ATHENS, Ohio ? The Ohio Bobcat women?s basketball team kicked off the season with a 136-96 win over the Premier All-Stars in an exhibition game today in the Convocation Center. Senior forward Kristian Kirkpatrick (Cost Mesa, Calif.) led all Bobcats with 18 points, while junior Tiffany Byrd (Columbus, Ohio) and freshman Quintana Ward (Park Forest, Ill.) added 17 each.

?Today showed that we have a lot of weapons,? commented Head Ohio Women?s Basketball Coach Lynn Bria. ?But I think we also have a lot of improving to do. The first half we clearly played to our tempo.?

Ohio came out and scored 79 points in the first half, shooting 60.9 percent from the floor and going 7-8 from the line. The Bobcats dropped 16 three point buckets, five coming from newcomer Ward, who had 15 points at the break. Freshman Ciara Iglehart (Mission Viejo, Calif.) collected five rebounds to lead the team at the half.

It was all Ohio in the second half, led by senior Erin Isbell (Gahanna, Ohio). Isbell, who had just four points and three boards in the first stanza, came out on fire, scoring 12 in the second and pulling down eight more rebounds, to finish the game with 16 points, 11 boards. Freshman Lauren Revesz (Bridgeville, Pa.) was perfect in her collegiate debut, going 7-7 from the floor including two from behind the arc. Revesz also grabbed four rebounds. Walk-on freshman Lauren Lindsay (Massillion, Ohio) fouled out towards the end of the second half, exiting with nine points and three rebounds in her first outing as a Bobcat. Ward, who led all newcomers with 17 points, also led all Bobcats in assists, dishing out eight.

?We have many players who have proven they can shoot the three, even some of our inside players,? noted Bria. ?At times, we could put five quality three-point shooters out on the court.?

Eight Bobcats finished in double digits, joining Kirkpatrick, Byrd and Ward where Elizabeth Brown (Thermopolis, Wyo.) with 12, Revesz with 16, Isbell with 16, Simone Redd (Warrensville Heights, Ohio) with 13 and Iglehart with 15. Ohio picked up 43 points off 32 Premier All-Star turnovers and 63 from 21 three pointers made.

?We need to be better throughout the contest. I think we were a little bit complacent in the second half,? commented Bria. ?We fouled way too much and that will be the difference against good teams. We need to force offenses to hit shots.?

Ohio will be back in action Friday, Nov. 19 versus Oakland University in The Convo. Tipp-off is slated for 7 p.m.