Saturday, November 19
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
1 p.m.
Central Michigan University
0-4,0-0MAC
54
vs
84
Michigan State
6-0,0-0Big Ten
1
2
3
4
F
Michigan St.
21
19
26
18
84
Central Mich.
20
14
8
12
54
Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Women's Basketball Finds Plenty on Which to Build in Loss to Spartans
11/19/2022 5:25:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – It was Central Michigan's most lopsided loss of the season.
It's first half may have been its best two quarters of the year.
And it's on that the Chippewas will hang their hats moving forward.
Unbeaten Michigan State outscored CMU, 44-20, in the second half on Saturday in handing the Chippewas an 84-54 nonconference women's basketball loss before 1,460 at McGuirk Arena.
The Chippewas (0-4) are scheduled to play in the Cancun Challenge on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 24-25.
MSU is 6-0. Saturday's 30-point margin was the Spartans' closest game of the season.
CMU trailed 40-34 at halftime after an entertaining first half during which the Chippewas ran stride for stride with the Spartans.
"The first half we stuck to the game plan," CMU coach Heather Oesterle said. "We were playing with a lot of urgency … We were really sharp; we were coming to the ball, we were pass faking, we were throwing it over the top of their press, and then we got sloppy, we got tired, and they took advantage of us.
"They wear you down and they sub in 10 people and they keep the pressure on you no matter what."
Michigan State hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the final 1:11 of the half to break a 34-34 tie. The Spartans then hit three triples during a 14-4 spurt over the first 5:08 of the third quarter to put CMU in a 54-38 hole.
The Chippewas never got closer and their deficit swelled to as many as 38 points.
The barrage of 3-pointers staggered the Chippewas, but it was a game-long spate of turnovers triggered by MSU's pressure defense that softened up CMU.
The Chippewas committed a season-high 26 turnovers.
"We were trying to keep it under 15," Oesterle said. "It's a combination of our young guards who haven't seen that kind of pressure."
Rochelle Norris scored 12 points – all coming on the block for the 6-foot-5 transfer from Virginia Tech – to lead CMU, while Sydney Harris had 11 and Bridget Utberg had 10.
To the good, CMU received balanced scoring and worked the ball inside and out, a season-long major point of emphasis, Oesterle said.
The Chippewas finished with 38 rebounds to the Spartans' 39; CMU led midway through the second quarter; and the Chippewas are unlikely to face many teams with as much across-the-board talented and depth as the Spartans possess.
Those are all encouraging factors, Oesterle said.
"We've got to figure out the best combinations and the chemistry and who plays well together," she said. "I think we're getting there.
"This is a really coachable team. I thought the first three games we really learned the hard way. We were jacking up (3-pointers) without a post touching the ball. For the first time (this season), I felt like they understand now and they're willing to do whatever it takes for the team to be successful.
"We talked a lot about 'we over me' because when things were getting tough, everybody just tried to do it themselves. And I didn't think that was the case today. We did take a huge step in the right direction."
It's first half may have been its best two quarters of the year.
And it's on that the Chippewas will hang their hats moving forward.
Unbeaten Michigan State outscored CMU, 44-20, in the second half on Saturday in handing the Chippewas an 84-54 nonconference women's basketball loss before 1,460 at McGuirk Arena.
The Chippewas (0-4) are scheduled to play in the Cancun Challenge on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 24-25.
MSU is 6-0. Saturday's 30-point margin was the Spartans' closest game of the season.
CMU trailed 40-34 at halftime after an entertaining first half during which the Chippewas ran stride for stride with the Spartans.
"The first half we stuck to the game plan," CMU coach Heather Oesterle said. "We were playing with a lot of urgency … We were really sharp; we were coming to the ball, we were pass faking, we were throwing it over the top of their press, and then we got sloppy, we got tired, and they took advantage of us.
"They wear you down and they sub in 10 people and they keep the pressure on you no matter what."
Michigan State hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the final 1:11 of the half to break a 34-34 tie. The Spartans then hit three triples during a 14-4 spurt over the first 5:08 of the third quarter to put CMU in a 54-38 hole.
The Chippewas never got closer and their deficit swelled to as many as 38 points.
The barrage of 3-pointers staggered the Chippewas, but it was a game-long spate of turnovers triggered by MSU's pressure defense that softened up CMU.
The Chippewas committed a season-high 26 turnovers.
"We were trying to keep it under 15," Oesterle said. "It's a combination of our young guards who haven't seen that kind of pressure."
Rochelle Norris scored 12 points – all coming on the block for the 6-foot-5 transfer from Virginia Tech – to lead CMU, while Sydney Harris had 11 and Bridget Utberg had 10.
To the good, CMU received balanced scoring and worked the ball inside and out, a season-long major point of emphasis, Oesterle said.
The Chippewas finished with 38 rebounds to the Spartans' 39; CMU led midway through the second quarter; and the Chippewas are unlikely to face many teams with as much across-the-board talented and depth as the Spartans possess.
Those are all encouraging factors, Oesterle said.
"We've got to figure out the best combinations and the chemistry and who plays well together," she said. "I think we're getting there.
"This is a really coachable team. I thought the first three games we really learned the hard way. We were jacking up (3-pointers) without a post touching the ball. For the first time (this season), I felt like they understand now and they're willing to do whatever it takes for the team to be successful.
"We talked a lot about 'we over me' because when things were getting tough, everybody just tried to do it themselves. And I didn't think that was the case today. We did take a huge step in the right direction."
Team Stats
MSU
CMU
FG%
.451
.357
3FG%
.333
.211
FT%
.625
.625
RB
39
38
TO
11
26
STL
14
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G/F
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