CMU Women Fall To Oakland

Tuesday, December 7

Mount Pleasant, MI

11 a.m.

Central Michigan University

2-5,0-0MAC

Oakland

4-5,2-2Horizon

Oakland

Central Mich.

Anika Weekes scored a career-high 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for her fourth career double-double on Tuesday in CMU's loss at McGuirk Arena to Oakland.

Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw

12/7/2021 3:13:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Molly Davis took a seat next to coach Heather Oesterle on the Central Michigan bench.

Davis, a junior guard and the Chippewas' leading scorer, had fouled out with just over five minutes remaining in what eventually became a 79-58 nonconference loss to Oakland on Tuesday at McGuirk Arena.

"I told Molly at the end of the game when I was sitting with her," Oesterle said, "'It's not going to be easy; this transition and getting nine freshmen and sophomores ready is not going to be easy. But it's going to be worth it in the end.'"

The loss left CMU 2-5 in a season of transition after the graduation of all-everything guard Micaela Kelly. Davis, a First Team All-Mid-American Conference honoree last season, is one of a trio of veterans – forward Jahari Smith and guard Anika Weekes are the others -- adjusting to expanded roles as Oesterle blends and molds a slew of younger, inexperienced players into the fold of a program that has been the MAC's best over the past decade.

"Every loss is a learning lesson," said Weekes, who scored a career-high 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for her fourth career double-double. "We are young and we're still learning our roles and what everyone needs to do, where we need people and learning plays. Come MAC time, we're going to be prepared."

The Chippewas simply did not have an answer for Oakland guard Kahlaijah Dean, who scored 34 points on 11-of-16 shooting.

The Grizzlies (4-5) outscored the Chippewas, 42-20, in the first half – Dean scored 25 of her points in the opening 20 minutes -- and led by as many as 30 points in the second half though the Chippewas actually outscored Oakland, 38-37, over the final 20 minutes.

"We're not playing four quarters yet," Oesterle said. "That's what you want to be doing in March, but I thought it would come a little bit sooner here. I do think it's coming. We're making mistakes at this point in the season like we really shouldn't be making and we have to get past that. We're definitely a work in progress."

Smith finished with 16 points and six rebounds, but Davis was held to six points and made just one of her 11 field goal attempts. She entered the game having scored 22.7 points per in her last four games.

The Chippewas entertain Loyola-Chicago on Saturday (1 p.m.) and then go to Green Bay on Monday, Dec. 20. They go to Buffalo for their MAC opener on Dec. 29.

"This team is putting the work in, not only with me, they're putting the work in in practice, (and) they're constantly in the gym and they want to be really good," Oesterle said. "I'm not begging them to work harder and to get in the gym, and that's one thing I really do appreciate about this group. They want to be really good.

"I told them to walk out of here with their shoulders back and their heads held high because it's a long year. It's a marathon; it's not a sprint. And we've got to keep them ready for Saturday."