CMU women to open at Michigan, travel to MSU in short nonconference season
Central Michigan coach Heather Oesterle coaches during a timeout against Bowling Green Feb. 15 at McGuirk Arena.
CMU's women's basketball team will face a tough nonconference schedule and add a Mid-American Conference game in the middle to open the 2020-21 season.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the MAC has allowed each team to play a maximum of five nonconference games. Currently, CMU has four games scheduled.
The Chippewas will open the season on Nov. 25 on the road against Michigan in Crisler Center.
Next, CMU will travel to Dayton for a return game of a home-and-home series. The Chippewas beat the Flyers in overtime last season, 81-80, in McGuirk Arena.
CMU will host Cincinnati on Dec. 12 for its home opener in McGuirk Arena. Then, Miami (Ohio) comes in for a rescheduled game to open the MAC slate.
Finally, the Chippewas will face Michigan State in East Lansing on Dec. 18.
Coach Heather Oesterle said CMU is looking to add a fifth nonconference game before the conference slate restarts on Jan. 2 at Ohio.
"It's a brutal schedule," Oesterle said. "Cincinnati returns their best player, Michigan State is gonna be a tough challenge for us. Dayton, we went to overtime with them and squeaked out one.
"All four of those games will be a challenge for us."
Here is the tentative Chippewas' schedule for the 2020-21 season.
Nov. 25 at Michigan (Season opener)
Dec. 6 at Dayton
Dec. 12 vs. Cincinnati (Home opener)
Dec. 15 vs. Miami (Ohio) (MAC opener)
Dec. 18 at Michigan State
Jan. 2 at Ohio
Jan. 6 vs Akron
Jan. 9 at Buffalo
Jan. 13 at Northern Illinois
Jan. 16 vs Ohio
Jan. 20 vs Eastern Michigan
Jan. 23 at Akron
Jan. 27 at Toledo
Jan. 30 vs Buffalo
Feb. 3 vs Ball State
Feb. 6 at Western Michigan
Feb. 10 at Miami (Ohio)
Feb. 13 vs Kent State
Feb. 17 at Bowling Green
Feb. 20 vs Western Michigan
Feb. 24 vs Toledo
Feb. 27 at Eastern Michigan
March 3 at Ball State
March 6 vs Northern Illinois
March 10-13 MAC Tournament (Cleveland, Ohio)
