Three observations from Central Michigan's nonconference slate
Nobody panicked when the Central Michigan women's basketball team started the 2019-20 season with three consecutive losses.
Especially not first-year coach Heather Oesterle.
"We're still a really good team," Oesterle said following a road trip to Kentucky that saw her team suffer back-to-back losses. "This is a great time to learn what we need to get better at."
Her team learned, adapted and got better.
The Chippewas reeled off seven consecutive victories, starting with an overtime win over Dayton. Highlighted by wins over top mid-major teams such as Northeastern, Marist, South Dakota State and Bethune Cookman, Central Michigan showed an enormous amount of growth in a short period of time.
But the season is just beginning.
Oesterle will lead her team and its 7-4 record into Mid-American Conference play, which starts Saturday with a road contest at Akron, which is an identical 7-4. Thanks to their tough nonconference schedule, the Chippewas will be primed and ready heading into the conference opener.
The Chippewas' nonconference schedule was loaded with mid-major talent, as well as a trio of NCAA Tournament qualifiers from a season ago including Louisville, which already has a win over a No. 1 ranked team.
Here are three observations from the Chippewas' performance over the course of their nonconference slate:
Emergence of bench depth
During a long stretch of games, which the Chippewas handled to the tune of five double-digit victories, several key players emerged. Before the season, Oesterle admitted that she was looking for bodies to provide depth and give key minutes, allowing players such as junior guards Micaela Kelly and Maddy Watters to take an occasional rest over the course of a 40-minute contest.
Enter Gabi Bird, MacKenna Kelly and Kalle Martinez.
A season ago, Bird was one of only six players to play in all 30 contests. The senior from South Lyon averaged 10 minutes a game last season but scored just 1.6 points per game.
This season has seen her claim the first spot off the bench given her solid performance.
For Kelly and Martinez, it was little production last year.
With Reyna Frost and Presley Hudson providing a majority of the scoring and rebounding a season ago, minutes were at a premium for the two bench contributors. However, each has seen an uptick in production given increased minutes.
All three are poised to set career highs in just about every single category. Bird is shooting 50-percent from the field and 40-percent from beyond the arc, both numbers being career-highs, while also proving to be a constant presence on the boards. Martinez is developing a reputation as a shooter while Kelly is also setting career marks in both points and rebounds.
Pair this trio with the continued development of freshmen Shine Strickland-Gills and Kate McArthur and the eventual return of Annika Weekes, and the Chippewa bench adds an entirely new layer to an already potent squad.
Micaela Kelly paves path toward record year
As soon as Hudson graduated, all eyes shifted to Micaela Kelly. The guard had started every contest of her career and was ready to lead the team entering her junior season. The backcourt tandem of her and Watters was projected to take the next step in their respective careers.
But nobody predicted this.
The Detroit native has burst onto the national scene. Kelly has scored in double figures in every contest this season and her 23.6 points per game ties her with Buffalo's Dyaisha Fair for third in the country.
Kelly is another player aiming to set career-high marks in every category, and she's going to continue to hit milestones while she does so. Against Marist, she scored her 1,000th point. She's twice been named MAC West Player of the Week and is likely a lock to be mentioned in the MAC Player of the Year discussion.
With this success, Kelly has somewhat overshadowed the success of her backcourt mates, Watters and freshman Molly Davis. Watters continues to flash her phenomenal 3-point stroke, while Davis has been the sharpshooting, passing guard she was advertised to be coming out of Dow High School in Midland.
The trio has combined for 112 assists, demonstrating just how well they work together.
Undersized frontcourt holding their ground, battling with best
Another common theme surrounding this squad is the lack of height on the Chippewa roster. Its tallest player, junior forward Kyra Bussell, measures at 6-foot-1.
However, what the Chippewas lack in height, they make up with effort.
Bussell has unlocked a whole new level to her game over the course of the nonconference season, starting the campaign with a career-high 29 point effort in a double-overtime loss to Green Bay. She's also had a pair of double-doubles and is shooting just under 50 percent from the field.
Sophomore forward Jahari Smith has improved as well, adding a mid-range jumper that has made her difficult to guard. Bussell has become a potent threat from the outside as well, making the frontcourt difficult to guard.
In the preseason alumni scrimmage, the Chippewas were outrebounded by their alumni counterparts. Oesterle made effort on the boards a point of emphasis and the Chippewas have since been competitive on the boards in each contest.
After starting the season 0-3, the Chippewas have completely turned the ship around. Should this performance continue, they'll be contenders for their fifth consecutive MAC West title come March.
