Central Michigan University Athletics
Monday, November 7
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
7 p.m.
Central Michigan University
0-1,0-0MAC
64
vs
71
Valparaiso
1-0,0-0MVC
1
2
3
4
F
Valparaiso
17
16
22
16
71
Central Mich.
15
17
16
16
64
Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography
Women's Basketball Drops Season Opener
11/7/2022 10:49:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Not the way Central Michigan women's basketball coach Heather Oesterle would have drawn it up.
On a night when more than half of those who suited up for CMU were playing their first game in maroon and gold, there were stops and starts, plenty of inconsistency, but enough to the good to fuel optimism despite a 71-64 season-opening nonconference loss on Monday before 1,156 at McGuirk Arena.
It was Anika Weekes, a fifth-year senior playing her 80th career game at CMU, who brought some perspective.
"She gave me a hug out there and said, 'It's game one,'" said Oesterle, who is beginning her fourth year as the head coach and her 12th in the program. "She's definitely calming for the team and for me."
The Chippewas got 18 and 13 points, respectively, from freshmen Sydney Harris and Taylor Anderson, and 10 points and 10 rebounds from Weekes.
Leah Earnest scored 20 points to lead Valpo, which took the lead for good less than a minute into the second half. The Chippewas hung in and never trailed by more than eight but couldn't get over the hump.
CMU got within two, 64-62, on a Harris 3-pointer with 1:20 remaining. But Valpo scored the next five points to put it away.
The Chippewas' most glaring deficiency came from long range as they made just three of their 27 3-point tries. Harris' late triple, which breathed life into CMU and its crowd, broke a 0-for-20 streak from behind the arc.
"Offensively we could not get anything going," Oesterle said. "I'm taking the blame for this one. Right now, we're shooting quick, quick, quick shots.
"We've got to be able to finish inside and we've got to be able to shoot from the outside."
The Chippewas shot just 31.6 percent from the floor on the night while the Beacons hit 51 percent of their field goal tries.
CMU forced 22 turnovers, but it was caught reaching from time to time and found itself out of position while pressing.
"We have a long way to go, and it starts on the defensive end of the floor," Oesterle said. "We have got to keep people in front and take away their strengths.
"Yeah, we had some steals, but we also gave up wide open straight-line drives on the other end. We have to be able to contain and force them into the traps that we want to get, and that's stuff that we will watch on film."
Oesterle started two freshmen in Harris and point guard Bridget Utberg, and Anderson played nearly 27 minutes off the bench. In addition, starter Nadége Jean along with reserves Jnaya Walker and Mikala Hall – all three of them transfers – played their first game in a Chippewa uniform.
"I think the freshmen need to let the game come to them a little bit better," Oesterle said. "(Jean) cried this morning when she got up; she hasn't played a game in two years; she has not been on the court in two years. The freshmen have never played at the college level. Jnaya Walker, she hasn't played a game in three years.
"I'll tell you what, I will not stop working until I get this team clicking."
The Chippewas go to Oakland on Saturday (2 p.m.) for a nonconference game. The Grizzlies opened on Monday with a 74-67 home win over Akron.
On a night when more than half of those who suited up for CMU were playing their first game in maroon and gold, there were stops and starts, plenty of inconsistency, but enough to the good to fuel optimism despite a 71-64 season-opening nonconference loss on Monday before 1,156 at McGuirk Arena.
It was Anika Weekes, a fifth-year senior playing her 80th career game at CMU, who brought some perspective.
"She gave me a hug out there and said, 'It's game one,'" said Oesterle, who is beginning her fourth year as the head coach and her 12th in the program. "She's definitely calming for the team and for me."
The Chippewas got 18 and 13 points, respectively, from freshmen Sydney Harris and Taylor Anderson, and 10 points and 10 rebounds from Weekes.
Leah Earnest scored 20 points to lead Valpo, which took the lead for good less than a minute into the second half. The Chippewas hung in and never trailed by more than eight but couldn't get over the hump.
CMU got within two, 64-62, on a Harris 3-pointer with 1:20 remaining. But Valpo scored the next five points to put it away.
The Chippewas' most glaring deficiency came from long range as they made just three of their 27 3-point tries. Harris' late triple, which breathed life into CMU and its crowd, broke a 0-for-20 streak from behind the arc.
"Offensively we could not get anything going," Oesterle said. "I'm taking the blame for this one. Right now, we're shooting quick, quick, quick shots.
"We've got to be able to finish inside and we've got to be able to shoot from the outside."
The Chippewas shot just 31.6 percent from the floor on the night while the Beacons hit 51 percent of their field goal tries.
CMU forced 22 turnovers, but it was caught reaching from time to time and found itself out of position while pressing.
"We have a long way to go, and it starts on the defensive end of the floor," Oesterle said. "We have got to keep people in front and take away their strengths.
"Yeah, we had some steals, but we also gave up wide open straight-line drives on the other end. We have to be able to contain and force them into the traps that we want to get, and that's stuff that we will watch on film."
Oesterle started two freshmen in Harris and point guard Bridget Utberg, and Anderson played nearly 27 minutes off the bench. In addition, starter Nadége Jean along with reserves Jnaya Walker and Mikala Hall – all three of them transfers – played their first game in a Chippewa uniform.
"I think the freshmen need to let the game come to them a little bit better," Oesterle said. "(Jean) cried this morning when she got up; she hasn't played a game in two years; she has not been on the court in two years. The freshmen have never played at the college level. Jnaya Walker, she hasn't played a game in three years.
"I'll tell you what, I will not stop working until I get this team clicking."
The Chippewas go to Oakland on Saturday (2 p.m.) for a nonconference game. The Grizzlies opened on Monday with a 74-67 home win over Akron.
Team Stats
VALPO
CMU
FG%
.510
.316
3FG%
.412
.111
FT%
.737
.867
RB
36
44
TO
22
17
STL
6
8
Game Leaders
Pts
18
FGM
8
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
2
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