MT. PLEASANT, Mich. – The Miami University women's basketball team (11-4, 2-2 MAC) handed Central Michigan (12-4, 3-1 MAC) its first conference loss on Wednesday, beating the Chippewas by a 70-67 margin. This is the first time since 2016 that CMU has been defeated at home by a conference opponent.
Savannah Kluesner led the way with 21 points and seven rebounds.
Kendall McCoy,
Leah Purvis and
Lauren Dickerson also scored in double figures with 17, 13 and 10, respectively. The RedHawks shot 54 percent from the floor.
Central Michigan scored the first basket of the game, a three-pointer, to take its only lead of the game. Miami put together an 8-0 run over 2:10 on three-pointers from Purvis and McCoy as well as a jumper from McCoy to take an 8-3 lead after three minutes of play. McCoy sunk her second of five baskets from long range midway through the first quarter to increase the 'Hawks lead to 11-5.
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The teams traded points as Purvis sunk another from behind the arc and Kluesner got going with a pair of layups. Miami led by a 19-16 margin after 10 minutes of play.
The Chippewas struck first in the second quarter to cut the RedHawks' lead to one. Kluesner scored three-straight Miami baskets to reach 10 points with six minutes to play in the second quarter. CMU cut Miami's lead to one point twice more in the second quarter but the 'Hawks continued to answer. McCoy sunk back-to-back three-pointers to go a perfect 4-of-4 from long range in the first half. These three-pointers increased Miami's lead to 35-28 with 1:46 to play in the half.
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Central Michigan answered with two-straight baskets but Dickerson capped the first half's scoring with a jumper with two seconds remaining to send Miami to the locker room with a 37-32 lead.
Kluesner opened the second half with a layup and two free throws. Dickerson increased Miami's lead to 43-34 with 6:53 to play in the third quarter. The RedHawks maintained at least a five-point lead through the third quarter. With two minutes to play in the third, Kluesner completed a three-point play as she continued to drive strong to the basket.
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The RedHawks led the Chippewas by a 51-45 margin after 30 minutes of play.
Central Michigan put together a 6-2 run to cut Miami's lead down to two points with seven minutes to play in the game. Purvis responded by reaching double figures with her third three-pointer of the evening.
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CMU got within two points with four minutes to play as the 'Hawks held a 58-55 lead. Dickerson completed a four-point play on the next possession to increase Miami's lead to 62-56.
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With three minutes to play, the RedHawks held a 65-58 lead after McCoy's fifth bucket from behind the arc. Central Michigan scored five-straight points to cut Miami's lead to 65-63 with 2:20 remaining. A jumper from Purvis gave the 'Hawks a four-point lead that was erased by CMU's Presley Hudson as she tied the game at 67 with 54 seconds to play.
Miami's defense shut down CMU as the Chippewas ran down the clock to try to get the final shot of the game. The RedHawks got possession back with five seconds to play and a tie game. Kluesner got the ball on the inbound and drove to the net – sinking the basket and drawing the foul.
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Kluesner completed the three-point play with two seconds left in the game to give Miami a 70-67 lead. The RedHawks prevented Central Michigan from tying it in the dying seconds to preserve the victory.
Miami hosts Ball State on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the first game of the day's tripleheader. Men's basketball hosts Akron at 3:30 p.m. and hockey hosts Minnesota Duluth at 7:05 p.m. to cap a full day of RedHawk action in Oxford.
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