Women's basketball beginning to surge after slow start
Central Michigan guard Micaela Kelly reacts after a made basket against Marist Nov. 30 at McGuirk Arena.
Heather Oesterle and her Central Michigan women's basketball team returned home from a trip to Kentucky still searching for a win.
What she wasn't searching for was confidence. Her smile and convincing words on the following Monday told a story not expected from a first-year coach who started their career 0-3.
"We're still a really good team," Oesterle said. "This is a great time to learn what we need to get better at."
Central Michigan's next opponent was a Dayton team that is capable of causing chaos within its conference, the Atlantic 10, and was next in line for the Chippewas as they continued to navigate a grueling nonconference schedule.
"It's still just one game at a time," sophomore forward Jahari Smith added.
The Chippewas needed overtime but eventually secured their first win of the season, an 81-80 triumph over the Flyers.
Junior guard Micaela Kelly drove in for the game-winning layup late and scored all 10 of CMU's points in the extra stanza, and smart dribbling from freshman guard Molly Davis closed the ball game in favor of the Chippewas.
The team's next two contests featured two more good teams, a Northeastern squad facing a similarly loaded nonconference slate and Marist, who is ranked ninth in the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25.
Fast forward to Saturday night, the Chippewas are 3-3. Both Northeastern and Marist came into McGuirk Arena and promptly fell by double digits, dominated on both ends by a Chippewa squad that looks to have found its footing.
So, what clicked?
It could simply be the backcourt. Kelly has averaged 22 points in the Chippewas three consecutive wins, while both Davis and junior guard Maddy Watters have contributed stellar nights.
Watters is shooting 57% from 3-point range, including a 3 for 4 effort against Northeastern. Meanwhile, the true freshman Davis had a career game against Dayton and has already had two double-doubles.
Or is it the frontcourt? A group that is deemed undersized has outrebounded each of their last three opponents.
At the forefront of that effort is junior Kyra Bussell, who averages 7.8 rebounds a game. Smith is not far behind her with 6.2 boards per game. Reserves such as senior MacKenna Kelly and junior Gabi Bird have also provided quality minutes in the paint as well.
When it comes to reserves like MacKenna Kelly, Bird and sophomore guard Kalle Martinez, Oesterle was pleased to have found some depth within her bench.
At the start of the season, she was worried about a lack of experience on the bench.
“We have five starters right now and then MacKenna Kelly off the bench,” Oesterle said in the preseason. “I’m looking for seven, eight, nine people that can step in if somebody gets in foul trouble.”
However, Kelly finished the game against Marist with 10 points and eight boards while Bird is shooting 46% from deep.
Oesterle has also mentioned her pleasure with the spark that Martinez has provided off the bench.
The Chippewas have also seen contributions from redshirt sophomore Sophia Karasinski and freshmen Kate McArthur and Shine Strickland-Gills in each of the past two games.
The Chippewas' schedule will continue to get tougher. CMU caps off a four-game homestand with a Dec. 5 matchup against Iona before heading on the road for six games.
That slate is highlighted by games at South Dakota State, one of the better mid-major teams in the country, and Central Florida. CMU will also open its Mid-American Conference slate Jan. 4 against Akron.
There are still question marks when it comes to this team and its depth, many of which could be answered by the time the Chippewas return to McGuirk Arena in January.
One thing, however, is for certain -- after a slow start, Oesterle has put the Chippewas back on their feet.
