No. 21 MSU earns 74-51 win over lady Broncos

It was all hugs and handshakes between the Western Michigan University Broncos and the number 21 nationally ranked Michigan State University Spartans in the pregame warm ups, however, when tip off came, it was a defensive battle at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.

Today marked the 19^th time these two programs have crossed paths, with MSU leading the series 10-8 and winning the last three. The two teams have met prior to today in Grand Rapids in the 1981 and 1982 seasons. WMU’s last win over MSU came in the 1982 season.

It was a defensive battle early on between the Broncos and Spartans. No points were scored until MSU’s Brittany Thomas went to the free throw line at the 17:37 mark. No field goals were made until MSU’s Lauren Aitch put one in for two at the 16:07 mark. WMU was 7-24 in the first half and MSU was 12-29. Also, MSU’s center, 6 foot 9 Alyssa Dehaan, who is currently 67 blocks away from taking the record for most blocks in NCAA history, had four blocks in the first half.

The Broncos came out and got into foul trouble in the first half giving MSU 15 chances from the line. Along with fouls, the Broncos committed 18 turnovers. It didn’t help the Broncos that freshman DeAirra Goss left the game early with an ankle injury.

One positive that came out of the first half for WMU was that senior Molly Dwyer, who has never missed a game, made a basket from three giving her over 500 points for her career.

At half time, the score was Michigan State 33, Western Michigan 23.

In the second half, Michigan State came out on a tear. They started on an 7-0 run to make the score 40-23, however, the run ended when WMU’s Miame Giden made two foul shots. MSU eventually took control of the half though. They were able to feed the ball around and get open looks in the paint and from beyond the arch. WMU was outscored in the paint 42 to 18.

“We held them under their average,” said WMU head coach Tasha McDowell. “We expected them to have a big night in the post, and [MSU] came here and took care of business.”

WMU tried to cut down MSU’s lead later in the second but they couldn’t. WMU’s Sara Vest led the team with 12 points, and she shot 7-8 from the free throw line. However, it was turnovers that lost the game for Western. They committed 30 turnovers.

“You can’t turn the ball over that many times and win games,” said McDowell.

The final score of the game was 74-51 Michigan State, however, WMU will have another chance to play the Spartans next year when MSU will travel to Kalamazoo to play the Broncos at University Arena.

Womens Basketball Weekly Preview

WMU Womens Basketball Team All in the Family With Giden Sisters

For some families, getting along with your sibling might be a little hard, but not for sophomore women's basketball players Miame and Robin Giden. They came to Western Michigan University in 2008 from Proviso East High School in Maywood Illinois looking for a chance to play together.

This dynamic duo has been playing basketball together since the seventh grade when they played Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) ball.

“I really started playing in sixth grade, [Robin] in seventh,” said Miame. “We played on four different teams together before college and now five.”

Once the sisters began to play AAU together they started to receive letters from different colleges around the country. They were recruited by Western Kentucky University, Illinois State University, Northern Illinois University, St. Louis College, and Western Michigan University.

“There were a lot of visits [to different schools] and we kept in contact with them,” said Miame. “We singed early in our junior year [of high school] because we liked Western Michigan and it was one of the only places Robin and I could be on the same team.”

The twins weren’t recruited by the current coach Tasha McDowell but by the former coach Ron Stewart.

“Even though we came in and there was a new coach, we saw how close knit the team was, and to me, that’s really important,” said Robin.

The two have been with each other their whole lives. They shared a room together when they lived at home, they roomed together in the dorms, and currently they have an apartment together.

“Living together is great,” said Robin. We take turns washing dishes and doing other stuff around the house. I love it.”

The two aren’t just sisters though. They are also teammates. They know each other’s game inside and out.

“Robin is a great post player,” Miame said. “She opens up a lot for me. I am able to drive to the basket. We are able to play off each other and look for each other on the floor. Its been this way for years.”

“From playing together I am able to see how much heart Miame has and how much love for the game,” said Robin. “It influences me.”

The sisters are truly a dynamic duo. They do everything together and love playing on the same team. They may be sisters first, but they are also teammates, and they have each other’s backs no matter what.

“I know I have someone there for me and I can go to her and talk to her about anything,” said Robin. “I can’t imagine doing anything without her.”

Womens Basketball Weekly Preview

Broncos Put up 114 In Rout of Aquinas College

Although Exhibition games don’t count toward the record, the Western Michigan University Broncos came out on the to court for their game against the Aquinas College Saints like it was a must win.

In the first half, senior Sara Vest started things off for the Broncos at the free throw line, however, after that the game belonged to sophomore Miame Giden. In the first half she scored 16 points by going 4-4 from three, 5-5 overall, and 2-2 from the line, a perfect first half percentage.

“It’s contagious,” said Bronco Head Coach Tasha McDowell. “Anytime you’ve got one of your returning scorers and leaders on the team hitting shots like that it breathes confidence.”

Over the off-season, Giden worked to improve her outside shot. All of last year she only made five three pointers and tonight she made four.

Senior Molly Dwyer also put up impressive numbers. She had a perfect field goal percentage as well going 3-3 with 8 points in the first half. At the end of the first half the Broncos were up 55-28.

The Broncos really came out on a tear in the second half. Newcomer to the team junior Taylor Manley made seven points in the first three minutes.

“I was a little nervous in the first half,” said Manley. “In the second half I got more comfortable and I just went from there.”

Also in the second half Giden continued to put up her impressive numbers. She would finish the night 8-9 from the field and 4-5 from three scoring 25 points. In fact, Giden didn’t miss a shot the whole game until there was 11:14 remaining in the second half. Junior Brenna Banktson would finish the night with 17 points and four rebounds making a great contribution to the teams effort. The Broncos would go on to win the game in stunning fashion 114-44.

“Anytime you can score 114 points, that’s a good night,” said Coach McDowell. “I was really pleased with my teams effort and intensity.”

There is a lot to look forward to this year for the Bronco Women. There next game will be an exhibition against Kalamazoo College this Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

“I’m very excited about this team,” said head coach Tasha McDowell. I’m really excited about where they are mentally, and we’re just getting started.”

WMU Womens Basketball Season Preview

A Disrespected Conference

I love college sports. I have been a fan ever since I turned 3-years-old when my dad took me to my first Michigan State University football game against Purdue University. The atmosphere was great. We watched the bands march down to the stadium banging their drums and playing their fight songs. Then we would walk over to the stadium, go to our seats and wait for the teams to rush out onto the field.

The anticipation would always build up before the opening kickoff; I couldn’t wait for the game to start.

However, that was a Big Ten Conference game, not a Mid-American Conference (MAC) game. Over the years, I have seen every Big Ten team and MAC team play live. From this I have been able to infer that the MAC is a very disrespected conference. When a MAC team such as Western Michigan or Toledo goes to a Big Ten school for a game, people automatically think the Big Ten team will win. Countless times I have heard people say, “Michigan will win this game, were only playing a MAC school.”

Why? Why is it like this? Why do, cocky Big Ten football fans think they are always going to win? In reality, there are three differences between the MAC and Big Ten. No 1: The number of schools in the conference. No. 2: The MAC has two divisions with a championship game at the end of the season. No. 3: The Big Ten gets more publicity.

But why does this matter? It shouldn’t.

In the last decade, MAC teams have been to bowl games, made the top 25, won championships, beat BCS conference teams and had players drafted by NFL teams.

According to an article written in 2006 on MACsports.com, from 1999-2006 the MAC was 10-5 in bowl games giving them the best record among all Division 1 FBS conferences. Although since then they have gone 1-7, it is still appalling that the MAC can still be disrespected like that when at one point they were the best in bowl games.

Last year, the MAC created a buzz in the top 25. No teams were ranked in the preseason poll, but after Week 1, Bowling Green State University, although never ranked, received votes to make it in. By Week 8, Ball State University was ranked No. 24 in the country and undefeated at 7-0. Week 14, Ball State was ranked No. 12 in the land. However, still no respect. They went undefeated during the season and only made it to the GMAC bowl.

The MAC is not a BCS conference, meaning, it would be shocking if a MAC school played in a BCS bowl like the Rose Bowl. However, conferences such as the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12 are. Over the past few years, more recently than before, MAC schools have been able to beat teams in these conferences. Last year, the University of Michigan suffered their first ever loss to a MAC school on opening weekend when they lost to the University of Toledo. Along with U-M, Indiana University also lost to a MAC school last season in a game against Ball State.

Lastly, how can a conference that consistently develops great players be so disrespected. Players such as Super Bowl winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger came from Miami University of Ohio. Other players include Jason Taylor (University of Akron), Chad Pennington (Marshall University), Charlie Batch (Eastern Michigan University), Antonio Gates (Kent State University) and Western Michigan University’s own Greg Jennings.

The MAC conference truly is an underdog conference. I love rooting for the underdog. It’s a great feeling when they win. However, the disrespect needs to end. The MAC has begun to make a name for itself. They have won games and made bowl games. The caliber of player in the conference has gone up. They had the Michigan Collegiate Athlete of the year last year in WMU quarterback Tim Hiller. It is time for the MAC to gain respect and make it big.