Fans who have followed CCU Women's Basketball this season know the ride has been...interesting. The opening month of the season held loss after loss, as the Cougars went winless through their first eight games. Fortunately, a change was in the air for the impressively resilient squad.
Since November's bleak start, Colorado Christian has gone 19-5, riding an 8-0 run through the RMAC Tournament and into the 2015 NCAA II South Central Region Tournament. Now one of the the hottest teams in Division II, CCU picked up their ninth-straight win with a 67-57 victory over third-seeded Midwestern State Friday, advancing past the tournament's first round for the first time in school history.
"Like anybody this time of the year, we're extremely happy to move forward," remarked CCU Head Coach
Tim Hays after the win. "I think for these girls it's an exceptional thing because this was our first NCAA win in school history, and just keeps things going for us. We've continued to do what we do, execute and be us, and this time of year, that's the battle - who's going to play their best basketball, who's going to look like themselves. I couldn't be happier for these girls, for our seniors, to get to continue to move on with the type of year we've had."
If seeding suggests anything, the Cougars weren't supposed to win Friday. The sixth-seeded squad came out hot, though, energetic and aggressive on defense and unselfish and patient on the offensive end of the ball. MSU built a four-point lead in the first five minutes of the game, but soon Christian's voracious efforts on D had the Mustangs frantic just to keep up. Midwestern coach Noel Johnson expressed her disappointment after the game.
"We struggled against CCU's zone. We tried to attack certain spots on the floor and they really started to swarm - we had a hard time throwing out of it. We were just trying to gain some momentum, but we didn't play our game today. We didn't have the best showing defensively, or have the aggressiveness we needed defensively today against a team like Colorado Christian who really executed extremely well and can have anybody score at any spot in their offense."
MSU's final lead fell off the board at 14:36, when a
Kate Louthan layup sparked an 18-9 run that had Christian up 27-19 at the final media timeout of the first half. By the time the midpoint arrived, Midwestern was shooting just 27% and had committed 13 turnovers. CCU led 32-25.
Out of the break, it was clear the blue and gold smelled blood. Playing behind Louthan and senior guard
Christina Whitelaw, Colorado Christian held a firm, controlling grip on the contest. Easy layups and jumpers fell as the Cougars polished their offensive show, and that famous defense kept the Mustangs rattled.
"What we try to do is play our system as smart as we possibly can," Hays continued. "We know who their personnel are, know what their strengths are, sit on those strengths, and take advantage of that. Our girls just executed that very well tonight, and applied pressure at the right places and at the right times."
Of course, it helps when your own personnel can step up in the clutch. Though two Christian starters fouled out with plenty left to play, balance and will assured the Cougars wouldn't miss a beat. Though their eligible numbers dwindled, CCU's effort never did. The pressure was on - for the Mustangs - the whole way.
In a rush to save their season, a frantic MSU squad cut Christian's lead to six with less than nine minutes remaining on the clock. The Mustang threat never materialized, however, as the Cougars responded with a relaxed commitment to the game plan and an impressive reservoir of energy that forced four Midwestern giveaways in the final seven and a half minutes.
Out in front of the pack - literally and figuratively - was Whitelaw, who earned her 500th career steal in the first 30 seconds of the second half. The guard from Colorado Springs finished the game two boards short of a triple double after notching ten points, ten assists, eight rebounds and six steals.
Alyssa Fressle and
Claire Paxton each came up with four steals of their own, assuring the Mustangs a familiar 22-turnover showing. In CCU's last nine games, opponents have committed at least 21 turnovers six different times.
"We watch a lot of film as a team," explained Whitelaw, "and we pick up on the tendencies on their players. We know which hand they favor, which direction they like to go. And it's a lot of reading them, too, and being able to just get a piece of the ball. I know the team behind me is going to grab whatever I can't."
Colorado Christian wrapped their history-making win with a 41% effort from the field, a feast in the paint (34 points), and a wealthy 50% clip from deep. Midwestern State, on the other hand, hit just 32% of their shots and flailed in a 2-for-15 effort behind the arc.
CCU's bench played an enormous role in the win, accounting for more than half of Christian's 67 points.
Now destined for the field of 32, the Cougars will clash against a familiar opponent in UC Colorado Springs on Saturday. The second-seeded Mountain Lions advanced with a 73-63 win over Colorado State Pueblo in the two-seven matchup. Though UCCS easily downed Colorado Christian in the regular season, the meeting came before CCU's volcanic run. The Cougars beat the Springs squad 66-51 in the semifinals of the RMAC Shootout.
Hays looks ahead with excitement.
"We're just now peaking because this team, as it is right now, really came together in January. I think it's an incredible opportunity for us because most teams at this point are wearing down a little bit, I think we're just now getting to our peak and getting better at what we do and starting to execute that consistently."
CCU and UCCS hit the floor of the First United Bank Center in Canyon, TX at 4pm, MST.
