Fans gather in Cleveland pub to fire up women's basketball team
CLEVELAND — There was some early excitement for the Central Michigan women's basketball team's Mid-American Conference Championship game Saturday morning.
Flannery's Pub in downtown Cleveland was the unofficial gathering spot for CMU fans throughout the MAC Tournament. Two hours before the 1 p.m. title game against Buffalo, fans gathered at the pub for a pep rally.
The 6th Man Band and cheer team greeted fans with the CMU fight song and chants before departing to the team hotel to encourage team members at the Marriott.
Doug Gepford drove from Mount Pleasant on Friday to catch CMU's 86-71 MAC Tournament semifinal win over Easter Michigan. He said it is his first time at the MAC Tournament. He predicted an overtime win for the Chippewas.
“They’re exciting," Gepford said. "They’re young. They’ve got a good coach. We’ve been following the girls for quite a few years.”
Dr. Julie Stephens, a physician at University Health Services at CMU, was flying from Mobile, Alabama, to Detroit on Friday and was still in the air when she found out the Chippewas defeated EMU. She drove to Cleveland for the championship.
“I love this team," Stevens said. "I’ve been following them for years. This is the most energetic and teamwork team I have seen the whole time I’ve been following CMU women’s basketball. They’re exciting.”
The season-ticket holder said she did not expect CMU to reach the title game. She credits Head Coach Sue Guevara for the job she has done.
“The team is there for the team," she said. "There is no one person trying to get their own stats. They want the team to win, not a person to win.”
Stevens said CMU will win, but said both the Chippewas and Buffalo have beaten and lost to some "big-name teams."
“Anything can happen on any given day," Stevens said. "Buffalo’s beaten some big-name teams. They’ve also lost to some big-name teams. I think it will be a battle of wills.”
Mike Mai is the father of 6th Man Band director Kurt Mai. He traveled from Saline to watch the game live on Saturday after viewing it from ESPN3 on Friday.
Mai said Guevara has done a "fabulous" job with this team and said if the Chippewas can be tough on the rebounds, they will win.
“It doesn’t matter if they win or lose," Mai said. "They are (CMU) women’s basketball and that’s all that matters.”
Joe McGuire is a graduate student at CMU. He said he arrived in Cleveland during the second half of CMU's MAC Tournament quarterfinal victory over Western Michigan on Wednesday.
“I like seeing everybody coming out and being a part of the community," McGuire said.
McGuire said CMU will find a way to defeat the Bulls and win its first MAC Tournament crown since 2013.
“They seem to be good at finding ways to overcome obstacles," he said. "I think they might have to take a minute to get a feel for it but then they’ll come back like they’ve been doing.”
