Chippewas top Broncos in MAC opener

The synchronicity was super strange.

The end result wasn’t. On Wednesday afternoon from Mcguirk Arena the Central Michigan women’s basketball program opened the 2020-21 home campaign by playing host to archrival Western Michigan in both teams’ Mid-american Conference opener.

As it was both teams entered the game with a player of the same name as CMU senior guard Maddy Watters and WMU junior guard Maddie Watters both saw significant playing time.

Moreover, two of the best players in CMU history were also onhand in new roles in the form of Presley Hudson and Reyna Frost. In recent months Hudson was hired as Director of Player Development at WMU while Frost took on the same role at CMU back in October. This duo, best friends who led the Chippewas to the Sweet 16 in 2018, are statistically two of the best players in program history and both future Hall-of-famers were back on their home court Wednesday under new guises, coaching guises.

Then there was the fact that there was no one in attendance because of Covid-19 pandemic, making the strangeness even more surreal.

Despite all the weirdness the four-time defending Mid-american Conference champions played

like champions as they routed the Broncos 82-71. With the win the Chippewas even their overall record at 1-1 while improving to 1-0 in MAC games. WMU falls to 1-1 overall and to 0-1 in MAC games.

The hosts pretty much had their way throughout as they raced out to a 25-16 lead at the end of one quarter before pushing the lead to 14 at 30-16 early in the second. The Chippewas led 42-30 at the half before icing it in the third quarter.

The Chippewas got it done via the long- ball Wednesday as they went 14-for-36 from downtown. WMU went 8-for-14 from beyond the arc.

Sharpshooter Molly Davis led the way with 20 points, six assists and six boards. Micaela Kelly added in 15 points, eight boards, five steals and four assists while Kyra Bussell had 15 points and six boards.

Maddy Watters also had 12 points and three assists for the hosts.

WMU was paced by Sydney Schafer’s 17 points.

For the game CMU shot 48 percent from the floor on 32- of- 67 shooting while WMU hit at a 45-percent clip on 22- of- 49.

The Chippewas host Cincinnati at noon Saturday.

OAKLEY_TRAYNOR Micaela Kelly finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and five steals Wednesday as Central Michigan beat Western Michigan.

MEDIANEWS GROUP FILE PHOTS Molly Davis, center, poured in a game-high 20 points along with six rebounds and six assists in Central Michigan’s MAC win Wednesday.