COLUMN: Women's basketball battled tested in non-conference play
With the season well underway, women’s basketball ended its non-conference season with a 6-7 record.
Now, 6-7 is clearly not a winning season; however looking at who the Chippewas have played, one might think otherwise.
CMU has played three ranked teams in non-conference play: No. 20 Texas, who they defeated, No. 5 Notre Dame and No. 14 Purdue.
It also played a group of tough non-ranked teams, including road games at Florida, San Diego, Northwestern, a home and away set with UW-Green Bay, Marquette and South Dakota State.
With the competition level that the Chippewas have faced in non-conference play, it has definitely prepared them for Mid-American Conference schedule.
In those first 13 games, two Chippewas are already averaging double-digit points per game: sophomore guard Crystal Bradford, who has averaged 13.2 points per game, and sophomore guard Jessica Green, who currently averages 12.2 points per game.
Other Chippewas who are standing out include junior guard Niki DiGuilio, who is shooting 48 percent from three, followed by sophomore guard Kerby Tamm, who is shooting 43 percent from beyond the arc.
CMU, it has outscored its opponent 73.6 to 71.4.
The Chippewas need to cut down on is their turnovers; they average 18 per game. But CMU has had time to improve its turnover ratio and improve its shooting because conference play doesn't start until Thursday, when the Chippewas hit the road to play Toledo. The Rockets are currently 12-1 but have not played the caliber of teams CMU has.
The game between the two will be one to keep an eye on, but, more importantly for the Chippewas, it will set the tone for the MAC season.
