Overcoming the Odds: Women's basketball puts doubters to rest, despite falling in MAC Final
The Central Michigan women's basketball team had a chance to accomplish something Head Coach Sue Guevara said most people thought was not possible this season.
As overtime expired in the Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship, Buffalo sophomore guard Stephanie Reid made a shot off the backboard to send the Bulls to a 73-71 win.
CMU's goal of winning the MAC Tournament Championship was not accomplished. Guevara said what her team did accomplish was making it to the championship game.
"No one expected us to be in this room today," Guevara said.
Before the season, CMU was forced to replace a WNBA first-round draft pick in Crystal Bradford. Its roster featured 10 underclassmen. The Chippewas placed fifth in the MAC West Division preseason poll.
Four-and-a-half months later, CMU is 22-10 (14-4 MAC). The Chippewas won the MAC West Division for the first time in two seasons.
CMU started the season 6-5 in nonconference play, with all games coming in 2015. Since the calendar year flipped, CMU rattled off a 16-5 record, including an eight-game winning streak.
The Chippewas rallied from a 15-point deficit in Wednesday's MAC Tournament Quarterfinal to down Western Michigan 66-62. In Friday's MAC Tournament Semifinal, CMU used a 12-0 run in the third quarter to knock off Eastern Michigan 86-71. Another 12-0 run in the second quarter against Buffalo helped CMU grab a lead in the championship game.
"This team is definitely different," said redshirt junior forward Jewel Cotton. "We all work hard and we all want it. Individually, when each person wants it, it helps us as a team. We all put in the work in the gym and it definitely helps us on the court, and we're more disciplined and coachable."
Guevara has said that if practice is at 8 a.m., freshman guard Presley Hudson is in the gym shooting at 6:45 a.m. She said her team is full of "gym rats" and maintains her group is the most coachable she's had.
"It's been fun," Guevara said. "I've said this numerous times. I enjoy going into the gym. They're in the gym before I'm in the gym, working on parts of their game. They're watching tape."
CMU has also racked up individual honors. Hudson was named the MAC Freshman of the Year and also claimed a spot on the All-MAC Second Team. Freshman forward Reyna Frost was named to the All-Freshman team. Cotton was named the MAC Co-Sixth Player of the Year. Guevara was named the MAC Coach of the Year for the first time.
Sophomore forward Tinara Moore worked her way off a bench role this season to finish second in the conference in field goal percentage (0.572). In a Jan. 9 win over Akron, Moore shot a perfect 16-of-16 from the field and became the second player in NCAA Division I women's basketball history to be shoot 100 percent from the floor in so many attempts.
She joined Hudson on the All-MAC Second Team and also earned a spot on the MAC All-Defensive Team. Moore had a team-high 18 points on Saturday and was named to the MAC All-Tournament team, but she said it is not about the individual accomplishments.
"(T)he reason we came (to Cleveland) was to win, so I feel like we didn't win," Moore said. "I mean, I don't know what's the big deal being on the All MAC team. I don't get a ring for that."
Senior guard Da'Jourie Turner relished her role as a leader in guiding a young CMU squad to the title game. She played with a bandage on her chin in the second half Saturday after taking a fall to the floor. Turner scored five of the Chippewas' last nine points in regulation andinished with 15 points and seven assists, landing a spot with Moore on the MAC All-Tournament Team.
"I thought (Turner) did everything she could to try and take it over," Guevara said. "I'm not sure she really needed to. But you're a senior, you're in the championship game. Yeah, it's going to be on your shoulders. You want it."
Guevara said CMU will likely play in the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). The bracket for the 64-team tournament will be announced on Monday. All games will be played on campus sites and the championship game will occur at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 2.
"Let's do something that no women's basketball team has done in Central Michigan; let's win a game in the WNIT," Guevara said. "Let's win a couple games. So you get 24 hours. I told them when we come back into practice, you've accomplished too much, just way too much, but if you had to feel like caca, go ahead."
Guevara noted her team includes many freshmen and sophomores and added the Chippewas will be back in Cleveland soon, and they will be better for it. She said it has been fun coaching this team.
"I just feel like I get to be me, I get to have fun with them, I get to tease with them while I'm still trying to get them to do the right thing," Guevara said. "I will tell you this team has added years to my coaching life."
