Errors are rampant as the Chippewas lose their fourth straight away game
The Central Michigan Men's Basketball team huddles together before tipoff in McGuirk Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. (CMLife | Alivia Cranick)
The Central Michigan men’s basketball team traveled down to the "Show-me State" to face off against the Saint Louis University Billikens.
The Chippewas were promptly shown a significant deficit, falling behind 35-9 to start the game. CMU was not able to overcome the deficit, losing 65-107, and moving to a 3-6 record.
Before the game even started, the task at hand was a difficult one. To start the season, the Billikens won seven of their first eight games, with their only loss being a one-point loss against Stanford University. They had also kept a perfect 6-0 at home, compared to the Chippewas’ 0-4 record away.
After the 35-9 start, the smallest gap between the two teams was 19 points, just after halftime. This domination resulted from several factors.
CMU had fewer than a third of the points in the paint as the Billikens outscored them 18-58. However, the only registered center on the SLU roster, Robbie Avila, had no points in the paint, meaning most of the points came from guards and forwards driving to the paint and scoring.
The Chippewas were also unable to shoot well, shooting just under 40% from the field. Three different players were in the game for 19 or more minutes but did not make a field goal. However, for much of the game, the Chippewas shot efficiently from three-point range, even reaching 50% in the middle of the second half. Unfortunately, in the last eight minutes of the game, the Chippewas missed seven straight shots from behind the arc.
The Chippewas also turned the ball over three times as much as the Billikens, which led to a 12-point deficit in points off turnovers.
Even in the defeat, there were a few moments of sunshine for CMU. Senior guard Tamario Adley led the game in scoring with 19 points. Senior center Nathan Claerbaut led the game in rebounds and blocks with seven boards and two rejections.
The Chippewas continue their road trip on Dec. 13, heading to the Empire State to face Stony Brook University.
