MOUNT PLEASANT -- Seniors
Robbie Harman and
Jordan Bitzer nearly willed the Central Michigan men's basketball team to victory in its season opener.
The Chippewas fell, 71-68, to Princeton at Rose Center on Saturday, but the duo of Harman (22 points) and Bitzer (19) nearly pulled it out. The senior combo scored CMU's final 17 points in the final seven minutes of regulation, but they ran out of magic in the final seconds, as Harman's potential game-tying three kicked off the rim with four seconds left.
The Chippewas led by as many as four, 29-25, with six minutes left in the opening half, but the Tigers responded with a 9-0 run over the next 2:21 to take a 34-29 lead.
CMU trailed by just four at the break, 43-39, despite Princeton connecting on 74 percent of their field goals, including 5-of-6 threes. The Chippewas shot 47 percent in the opening frame, including 5-of-11 from deep.
"Our defense wasn't where it needs to be," head coach
Ernie Zeigler said. "We didn't execute very well, and they shot the ball terrifically. It's very deflating when they are able to hit a big shot with the shot clock winding down. We just have a ways to go defensively if we are going to get where we want to be.
The Tigers led 53-46 with nine minutes remaining when Bitzer stopped the bleeding with a three to draw the Chippewas back within four.
A three by Princeton's Douglas Davis pushed it back to a seven-point lead with 5:49 left, but Bitzer once again answered with a three.
Harman's sixth three of the game made and a mid-range jumper tied the game at 62 with 3:06 left, and the teams would trade buckets until the 45 second mark when a pair of Bitzer free throws gave CMU its first lead of the second half, 68-67.
After a Princeton timeout, the Tigers were able re-take a one-point lead on a 12-footer by Davis with 28 seconds left, and Harman's drive to the lane was blocked with 20 seconds left, forcing CMU to foul. After a pair of Davis free throws went through for the Tigers, a Harman three was off the mark with four seconds left and Princeton dribbled out the clock.
CMU finished at 44 percent from the floor in the contest and 48 percent from long range, hitting on 10-of-21 threes. Princeton finished at 59 percent from the floor after their red-hot first frame, and 57 percent from deep on 8-of-14 from three.
Princeton edged Central Michigan in rebounds, 28-27, but the Chippewas turned the ball over just eight times compared to 14 for the Tigers. Bitzer led CMU with six boards.
"They were able to take our post game away and make it nonexistent. They were more physical than we were, and they did all the things that good teams do to win on the road. We didn't respond accordingly on our home floor."
The Chippewas return to Rose Center to host Ferris State on Monday, Nov. 16.
Courtesy: Tim Fitzgerald/CMU Athletics
