Madi Morson Eclipses 1,000 Career Points at Miami (OH)
That’s how Madi Morson hit 1,000 career points Wednesday night at Miami (OH), just as she has done time and time again in her 56 games for Central Michigan Women’s Basketball.
“Madi’s a phenomenal player,” Head Coach Kristin Haynie said. “Some of the skillset she has, you just can’t teach.”
She became the 33rd player in program history to eclipse quadruple digits. Take it a step further: Morson is the fastest in program history to the plateau, two games sooner than Sue Nissen ’91—the only other Chippewa to do so as a sophomore in Maroon & Gold.
“We knew we had a special talent in Madi when she committed, and she’s done a really good job this year being consistent. She worked a lot over the summer on her three ball and it made her that much harder to stop as someone who can score at all three levels.”
The Chippewas ultimately fell, 65-53, to the second-place RedHawks, snapping a four-game win streak for CMU in the Mid-American Conference.
Morson led three double-digit efforts (17 points) as Ayanna-Sarai Darrington (Lexington, Ky. / Frederick Douglass) and Demetria Prewitt (Madison, Wis. / La Follette) joined the list with 14 and 13 points, respectively.
Defense was apparent early as the two teams totaled just 21 points at the end of the first, a 13-8 CMU lead.
“They are the top defensive team in the conference. We knew going in that it was going to be difficult to score and we let their physicality take us out of rhythm, especially in the second quarter.”
The second quarter was the tipping point. Miami posted a 24-10 frame and held onto the resulting nine-point halftime lead for the duration. Central Michigan finished with a 47-30 advantage on the boards, though the second quarter was tied, 8-8.
Morson had just one point from the free throw line in the first quarter, five points at halftime, as Miami’s defensive game plan had its intended outcome early.
Prewitt paced the Chippewas with eight at the break, Taylor Anderson (South Lyon, Mich. / East) was well on her way to another double-digit rebounding performance, a game high 14 boards.
“They were really physical with Madi, double-teaming her. Our players did a good job of being confident when Madi and Ana [Darrington] were taken away. Meachie [Prewitt] was moving well off the ball, T.A. [Anderson] was doing well down low.”
Morson went on to collect 12 second-half points. She marked her 1,000th career point with the first field goal of the half, a pull-up jumper inside the free throw line, on CMU’s first possession. One of Prewitt’s three blocks for the game—tying a career best—set up the trip down the floor.
Though the loss may sting in the moment, the parity of the Mid-American Conference was on full display Wednesday night. Third-place Massachusetts (16-9; 10-4 MAC) fell at home, 60-52, to sixth-place Toledo (14-10; 8-5 MAC); fifth-place Ohio (15-10; 9-5 MAC) dropped a double-overtime effort at 10th-place Akron (7-19; 4-9 MAC), 108-105.
“This league is strong. We always talk to our players about ‘throwing the records out’ in any given game. Teams are still fighting, continuing to get better. Everyone is going to give you their best shot.”
Central Michigan Women’s Basketball hosts a three-vs.-four matchup Saturday (1 p.m. ET) as the Minutewomen visit McGuirk Arena for a rematch of the outing on Jan. 10; the Chippewas nearly erased an 18-point second-half deficit in the 74-72 loss in Amherst, Mass.
The battle with the MAC newcomers opens a second Saturday doubleheader as the CMU men battle Western Michigan that afternoon (5 p.m. ET).
The Chippewas finish the regular season at home against Bowling Green (March 4; 6:30 p.m. ET) after visits to Toledo (Feb. 25; 7 p.m. ET) and Kent State (Feb. 28; 1 p.m. ET).
