Big 4th Quarter Lifts CMU Women To First Win

Sunday, November 14

Valparaiso, IN

2 p.m.

Central Michigan University

Valparaiso

Photo by: Benjamin Suddendorf

11/14/2021 6:57:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Katherine Schultz, CMUChippewas.com

VALPARAISO, Ind. -- The Central Michigan women's basketball team tallied its first win of the season, 65-61, over nonconference opponent Valparaiso on Sunday at the Beacons' Athletics-Recreation Center.

The victory lifted CMU to 1-1 after it dropped its opener to No. 17 Georgia Tech at home on Tuesday. The Chippewas are set to host No. 11 Michigan in McGuirk Arena on Saturday, Nov. 20 (1 p.m.). The game will be a White Out.

The Chippewas trailed by 10 points in the third quarter and were down seven, 51-44, early in the fourth.

Hanna Knoll hit a 3-pointer with eight minutes left to trigger a 16-2 Chippewa run during which they turned their seven-point deficit into a 60-53 lead with under three minutes to play.

Knoll's triple with 6:18 remaining put the Chippewas in front for good, 54-53. Molly Davis hit four free throws in the final 15 seconds to ice it. CMU outscored the Beacons, 21-12, in the fourth quarter.

"I saw confidence out of some people," CMU coach Heather Oesterle said. "That was one thing I talked about before the game; we didn't have the swagger and now we have a little more swagger. We've still got a long way to go, but it's good to learn how to win early.

"Maybe that's not always going to be pretty. In this team we've got a lot of new faces and we need to learn how to win together. I'm glad we're walking out of here with the (win)."

Junior Anika Weekes finished with a career-high 15 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Chippewas. It was her third career double-double.

Davis finished with 12 points and six assists as she scored her 1,000^th career point on a third-quarter layup. The junior guard is the 32^nd player in program history to score 1,000 points.

Davis scored two points in the Chippewas' season-opening loss to Georgia Tech and she was clearly the focus of Valpo's defense on Sunday. That type of defensive intensity is likely what Davis, an All-MAC First Teamer last season, will face throughout the season.

"She's unbelievable," Oesterle said. "I thought she's been very hesitant; (Valpo) started out doubling her, everybody's been doubling to get the ball out of her hands, but I thought she used her teammates a little bit better this game and started attacking downhill, and that's what we're asking her for."

Knoll, one of two CMU freshmen starters, made three of her seven 3-point attempts and finished with 11 points. Senior Jahari Smith had 13 rebounds as the Chippewas dominated the boards, finishing with a 48-29.