Central Michigan University Athletics

Junior guard Kalle Martinez scored a career-high nine points on Saturday in the Chippewas' dramatic win at Ohio.
Photo by: Benjamin Suddendorf
CMU Women Win A White-Knuckler At Ohio
1/2/2021 4:03:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Chippewas remain unbeaten in MAC play
ATHENS, Ohio – A long way to go in the Mid-American Conference women's basketball race.
And if Central Michigan should go on to claim its fifth-consecutive league title, it can point to Saturday's 90-87 win at Ohio as one of those seminal moments that come in any championship season.
Micaela Kelly scored 28 points, Molly Davis had 23, and Maddy Watters added 17 as the Chippewas white-knuckled home the victory at Ohio's Convocation Center in a see-saw battle between two of the MAC's elite teams.
The win lifted CMU to 5-2, 3-0 MAC. The Chippewas are ranked seventh in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25. Ohio is 3-3, 1-2 and ranked 12th.
"We knew it wasn't going to be won in the first or second quarter because both teams can score, but I was proud of the way we battled," CMU coach Heather Oesterle said. "I couldn't be more proud of this team. We really battled on the road and we grinded one out against a very, very good team."
How It Happened
The game featured 14 ties and 16 lead changes. The Chippewas trailed by as many as 10 points and led by as many as nine. They took the lead for good, 85-82, on a Kelly 3-pointer with 37 seconds remaining.
Two Davis free throws with 21 seconds left gave CMU an 88-84 advantage. After Ohio scored with 12 seconds left cut it to 88-86, the Bobcats stole the ball on CMU's ensuing inbounds pass.
Gabby Burris made a free throw with 7.2 seconds left to draw the Bobcats to 88-87; she missed the second charity toss, the Chippewas rebounded, and Davis found Kelly with the long outlet pass and Kelly laid in the final points of the game.
It marked the fourth-straight CMU-Ohio game that has been decided by three points or less and it was the Chippewas' third-consecutive win in the series. The last time the teams met, last season in Mount Pleasant, the Chippewas pulled out a 92-90 overtime victory.
Leaders
Kelly, a senior and the reigning MAC Player of the Year, scored 21 of her 28 points in the second half. Her point total was her third highest of the season and it marked the fourth-consecutive game in which she has scored at least 23 points.
Davis, a sophomore guard, notched her first double-double of the season and the third of her career with 23 points and 10 rebounds. The 10 boards matched her career high.
Maddy Watters tied her season high with five 3-pointers (on 10 attempts) in finishing with 17 points. She also led CMU with six assists.
Team Effort
The Chippewas, who were playing without starting power forward Kyra Bussell, also got major contributions from the likes of Jahari Smith, Kalle Martinez and Anika Weekes.
Smith hauled down 12 rebounds, tying her career high.
Martinez made a career-high three 3-pointers in scoring nine points, also a career high. All three of her triples came in a 1-minute, 43-second span in the third quarter.
Weekes fouled out after scoring five points in logging 24 minutes while battling Ohio's explosive scoring duo of Cece Hooks (22 points) and Erica Johnson (21). Her contribution on defense was crucial against the MAC's top two scorers.
Next
The Chippewas are scheduled to entertain Akron on Wednesday, Jan. 6 (2 p.m.) in their first home game in three weeks. The Zips are 3-3, 0-3.
And if Central Michigan should go on to claim its fifth-consecutive league title, it can point to Saturday's 90-87 win at Ohio as one of those seminal moments that come in any championship season.
Micaela Kelly scored 28 points, Molly Davis had 23, and Maddy Watters added 17 as the Chippewas white-knuckled home the victory at Ohio's Convocation Center in a see-saw battle between two of the MAC's elite teams.
The win lifted CMU to 5-2, 3-0 MAC. The Chippewas are ranked seventh in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25. Ohio is 3-3, 1-2 and ranked 12th.
"We knew it wasn't going to be won in the first or second quarter because both teams can score, but I was proud of the way we battled," CMU coach Heather Oesterle said. "I couldn't be more proud of this team. We really battled on the road and we grinded one out against a very, very good team."
How It Happened
The game featured 14 ties and 16 lead changes. The Chippewas trailed by as many as 10 points and led by as many as nine. They took the lead for good, 85-82, on a Kelly 3-pointer with 37 seconds remaining.
Two Davis free throws with 21 seconds left gave CMU an 88-84 advantage. After Ohio scored with 12 seconds left cut it to 88-86, the Bobcats stole the ball on CMU's ensuing inbounds pass.
Gabby Burris made a free throw with 7.2 seconds left to draw the Bobcats to 88-87; she missed the second charity toss, the Chippewas rebounded, and Davis found Kelly with the long outlet pass and Kelly laid in the final points of the game.
It marked the fourth-straight CMU-Ohio game that has been decided by three points or less and it was the Chippewas' third-consecutive win in the series. The last time the teams met, last season in Mount Pleasant, the Chippewas pulled out a 92-90 overtime victory.
Leaders
Kelly, a senior and the reigning MAC Player of the Year, scored 21 of her 28 points in the second half. Her point total was her third highest of the season and it marked the fourth-consecutive game in which she has scored at least 23 points.
Davis, a sophomore guard, notched her first double-double of the season and the third of her career with 23 points and 10 rebounds. The 10 boards matched her career high.
Maddy Watters tied her season high with five 3-pointers (on 10 attempts) in finishing with 17 points. She also led CMU with six assists.
Team Effort
The Chippewas, who were playing without starting power forward Kyra Bussell, also got major contributions from the likes of Jahari Smith, Kalle Martinez and Anika Weekes.
Smith hauled down 12 rebounds, tying her career high.
Martinez made a career-high three 3-pointers in scoring nine points, also a career high. All three of her triples came in a 1-minute, 43-second span in the third quarter.
Weekes fouled out after scoring five points in logging 24 minutes while battling Ohio's explosive scoring duo of Cece Hooks (22 points) and Erica Johnson (21). Her contribution on defense was crucial against the MAC's top two scorers.
Next
The Chippewas are scheduled to entertain Akron on Wednesday, Jan. 6 (2 p.m.) in their first home game in three weeks. The Zips are 3-3, 0-3.
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