Box Score
NEW BRITAIN, Conn.- Western Michigan (2-4) held the Blue Devils to 11 first-half points and weathered a second half comeback attempt to defeat Central Connecticut State, 68-52, Tuesday on the road.
The Broncos rattled off 15 points and kept CCSU scoreless through the first seven and a half minutes as WMU jumped out to a 15-2 lead and led 32-11 at intermission. Miame Giden nearly outscored the Central Connecticut team by herself in the first half, as she poured in nine first-half points on her way to a game-high 16 points.
The Western Michigan defense locked the Blue Devils down to 5-of-24 (21 percent) shooting in the first half, while the Broncos connected on 41 percent of their shots.
Despite trailing by 21 at the half, Central Connecticut (3-4) refused to roll over, outscoring WMU, 31-13, through the first 10 and a half minutes of the second half. The Blue Devils cut the deficit to three on a three-pointer by Jhanay Harris with 9:38 remaining.
After a pair of free throws by Giden extended the lead to five, Molly Dwyer delivered the big blow for the Broncos, hitting back-to-back three's. Pushing the lead back to 11, Western Michigan led by double digits the rest of the game.
Dwyer hit three three-pointers on the evening on her way to 11 points. Ebony Cleary and Tiera DeLaHoussaye also reached double figures, scoring 13 and 11, respectively.
Giden, DeLaHoussaye and Brenna Banktson led the rebounding effort, hauling in seven boards each, while Cleary and Dwyer both collected six. WMU outrebounded the Blue Devils, 52-35.
DeLaHoussaye continued to move up in the WMU record books, dishing out eight assists and passing Patti Rendine (542) for third place on the all-time career list with 549 and counting.
WMU shot 40 percent for the game and sank 16 of 25 free throws.
Gabrielle Goldsby paced CCSU with 16 points, all of which came in the second half. Leanne Crockett had eight points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Returning to Kalamazoo briefly after its seven-day, three-game road trip, Western Michigan heads out again this weekend for a 5:30 p.m. contest at Illinois-Chicago Saturday, Dec. 6.
