Central Michigan University Athletics
Wednesday, November 27
Mount Pleasant, MI
5:00 p.m.
Central Michigan University
vs
Northeastern
Photo by: Allissa Rusco
Chippewa Women Host Northeastern, Marist
11/26/2019 7:38:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Another pair of solid mid-major programs on tap for CMU
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Central Michigan women's basketball team will take on a pair of good mid-major programs this week as it entertains Northeastern on Wednesday (5 p.m.) and then Marist on Saturday (1 p.m.).
The games are the second and third of a four-game homestand that closes with Iona on Thursday, Dec. 5.
The Chippewas are 1-3 and coming off a thrilling 81-80 victory last week over a good Dayton team.
Northeastern is 0-5, while Marist is 5-0 and ranked ninth in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25.
Don't sleep on Northeastern, which has played the No. 1 team in the country, Oregon, and the No. 1 team in the mid-major poll, South Dakota. The Huskies have also lost to Dayton, 71-60.
"The two teams (we face) this week are very, very good mid-major programs," said first-year CMU coach Heather Oesterle, whose team is ranked 28th in the mid-major poll after starting the season 12th.
"We're a really good mid-major program," Oesterle added. "(Northeastern) and Marist are good resumé builders for us come march. Northeastern's picked to win their conference. These are really good matchups for us early on in the season."
The Chippewas
As has been well documented, the Chippewas have played a rugged schedule to open the season. They lost at No. 9 Louisville and fell at home in double overtime to Green Bay, which is 10th in the mid-major poll.
Junior guard Micaela Kelly is leading the Chippewas in scoring at 22.3 points per game. Three other Chippewas are averaging in double figures in scoring: Kyra Bussell (15.3), Molly Davis (12.0) and Maddy Watters (10.8).
Bussell leads the Chippewas in rebounding at 8.3 per game, while Davis, a freshman point guard, and Kelly lead CMU in assists.
Scoring Punch
Kelly scored a career-high 29 points and Davis had 21, also a career best, in the Chippewas' win over Dayton. The backcourt duo is beginning to emerge as a potent one-two scoring punch, while Watters has made 55 percent (11 of 20) of her 3-point attempts. Senior Gabrielle Bird has shown that she can be a legitimate threat from the perimeter, having made six of her 11 (54.5 percent) of her triple tries.
"I think that people are choosing how they want to defend us," Oesterle said. "Do you take away the 3 ball and open up penetrating lanes for (Kelly and Davis)?"
Scouting
Alexis Hill, a 5-foot-11 sophomore forward, leads Northeastern in scoring at 14.8 points per game, while junior guard Stella Clark averages 10.8.
"Their record right now doesn't reflect how they've played," Oesterle said. "They're really, really scrappy. They have some really good penetrators and they have some really good shooters -- a good combination of inside out play.
"They're getting out rebounded right now in games, but if you look at the teams they've played … They keep things alive because they are so scrappy. We have to make sure that we are outworking them for 40 minutes."
Special Celebration
At halftime of Saturday's game with Marist, CMU will honor former coach Sue Guevara, who retired after the 2018-19 season as the program's all-time winningest coach.
In 12 years at CMU, Guevara compiled a 231-156 record including 100-33 over her final four seasons. Three times she was named the MAC Coach of the Year and in 2017-18 earned the Kay Yow National Coach of the Year Award.
She closed her career by leading the Chippewas to three consecutive Mid-American Conference championships and back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, including a run to the Sweet Sixteen in 2017-18.
"She's meant a ton to me," said Oesterle, who played for Guevara at Michigan and served under her as an assistant and then the associate head coach at CMU for nine years. "I met her when I was in middle school, she gave me an opportunity to play college basketball, she helped me get my foot in the door (as a volunteer assistant) at Stanford University.
"The past nine years, from the time I got here, to July when I got the job, she was preparing me for that. I will forever be thankful for her. She's left a legacy here and I just want to make her proud and continue to win championships and to help these young women grow and be ready for their future."
The games are the second and third of a four-game homestand that closes with Iona on Thursday, Dec. 5.
The Chippewas are 1-3 and coming off a thrilling 81-80 victory last week over a good Dayton team.
Northeastern is 0-5, while Marist is 5-0 and ranked ninth in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25.
Don't sleep on Northeastern, which has played the No. 1 team in the country, Oregon, and the No. 1 team in the mid-major poll, South Dakota. The Huskies have also lost to Dayton, 71-60.
"The two teams (we face) this week are very, very good mid-major programs," said first-year CMU coach Heather Oesterle, whose team is ranked 28th in the mid-major poll after starting the season 12th.
"We're a really good mid-major program," Oesterle added. "(Northeastern) and Marist are good resumé builders for us come march. Northeastern's picked to win their conference. These are really good matchups for us early on in the season."
The Chippewas
As has been well documented, the Chippewas have played a rugged schedule to open the season. They lost at No. 9 Louisville and fell at home in double overtime to Green Bay, which is 10th in the mid-major poll.
Junior guard Micaela Kelly is leading the Chippewas in scoring at 22.3 points per game. Three other Chippewas are averaging in double figures in scoring: Kyra Bussell (15.3), Molly Davis (12.0) and Maddy Watters (10.8).
Bussell leads the Chippewas in rebounding at 8.3 per game, while Davis, a freshman point guard, and Kelly lead CMU in assists.
Scoring Punch
Kelly scored a career-high 29 points and Davis had 21, also a career best, in the Chippewas' win over Dayton. The backcourt duo is beginning to emerge as a potent one-two scoring punch, while Watters has made 55 percent (11 of 20) of her 3-point attempts. Senior Gabrielle Bird has shown that she can be a legitimate threat from the perimeter, having made six of her 11 (54.5 percent) of her triple tries.
"I think that people are choosing how they want to defend us," Oesterle said. "Do you take away the 3 ball and open up penetrating lanes for (Kelly and Davis)?"
Scouting
Alexis Hill, a 5-foot-11 sophomore forward, leads Northeastern in scoring at 14.8 points per game, while junior guard Stella Clark averages 10.8.
"Their record right now doesn't reflect how they've played," Oesterle said. "They're really, really scrappy. They have some really good penetrators and they have some really good shooters -- a good combination of inside out play.
"They're getting out rebounded right now in games, but if you look at the teams they've played … They keep things alive because they are so scrappy. We have to make sure that we are outworking them for 40 minutes."
Special Celebration
At halftime of Saturday's game with Marist, CMU will honor former coach Sue Guevara, who retired after the 2018-19 season as the program's all-time winningest coach.
In 12 years at CMU, Guevara compiled a 231-156 record including 100-33 over her final four seasons. Three times she was named the MAC Coach of the Year and in 2017-18 earned the Kay Yow National Coach of the Year Award.
She closed her career by leading the Chippewas to three consecutive Mid-American Conference championships and back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, including a run to the Sweet Sixteen in 2017-18.
"She's meant a ton to me," said Oesterle, who played for Guevara at Michigan and served under her as an assistant and then the associate head coach at CMU for nine years. "I met her when I was in middle school, she gave me an opportunity to play college basketball, she helped me get my foot in the door (as a volunteer assistant) at Stanford University.
"The past nine years, from the time I got here, to July when I got the job, she was preparing me for that. I will forever be thankful for her. She's left a legacy here and I just want to make her proud and continue to win championships and to help these young women grow and be ready for their future."
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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