• Blog
  • About Us
  • Links
  MAC Reporter Online

Duo erupts for 70 as CMU edges Green Bay

12/7/2016

 
Picture
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. –
Marcus Keene and Braylon Rayson had career nights, and the Central Michigan Chippewas needed every bit of everything they provided.

The Chippewas’ dynamic backcourt duo combined for 70 points Tuesday as CMU improved to 8-2 by outrunning Green Bay, 107-97, in a shootout at McGuirk Arena.

Keene scored 40 points and . . . 

. . . dished out 11 assists – both career-highs – while Rayson matched his career-high with 30 points as CMU won its fourth straight game. That streak started nine days ago with an 89-77 win at Green Bay.

“I don’t know, we just turned it up,” said Rayson, who scored 18 of his points in the first half. “They started off, early in the game, trapping, trying to deny (Keene) the ball, and that’s what got me hot. Then the second half, it went the opposite way.”
The Chippewas led by one point, 88-87, with under five minutes to play when Keene took off. He scored 13 points in the final 4:41, making three 3-pointers during that span as CMU pulled away.

The junior guard, who leads the nation in scoring, poured in 31 of his points in the second half. His 40-point performance was the most by a Chippewa since Feb. 4, 2015, when Chris Fowler scored 42 points in a loss to Bowling Green.

“I just got in a rhythm in that second half,” said Keene, who on Monday was named the Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week. “I got into a little zone and I got some layups and my threes started falling. My mindset, I just feel like that nobody can stop me one-on-one and I just got in a groove and we just kept it going.”

It was another remarkable night for both Keene and Rayson, who are listed at 5-foot-9.

“We might have the smallest backcourt, but we might also have the most difficult backcourt to defend at our level,” CMU coach Keno Davis said. “I can’t even imagine trying to figure out how to stop those guys because you can’t take their shots away.”

Cecil Williams added 12 points, David DiLeo had 10, and Luke Meyer hauled down 10 rebounds for the Chippewas.

Kerem Kanter scored a career-high 23 points for Green Bay, which had five players in double figures.

The Phoenix (4-5) never took the lead in the final 20 minutes, but they continually lapped as the Chippewas’ heels. CMU held Green Bay to four 3-pointers in 20 attempts.

“Our guys have continued to play with composure, even in the biggest spots and I think that’s something that’s rare especially with a lot of guys doing this for the first time,” Davis said.

Keene finished 12-of-23 from the floor, including 6-of-12 from 3-point range. He also made 10 of his 11 free throw attempts and finished with seven rebounds.

“Almost a triple-double,” Davis said. “When you’re 5-9 and come get seven rebounds and get 11 assists to one turnover and shoot over 50 percent from the field. That’s everything.

“It’s not often that you hear of somebody having an unselfish 40, but that’s about as unselfish 40 as you can possibly have.”


Comments are closed.
    Picture

    MAC Football 

    Full MAC Schedule
    CLICK HERE


    ​

    MAC FOOTBALL STANDINGS
    -- Final - 2022 -- 
    MAC EAST


    MAC WEST


    MAC Basketball 
    MAC BASKETBALL STANDINGS
    (Through 3-3-23)

    Team - MAC -- Overall
    Toledo 16-2 (25-6)
    Kent State 15-3 (25-6)
    Akron 13-5 (21-10)
    Ball State 11-7 (20-11)
    Ohio 10-8 (18-13)
    Buffalo 9-9 (15-16)
    Northern Illinois 9-9 (13-18)
    Miami 6-12 (12-19)
    Bowling Green 5-13 (11-20)
    Central Michigan 5-13 (10-21)
    Eastern Michigan 5-13 (8-23)
    Western Michigan 4-14 (8-23)

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Basketball
    Football
    Other

    Archives

    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014

Proudly powered by Weebly