Marauders Women's Basketball Opens the Season With Statement Win Over Cedarville, 62–52
WILBERFORCE, Ohio — So much was unknown entering opening night. A roster that graduated nine players. A team with ten new faces. A coaching staff still molding identity, chemistry, and roles. Even the preseason conversation around Central State Women's Basketball was filled with curiosity rather than predictions.
But on Tuesday night inside Beacom/Lewis Gym, the Marauders provided their first answer.
And it was a loud one.
Central State battled, defended, and delivered clutch plays in a gritty 62–52 victory over G-MAC opponent Cedarville University, a regional rival located just a few miles down Route 42 — but, as fans saw tonight, worlds apart when it came to toughness.
A New Team, But the Right Energy
With so much roster turnover, nobody fully knew what the first look at the 2025–26 Marauders would bring. What emerged was a team willing to defend for four quarters and make timely shots when the pressure peaked.
CSU set the tone early, winning the first quarter 17–11 and controlling momentum until the final buzzer.
The message of the night: this team may be new, but they compete.
Williams Leads the Way, Maddickes provides the Spark
Sophomore guard Ma'Kayla Williams was sensational, scoring a team-high 15 points while battling through heavy defensive attention. She hit big shots late, including a pair of dagger threes that pushed CSU ahead for good in the fourth.
Her energy set the tone on both ends of the floor. Maddickes came of the bench to provide a spark that showed toughness and grit. Maddickes finished with 9 points and 14 rebounds. Maddickes was named Life Connection of Ohio player of the game.
Bench Delivers 33 Points
One of the biggest preseason questions about CSU was depth.
That question is already being answered.
The Marauder bench exploded for 33 points, paced by:
With so many new players, the rotation is wide open — and CSU's reserves made a statement.
Defense and Toughness Down the Stretch
Cedarville made multiple pushes, but CSU closed the game with its strongest defensive quarter, holding the Yellow Jackets to 10 points in the fourth.
Key defensive moments:
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Only 4-for-21 Cedarville shooting from three
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Just 10 points allowed in the fourth
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Crucial stops after turnovers or empty offensive trips
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39 team rebounds, including 14 on the offensive glass
Freshman forward Kennedy Walker also supplied energy, grabbing 8 rebounds and defending the paint with physicality.
A First Look at Something Promising
There will be more growing moments ahead. More questions to answer. More roles to refine. But the Marauders showed one thing clearly on opening night:
They're going to fight.
They're going to defend.
And they're going to make Beacom/Lewis Gym a hard place to walk into.
This wasn't just a season-opening win — it was the first real glimpse of what Coach Annitra Cole has been building.
CSU improves to 1–0 and returns to action Thursday at home against SIAC rival Benedict College. Tipoff is set for 5:30 PM.
