CMU women's basketball soars past Eastern Michigan
Central Michigan earns its eleventh win of the season
The Central Michigan University women's basketball team cheers as freshman guard Madi Morson scores a 3-pointer in McGuirk Arena, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (CM Life | Jasmine Brookins)
Just two-and-a-half minutes into the game, Central Michigan women’s basketball senior guard Jess Lawson grabbed a rebound on the defensive side of the floor. After CMU had moved the ball up the court, freshman guard Madi Morson sank a jump shot, capping off a 10-0 run by the Chippewas to start the game and forcing Eastern Michigan to take a timeout.
Using a dominant first quarter, the Chippewas grabbed an early lead against the in-state rival Eagles and never let it go, coasting to a 74-62 win and keeping themselves in the fight to make the Mid-American Conference Tournament.
”We had a really good start and then we got flat in the second half,” head coach Kristin Haynie said. “So, that was disappointing to see, but overall, we got the win and we did some good things.”
It was all Central Michigan as the game got underway. The Chippewas hit five of their first seven shots while keeping Eastern Michigan scoreless for the first two-and-a-half minutes, starting the game with a 10-0 run before the Eagles called their first timeout.
Eastern Michigan finally made its first basket with the 7:16 mark of the first quarter before the Chippewas responded with another bucket of their own.
The Chippewas continued to control the first quarter with the help of Morson, who racked up eight points in the first 10 minutes of the game.
Freshman guard Jayda Mosley also left her mark on the first quarter as she knocked down her second triple of the game with 1:36 left, adding to the Chippewa lead. After starting the quarter on a 10-0 run, Central Michigan ended the quarter on an 11-2 run, in full control of the game with a 25-10 lead heading into the second.
The Chippewas were superior in the paint in the first quarter, putting up 16 points underneath the basket.
Central Michigan’s offense slowed down in the second quarter as the team didn’t score its first basket until the 7:03 mark of the period. The Chippewas started the quarter going 1-9 from the field, a stark contrast to the offensive success they had in the first.
Both Central and Eastern Michigan came into the game at the bottom of the Mid-American Conference in turnover margin. Staying true to the statistics, both teams struggled with turnovers to start the second, the Chippewas racking up three compared to the Eagle’s five through half of the second quarter.
The Chippewas spent the second quarter nursing their lead. Eastern Michigan was able to bring it within 10 points a couple of times before halftime, but it was Central Michigan on top at halftime, heading into the locker room with a 38-26 lead.
The Chippewas had a big presence in the paint throughout the first half as they scored 24 of their 38 points from inside and grabbed 19 rebounds in the first half.
”We talk about getting the ball inside more to our bigs,” Haynie said. “(It) starts in practice. So, hitting them when they're open and sometimes we're a little bit too late, the window closes, but I thought we did a better job, especially in the second half, of getting them the ball inside when they were able to bury the defender.”
Central Michigan began to build its lead as the third quarter began. Senior guard Lisa Tesson hit two shots from behind the 3-point line to begin the period, giving the Chippewas a 16-point lead just over two minutes into the second half.
The Chippewas continued to increase their lead as the third quarter progressed, holding a 20-point advantage at the halfway point in the period.
Eastern Michigan found a sliver of life as it ended the third quarter on an 8-2 run, sinking two shots from behind the arc, to bring the deficit down to 17 heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
Despite the fight from the Eagles, the Chippewas maintained their lead throughout the fourth quarter, picking up their eleventh win of the season.
Central Michigan ended the game with 46 points in the paint. Freshman forward Ayanna-Sarai Darrington led the team in scoring with 20 points, her third 20+ point game of the season and third in the last four games.
”She's doing a good job of being patient with the ball when she gets it and not rushing her shots, and it’s really paying off,” Haynie said. “So, when we can get her the ball, she's pretty efficient down in the paint.”
Next up on the schedule, the Chippewas will host Western Michigan this Saturday in the second game played against the two rivals this season.
Because of Central Michigan’s win against Eastern Michigan and losses by both Western Michigan and Northern Illinois on Wednesday, Central Michigan is now ahead of both the Broncos and the Huskies and in seventh place in the conference standings as the season nears its end. The top eight teams will make the Mid-American Conference Tournament.
The Chippewas also have the chance to win all four games played this season against the other Mid-American Conference teams in Michigan. All they have to do is beat the Broncos.
”Obviously Western is a rival game for us, but we prepare the same,” Haynie said. “So, we're looking to stay undefeated (against Michigan MAC teams this season) and be the best team in the state.”
CMU returns to Mount Pleasant and will host rivals Western Michigan at McGuirk Arena at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
