Women’s basketball: Jeltema’s milestone highlights win

By JARED PURCELL

Sports Editor

 

If points could define how great a basketball player is, junior Melissa Jeltema has 1,000 reasons to prove her greatness. Jeltema became the twenty-second player in OU history to reach the 1,000 plateau as her double-double helped propel Oakland University (23-5, 15-2) to a 66-55 victory over UMKC (12-16, 7-10) on Saturday.

 

“It was just one of those unsaid goals that I had for the year,” Jeltema said. “I didn’t think about it too much during the season because I just go out there and play but it’s nice to reach my goal.”

 

Jeltema finished the game with 18 points and 12 rebounds while senior Jessica Pike scored 20 and was the only other Golden Grizzly to score in double figures.

 

Going into the half, OU held a 38-22 lead and went on to lead by as much as 23. UMKC managed to go on an 11-0 run to cut the difference to 10 with 1:04 to go, yet the effort proved too little too late. OU held on for it’s nineteenth double-digit victory of it’s 23 wins.

 

“They prepare well,” said OU head coach Beckie Francis of her team. “I think every single practice … [except] for one, I’ve said we’ve had a great practice. Yesterday, I said it was the best practice we’ve ever had. They just keep working hard.”

 

Jeltema scored her 1,000 point on a jumper from the free-throw line off of a feed from freshman Sharise Calhoun with 6:22 left in the game. She later hit two free-throws to wrap up her scoring for the night.

 

“[Jeletma] is phenomenal,” Francis said. Francis said that it’s hard enough to play against Jeltema in practice, let alone a game. “I gain even more respect for her as a player because I have to coach against her [in practice].”

 

Preparing for a run at a League Championship next weekend in Sioux Falls, S.D., Pike said that the team is using the final regular season games as a way to be ready for the postseason.

 

“We just have the mindset going into the tournament that we want to be as sharp and on top of our game as we can,” Pike said. “We come out every game and play the best defense that we can. That