Oakland women return home to cage IUPUI
TIMONTHY PONTZER
CORRESPONDENT
ROCHETER HILLS — After losing four straight, the Oakland University women’s basketball team was looking to start the new year off with a much needed victory. Junior Bethany Watterworth led the Golden Grizzlies to that win, notching 27 points in a 54-50 victory over Summit League rival IUPUI .
Oakland (6-8; 2-3 Summit League) returned home for the first time since Dec. 11 to try and get their third straight home victory. History proved to be on the Grizzlies’ side as OU had beaten the Jaguars of IUPUI seven straight times coming into tonight, and had not lost against the Jags at the O’Rena since 2005. The Grizzlies successfully made it eight straight over IUPUI, behind Watterworth’s attack and contributions off the bench.
The win could prove to be a costly victory however, as star sophomore guard Zakiya Minifee suffered a potential season ending injury. Only five minutes into the game, the team’s leading rebounder landed awkwardly on her left leg underneath the basket, and immediately began screaming and writhing in pain. After being attended to by the medical staff for nearly ten minutes, Minifee’s left leg was placed in an air cast and she was carted off the court.
With Minifee’s absence, Coach Beckie Francis had to employ more players off the bench to contribute at both ends of the court. Ten players registered at least a point for the Grizzlies, with all 12 girls earning minutes on the court.
“I was really proud of the players that got additional minutes that Zakiya would normally have. They really stepped up, our bench was huge,” Francis said, “We asked them to give us that extra ‘umph’ and they did. That is why we are so happy with a team win.”
That ‘team win’ was keyed by a 15-0 run in the first half. During that offensive outburst, Watterworth notched nine, including two three-pointers. Watterworth matched the entire IUPUI squad in scoring in the first half, with each having 17 points.
Watterworth was the only OU player in double figures. Sophomore Victoria Lipscomb had seven points and was tied with Watterworth for a team leading eight rebounds.
Senior Emily Phillips was the only Jaguars player in double figures with 16 points. Junior Kerah Nelson had nine points and six rebounds.
After leading 34-17 at the halftime break, Oakland notched a basket to open the second half and build their largest lead of the game at 19. IUPUI (6-10, 1-3) fought back with a 16-0 run, keyed by 10 points from senior guard Emily Phillips.
Oakland failed to register a basket for nearly eight minutes, letting the Jaguars back within three points.
However, the Grizzlies once again turned to Watterworth to give them a spark. Watterworth scored 11 of the next 12 Oakland points, breaking the scoring slump and allowing for the Grizzlies to hold on to the victory.
Watterworth explained the scoring drought saying, “We were just kind of playing on our heels a little bit, almost playing a little scared. We had a lot of turnovers which caused them to get easy fast break points. We just got the mentality to start attacking, and that was very effective.”
In a game that the Grizzlies never trailed, Coach Francis was very proud of the way her team responded to that cold streak. “We kept our composure after they made a run at us. I was really proud of our leadership making some big plays and getting the win at the end of it.”
Francis highlighted the performance of Watterworth at both ends of the court. The junior was just short of a double-double, notching eight rebounds in addition to her game high 27 points. “The players are smart to work it to Bethany when she is hot,” Coach Francis said, “That is the beauty of the motion offense.”
Coach Francis was even more pleased with Watterworth’s performance on defense. Watterworth was matched up against the Jaguars’ leading scorer, Kerah Nelson who was averaging nearly 16 points a game coming into tonight. Tonight, Nelson only mustered nine points, including only two points in the second half.
“I was really proud of Bethany. That was her assignment (guarding Nelson), and usually she is not guarding the best player on the other team, but with Zakiya out, we asked her to step up and she did,” Francis said. “That is what I was most proud of. Not her 27 points, but how she held Nelson, and that she (Nelson) didn’t go off.”
Francis was very glad to be back playing in the O’Rena, after spending nearly a month away from the home court. “It felt wonderful to be home, I loved the crowd, the band, the cheerleaders, and our dance team.”
The women stay home next week, playing their next game against Western Illinois on Monday, Jan. 9, at 6:30 p.m.
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