The Central Michigan Chippewas travel to Athens on January 8th, 2019, to take on an Ohio Bobcats team that is ahead of schedule. The Chippewas made the sweet 16 last season, and returned a large part of their core. They also have some younger players that are stepping up, again making them a great basketball team. The Bobcats are loaded with great young players, and have yet to lose a game on the season. While many expected this team to be good, I don’t think too many people saw this team being this good this quickly. Just how good is this team? A win here could put them in the top 25, and would certainly raise some eyebrows around the nation.

Game Details

• Who: Central Michigan Chippewas at Ohio Bobcats
• When: Wednesday, January 8th, 2019, at 7 P.M. EST
• Where: Convocation Center, Athens, Ohio
• Watch: ESPN +

Players to Watch

Presley Hudson, PG, Central Michigan: Hudson puts the points in point guard, averaging 21.3 points per game. The dynamo is a bit streaky at times, but can really light it up when she is hot.

Reyna Frost, F, Central Michigan: The 6 foot tall Frost is an adept scorer both inside and out. She is also a monster rebounder, grabbing 11.1 per contest.

Cierra Hooks, G, Ohio: Hooks is hitting 56.9% of her shots and has already snagged 50 steals on the season. Ohio’s best defense against Hudson and Micaela Kelly just might be Hooks running them ragged on both ends of the floor.

Dominique Doseck, G, Ohio: The senior hits 45% of her threes on the season, which forces defenses to play the Bobcats honest.

Prediction

The Bobcats are a great offensive team, but sometimes a little streaky. However, once they get the ball to start dropping, they can score in bunches, as they have many scorers on the floor. They are also very effective attacking the offensive glass. Central Michigan is also loaded with scorers, but they also have one of the best rebounders in the nation. This should be an exceptionally close contest. Even if one team jumps out to a 12 point lead, the other team is capable of scoring their way back in. I think the experience, especially in big games, edge that Central Michigan enjoys will be the difference maker, with the Chippewas winning 80-78.