Freshman guard Molly Davis plays 49 minutes, shows potential in marathon debut
Guard Molly Davis blocks an opponent from stealing the ball during a game against Green Bay on Nov. 6 in McGuirk Arena.
The time for hype was over. It was time to play ball.
Fans at McGuirk Arena were buzzing with anticipation as the pregame clock ticked to zero, excited to see the starters hit the floor.
Familiar faces like junior guards Micaela Kelly and Maddy Watters returned from last season's Mid-American Conference West Division championship team and were poised to put on a show.
And yet, the player many were excited to see was putting on a Chippewa jersey for the very first time.
The anticipation surrounding freshman guard Molly Davis was intriguing, as the words from first-year coach Heather Oesterle's preseason media day interview hinted at the untapped skill level the freshman possesses.
"Molly Davis will be in our starting lineup," Oesterle said. "That kid can shoot the lights out."
Davis was indeed in the starting lineup in Central Michigan's season opener, a 111-105 double-overtime loss to Green Bay.
The freshman guard finished 5-of-13 from the field, with all eight of her misses coming from behind the arc. Despite the shooting struggles, Davis left a solid first impression on the Chippewa faithful.
While many believed that it would be Kelly handling the ball, Davis was the player who did the majority of the ball-handling Wednesday night. Kelly and Watters each worked off the ball and combined for eight triples, while Davis did her damage attacking the basket.
The freshman's first career basket came on a running floater in the lane with 4:50 left in the opening quarter. Davis drove to the bucket, rose above a pair of Green Bay defenders, and lofted the ball into the basket amidst the contact.
The crowd roared with excitement.
Davis was the last starter to be subbed out in the first quarter, as she was finally taken out for Kelly at the 1:16 mark of the first. She re-entered with 12 seconds remaining in the period.
She never came out again.
The freshman played nearly all 50 minutes in the first game of her career – 49, to be exact.
The ball was in her hands for the majority of the night. It essentially became her game when Kelly and Watters each fouled out. Watters was forced to leave in the fourth and Kelly departed in the first overtime.
There were a few struggles, namely the 0-for-8 clip from the 3-point line. She also missed three of four free throws during a key sequence in the first overtime period.
Oesterle was proud of the freshman's confidence despite the shooting struggles.
"I was glad she kept on looking to score," Oesterle said. "I still think she passed up some open shots."
Davis displayed confidence and a calm demeanor with the ball in her hands that is not common with a true freshman at the Division I level. Her drive to the basket set up by a wicked crossover and hesitation move late in the first overtime showed her ability to get to the basket with ease.
She made all five of her field goal attempts inside the arc, including two heavily contested layups.
The Midland native finished with a double-double, totaling 10 assists to go along with 15 points. Although the result means an empty win column, it was a solid debut.
"We had our two veteran point guards out of the game, and Molly stepped up and led the team for two overtimes," Oesterle noted. "She's got such a bright future."
Wednesday's loss will go down as a step in the right direction for Davis, who has assumed a large role within this team right from her arrival.
The performance in the loss will serve as a solid baseline to gauge her development as the season goes along and she helps the Chippewas compete for their fourth consecutive MAC West title.
