Dec. 13, 2008
Final Stats
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - For the first time this season, the Ohio women's basketball team had four players score double-digit points, as the Bobcats (3-5) led from start to finish in a 67-53 win over Marshall (5-3) Saturday afternoon at the Cam Henderson Center. The victory extended Ohio's advantage in the all-time series to 21-11 and was its first win in Huntington since Feb. 5, 2003.
"I was very pleased with the team today," Ohio head coach Semeka Randall said. "They came out and played with good intensity. This was a total team effort today."
Senior Lauren Hmiel (York, Pa.) led the 'Cats with 16 points and tied a career best with nine rebounds. Senior center Chandra Myers (Sugarcreek, Ohio) chipped in 14 points and a season-best eight boards, while junior guards Jenny Poff (St. John's, Mich.) and Jennifer Bushby (Gahanna, Ohio) scored 11 and 10, respectively, to round out Ohio's double-figure scorers. Bushby also dished out a career-high nine assists and tied a career best with five steals. Sophomore forward Kamille Buckner (Chicago, Ill.) grabbed a career-high tying eight rebounds to help the 'Cats as well. Marshall's Chantelle Handy paced the Herd with a double-double, scoring 16 points and corralling a game-high 13 rebounds.
The Bobcats shot 49.1 percent from the field (26-of-53), but were just 4-of-13 from 3-point range and 11-of-21 from the free-throw line. Ohio did, however, continue their strong defensive play, holding the Herd over 15 points below their season average and right at the conference-leading 53.0 points per game average the Bobcats were allowing this season. Marshall was just 21-of-53 (39.6 percent) from the floor and knocked down just one 3-pointer on six tries. Ohio scored 14 fastbreak points to the Herd's five and outscored Marshall, 38-28, in the paint. The Bobcats also outrebounded their opponent for the sixth time (in eight games) this season, 41-31.
Ohio started fast, as Poff scored the first five points of the game, while the Thundering Herd missed their first three shots. A layup by Bushby stretched the Bobcats' lead to 11-2, before Marshall rattled off nine of the game's next 12 points, to slice the Ohio lead to three, 14-11, at the 6:49 mark.
Bushby capped a 6-0 Bobcat run with a jumper and a free throw to again extend the advantage to nine. The Herd answered with a 6-0 run of their own, closing to within three once more at 20-17 with 2:31 to play in the half. A pair of baskets by sophomore center Thia Gholson (Louisville, Ky.) and a bucket by Myers pushed Ohio to a 26-17 edge. After two Marshall free throws, Myers ended the first-half scoring on a layup with 23 seconds remaining, as the 'Cats went into the locker room up 28-19.
"Our post players really stepped up and played well," Randall said. "Chandra (Myers) did a great job in the post, and Thia (Gholson) came off the bench and gave us a big lift."
Myers paced Ohio with eight points in the opening half, while Bushby chipped in seven points to go along with her four steals and three assists in the first half. The Bobcats scored 16 of their 28 first-half points in the paint. Ohio was 12-of-26 (46.2 percent) from the floor, while the 'Cats played strong defense, holding the Herd to just 28.6 percent shooting (6-of-21) in the first 20 minutes. Poff had the half's lone 3-pointer.
Ohio started strong in the second half as well, registering the first nine points, thanks in part to a pair of Myers layups, giving the 'Cats a game-high tying 18-point lead, before Marshall's Casey Baker knocked down a shot to stop the bleeding at 37-21. The two teams would trade the next 12 points over a stretch of 3:30 for a score of 43-27 with 13:18 remaining.
The Thundering Herd closed to within nine with 5:07 to play in the game on a jumper from Handy, but Poff's third and final 3-pointer of the game and two fastbreak layups by Gholson, who finished with a career-high eight points, helped put Ohio back on top by double digits, 58-44, with less than four minutes to play. Marshall would get no closer than 12, as the Bobcats cruised to the 67-53 victory.
Ohio shot 51.9 percent in the second half, while the Herd was 15-of-32 for 46.9 percent, with Hmiel scoring 13 of her team-best 16 points in the second stanza for the 'Cats. Ohio grabbed 22 rebounds, including eight offensive boards, in the final 20 minutes.
"This was a great win for our team coming off an eight-game road trip and going into our home opener," Randall said.
With their eight-game road trip to open the season behind them, the Bobcats make their home debut Friday, Dec. 19, as the Cleveland State Vikings come calling. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. in The Convo.
