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The Montcalm Community College Centurions women’s basketball team scored its most points in a game this season, Wednesday, Jan. 14. However, it couldn’t slow down Mid Michigan College’s high-powered offense, losing 106-74 at home. 

The Centurions (0-2 MCCAA North, 3-12 overall) came into the game hoping to earn their first conference win and snap a four-game losing streak. The Lakers (2-0 MCCAA North, 13-3 overall), on the other hand, were looking to extend their winning streak to five and keep pace with conference foe Bay College (2-0 MCCAA North, 13-3 overall) at the top of the standings. 

Both teams came out nailing shots early with MCC sophomore guard Emily Putnam (Sheridan, Mich.) hitting a three-pointer, giving the Centurions a 7-5 lead. However, Mid Michigan’s Delaney Seaman (Ithaca, Mich.) answered right back with her own three-pointer on the Lakers’ next possession, giving the away team an 8-7 lead. The Lakers never relinquished the lead from then on. 

After Putnam hit another three to cut the Lakers’ lead to 10-9, Mid Michigan then went on a 9-0 run to go up 19-9, capped off by a three-point make by Seaman.  

The Lakers’ offense continued its offensive onslaught, outscoring the Centurions 21-14 to lead 40-23 at the end of the first quarter.  

Turnovers and consecutive missed shots plagued MCC in the second quarter, leading MCC to be outscored 26-14 and go into halftime down 66-37. 

“We had a few moments when their press got to us,” MCC head coach Scott Pedigo said. “I think Mid does a good job of pressing and make you pay for undisciplined passing.” 

In the second half, MCC managed to keep pace with Mid Michigan as the Lakers only outscored the Centurions 17-16 in the third quarter and 23-21 in the fourth. Pedigo said his players made the necessary adjustments to how they were defending the Lakers’ players. 

“We feel we handled their pressure better in the second half,” he said. “We also focused more on our offensive rebounding.” 

The No. 19 nationally ranked Lakers, who reached 100 points in three games now, had two players – Seaman and Alexus Dunn (Greenville, Mich.) – who were sharp from the three-point mark, with Seaman shooting 4-of-8 and Dunn shooting 5-of-8, totaling 20 and 19 points, respectively. The Lakers finished the game with five players scoring in double digits, including Grace Chinavare (Sanford, Mich.), who scored 18 points off the bench. 

The Centurions had three players scoring in double-digit, with Putnam leading the way with 17 points, including 3-of-6 shooting from the three-point line. Freshman Baylor Syrjala (Lakeview, Mich.) and Karlie Bacon (Stanton, Mich.) scored 11 and 10 points, respectively.  

Sophomore Emma Rewa (Greenville, Mich.) finished with a team-leading eight rebounds and added seven points. 

“In our next game (against Mid Michigan, Feb. 4), we have to work on slowing them down in transition,” Pedigo said. “We will focus more on transition defense and being patient with our press breaker.” 

The Centurions started conference play with tough back-to-back games against the conference’s elite teams, losing 113-48 to Bay on Jan. 10 and Wednesday’s loss to the Lakers. With the early tough matchups out of the way, the Centurions are looking at a lighter schedule in the next handful of games, with the next three opponents all under .500. 

“We are going to continue to work hard and prepare for the next games,” Pedigo said. “I feel we are getting better each week. We are going to get better at what we do. The winning will take care of itself.” 

MCC’s next game will be on the road against Alpena Community College (0-2 MCCAA North, 4-8 overall) Saturday, Jan. 17. Game time is 1 p.m.  

The Centurions will then have back-to-back home games, against Muskegon Community College (1-1 MCCAA North, 5-7 overall) Wednesday, Jan. 21, and against Kirtland Community College (1-1 MCCAA North, 5-9 overall), Saturday, Jan. 24.