MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – A pair of Power 5 opponents who reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last March highlight the nonconference schedule for the Central Michigan women’s basketball team.
Both of those heavyweights are scheduled to visit McGuirk Arena in November, giving the Chippewas a pair of good early season tests under third-year coach Heather Oesterle.
The defending Mid-American Conference Tournament-champion Chippewas open the 2021-22 season at home when they welcome Georgia Tech on Thursday, Nov. 9; 11 days later, on Monday, Nov. 20, Michigan comes to McGuirk Arena.
The Yellow Jackets finished 17-9 and Michigan was 16-6 last season. Both reached the Sweet 16.
“We are going to get a chance early to see what we are made of,” said Oesterle, who last season guided CMU to an 18-9 finish, the MAC Tournament title, and the program’s fourth-consecutive NCAA Tournament bid. “The players we recruit want to play this type of schedule and we will need our young ones ready to contribute right away.
“We have some very good teams coming into McGuirk arena; I’d like to see if we can sell more season tickets then we’ve ever sold before. This team is going to be special.”
The MAC schedule will be released in September.
CMU is also scheduled to entertain Oakland (12-12 in 2020-21) on Dec. 7 and Loyola Chicago (12-15) on Dec. 11.
The Chippewas are slated to go to Valparaiso (12-13) on Nov. 14; to Northeastern (7-13) on Nov. 26; to Marist (18-4) on Nov. 28; to Cincinnati (8-16) on Dec. 1; and to Green Bay (15-7) on Dec. 20.
Marist is the defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament champion and last March appeared in the NCAA Tournament.
The Red Foxes, along with Green Bay, are a traditional mid-major power and last season finished 14th in the final CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll. The Chippewas were 12th in that poll.
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