“We are trying to do what we can with the core six or seven kids that we have,” Merchant said. “I know it’s not pretty, but I think you have to give the kids credit. I think they are trying and we are going to get better.”

Senior guard Jasmine Thomas led the team with 16 points and six assists. Senior forward Courtney Schiffauer also grabbed 12 rebounds in the 39 point victory.

With Williams out for the year, Merchant said she must rely heavily on sophomore forward Becca Mills and sophomore center Jasmine Hines to fill the hole left by the injured center.

“We almost have to play one for the other a little bit there because we are so limited,” she said. “They have to play off each other, but I will play them together, at times, depending on matchups. I think the positive thing is they know they’re going to play, so I’m hoping they can build their confidence.”

Junior guard Klarissa Bell said the team used this game as a gauge to judge what they needed to develop before getting into the regular season.

“I mean, it’s our first game, so there are things that we’re going to see that we need to improve on, individually and as a team,” Bell said. “I think we could have slowed the ball down a little bit, sometimes I thought we got a little bit chaotic. You’re not going to know how to play in a game until you start playing in games, so the more experience that we get in a game will be better for us.”

Mills, who is returning from offseason knee surgery, had 13 points and eight rebounds in 29 minutes of play, and said she is still getting in the much expanded role she has this season.

“I felt good in the second half because in the second half, because in the first half I was frustrated my shot wasn’t going in,” Mills said. “Once I got rolling, it felt good. I think the first game you have to get that out of the way. My shot is still getting there, I don’t think its back to what it was last season.”

She said although she would rather play at forward and have more opportunities to shoot, she can play the center position with some more practice.

“I prefer the four, but if they need me at the five, I can do it,” Mills said. “I’ve played post my whole life; I just have to get stronger in there because the Big Ten is a lot bigger and tougher. Defensively with rebounds, (Williams) was a big defensive presence with her blocking ability and she gobbled up a lot of rebounds, so I need to step up a lot more there too.”

If there is one thing Merchant wants to improve before the next exhibition game against Grand Valley on Sunday, it would be finding the consistency of who the team’s go to shooters are.

“I think any good team knows who their best player is.,” Merchant said. “You can always have an unified approach where you love everybody to be a part of it, but I don’t know who I would draw the last play up for right now. We lost a couple of people that I would have thought about, so now it’s about people performing and stepping up.”