Nov. 24, 2008
Final Stats
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - In an exciting first-ever meeting between Ohio and Memphis, which saw four ties and four lead changes, the Tigers (3-2) swung the final blow in a back-and-forth bout that ended in a 72-69 loss for the Ohio women's basketball team Monday night. Despite registering three double-figure scorers for the first time this season and a season-best 69 points, the Bobcats (1-2) were unable to overcome 16 second-half turnovers.
Ohio shot 53.1 percent from the field (26-of-49) for the game and knocked down six 3-pointers, while making 11 of its 15 free-throw attempts, bettering the Tigers' 43.3 field goal percentage (29-of-67) and 10-of-15 shooting from the charity stripe. Memphis did outrebound the 'Cats 36-30, however, including 19 offensive rebounds, which led to a 17-8 edge in second-chance points.
"Offensive rebounding was the difference," Ohio head coach Semeka Randall said. "Any time you give up 19 offensive rebounds, it is going to be tough to win. I was proud of the girls though. They battled hard and fought back when they really needed to. They did a great job supporting each other so that we could fight back the way we did."
The Bobcats struggled early, as Memphis ran off the first six points of the game, but a 3-pointer from senior Lauren Hmiel (York, Pa.) put Ohio on the board. Following a Tiger basket, the 'Cats used an 11-2 run over the next four minutes, led by a pair of layups and free throws from Hmiel, to go up 14-10.
The two squads traded field goals until Ohio scored seven straight points, in which three different Bobcats made a field goal, as the Green & White took a 26-18 lead. After another Hmiel layup, Ohio led 32-26, but Memphis closed the half on a 16-2 run, as the Bobcats connected on just one of their final nine field goal attempts in the opening half.
The Tigers held a 42-34 advantage at the break, as they shot 56.3 percent (18-of-32) from the floor. Ohio was 13-of-26 for 50 percent shooting from the field and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line. Both teams knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and Memphis held a slight, 18-16 edge in rebounds. Hmiel led the Bobcats at the half with 13 points.
A layup by senior Chandra Myers (Sugarcreek, Ohio) and back-to-back 3-pointers from junior Jenny Poff (St. John's, Mich.) to start the second stanza quickly knotted the game at 42 less than a minute and a half into the second period. The Tigers would respond, however, posting the next nine points as Ohio committed six turnovers during the four-minute spurt and was forced to call timeout. The 'Cats committed just eight turnovers the whole first half.
Two free throws by freshman Danielle Woodmore (Louisville, Ky.) stopped the scoreless streak and a layup from junior Catherine Cain (Dayton, Ohio) cut the deficit to five. Memphis responded, as they did all game, with a 7-0 run, and gained their first double-digit lead of the game at 58-46. Ohio stormed back once more, scoring 17 of the game's next 21 points behind four points from Hmiel and Myers each, as well as two 3-pointers from Poff, to regain the lead with less than five minutes to play.
The game of runs continued, with the Tigers tacking on five more points for a four-point lead, until a Hmiel layup and two free throws from junior Jennifer Bushby (Gahanna, Ohio) evened the score at 67. Tied at 69, Memphis' Ramses Lonlack hit a free throw with 41 ticks remaining to go up by one. Hmiel was fouled on the ensuing possession, but missed the front end of a 1-and-1 free throw with seven seconds to play and Lonlack knocked down two more free throws to seal the win.
Poff paced the Bobcats with a career-high 20 points (7-of-12), including 4-of-8 from behind the 3-point line, while Hmiel tied a career best with 19 points (8-of-11) and Myers finished as the third double-figure scorer with 14 (6-of-8). Myers also grabbed a game-high six rebounds, while sophomore Kamille Buckner (Chicago, Ill.) swatted a career-high five blocks and Cain nabbed a career-best three steals. Bushby added six assists, while Poff chipped in five. Paris Leonard notched a game-high 24 points to help charge Memphis to the victory.
"This was a complete team effort tonight," Randall said. "We showed a lot of poise, and our bench really played well. We'll learn from this game and be ready to come out and play hard this weekend."
Ohio continues its eight-game road trip to begin the season on Friday, Nov. 28 in Cancun, Mexico, when they'll do battle with the South Carolina Gamecocks as part of the Cancun Thanksgiving Classic. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. ET.
