-26. The Falcons once again rallied and took the lead, but a 9-0 run from CMU to end the half gave the Chippewas a 38-34 lead going into halftime.
The two teams stayed close early in the third quarter. A layup from Davis gave the Chippewas their largest lead of the game, 48-41, but once again the Falcons answered with a run. Lexi Fleming hit a triple to cap a 17-4 run that gave Bowling Green a 58-52 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Bowling Green held off the Chippewas' threat in the final stanza. Fleming and Kadie Hempfling shouldered the load for the Falcons.
Kelly hit a triple to cut the lead to six with less than a minute left, but Bowling Green hit free throws to put the game away.
Key players
Davis led the Chippewas with 18 points. Watters had 17 on five 3-pointers. Kelly had 16 points while senior forward Kyra Bussell also added eight points.
Bowling Green was led by Fleming's 20 points. Hempfling added 17 points and seven rebounds. Center Angela Perry added 12 points.
Key stats
The Falcons won on the boards, out rebounding the Chippewas 36-27. CMU committed more turnovers, 16 to Bowling Green's 13. The Chippewas shot 51 percent from the field (29-for-57), while the Falcons shot 49 percent (31-63).
Up next
CMU gets a long break, next taking the court at 5 p.m. Wednesday in McGuirk Arena against Toledo. In the first matchup with the Rockets this season, CMU held off a late rally to win 83-74 on Jan. 27 in Savage Arena.
