Jan. 21, 2009

Final Stats

OXFORD, Ohio - Behind senior Lauren Hmiel's second-career double-double, the Ohio University women's basketball team came away victorious at Millett Hall for the first time since 1998, knocking off Miami, 66-53, on Wednesday afternoon. The win snapped Ohio's (7-10, 3-2 Mid-American Conference) 11-game losing streak to Miami (11-7, 3-2 MAC) in Oxford, as the Green & White led from start to finish.

"I'm really proud of our kids for stepping up and playing a full 40 minutes." Ohio head coach Semeka Randall said. "Miami is a great team that plays very tough."

The Bobcats' defense held a RedHawk squad that was averaging 75.2 points per game in MAC play to just 53 on 19-of-66 shooting (28.8 percent), the second-lowest by an Ohio opponent this season, including just 3-of-16 from deep (18.8 percent). The 'Cats were 25-of-57 from the field for 43.9 percent, with a pair of trifectas on 10 tries. Ohio had 17 assists on its 25 makes, including a career-high-tying nine from junior guard Jennifer Bushby (Gahanna, Ohio), while also outrebounding the 'Hawks, 51-32, which tied both Ohio's season-high total and its season-best rebounding margin.

Hmiel (York, Pa.) paced the Bobcats with a game-high 18 points, including 14 in the second half, on 7-of-14 shooting and a career-best 13 rebounds (seven offensive), as the senior has now scored at least 15 points in nine of her last 10 games. In addition to Bushby's nine assists, she chipped in 13 points, eight rebounds, three steals and a block in 39 minutes of action. Sophomore forward Kamille Buckner (Chicago, Ill.) was Ohio's third double-figure scorer with 10, to along with six caroms and a block, marking her 10th-straight game with a rejection.

Sophomore center Thia Gholson (Louisville, Ky.) tied a career high with eight points, while adding nine boards, and senior center Chandra Myers (Sugarcreek, Ohio) contributed seven points and six boards.

Jenna Schone led the RedHawks with 12 points, but on 4-of-18 shooting, and dished out a team-high seven assists.

The Bobcats pounced on Miami early, grabbing a 13-6 advantage by the second media timeout, thanks in part to a strong defensive effort that limited the RedHawks to 3-of-16 shooting to start the game, including 0-for-5 from 3-point land. Ohio stretched the lead to 19-6, while holding Miami scoreless from the 14:16 mark to the 9:04 mark, until Courtney Reed hit two free throws to end the RedHawk draught.

Miami notched its first field goal in over eight minutes with 6:05 remaining in the half to cut the Bobcat lead to 11 at 22-11, after missing 10-straight shots. The lead blossomed to 14 for the 'Cats, 27-13, with 3:58 to play on a Myers free throw. The RedHawks closed the half on a 7-2 run however, to get within nine at the break, 29-20.

Ohio forced Miami into 20.6 percent shooting in the opening 20 minutes on 7-of-34 field goals, a first-half season-low percentage for a Bobcat opponent, including just 1-of-8 from behind the arc. Ohio went 10-of-25 in the first frame for 40.0 percent. Bushby led all scorers with seven points at recess.

Both teams started fast in the second half, trading the opening 12 points of the period, before junior guard Jenny Poff's (St. John's, Mich.) triple capped a 5-0 spurt to put Ohio on top 40-26 just 4:06 into the second stanza. Six unanswered points from Miami cut the Bobcat margin to single digits less than two minutes later, but a pair of baskets from Hmiel pushed the lead back to double figures. The RedHawks closed to within seven on a free throw with just over five minutes left, but Ohio again withstood Miami's comeback. The RedHawks would get no closer than seven, as each time Miami attempted to chip away, the 'Cats had an answer, claiming the 66-53 win.

"We were very resilient today," Randall said. "We kept attacking when we really needed to. Lauren (Hmiel) and (Jennifer) Bushby made some big plays. Defensively, we did a great job holding Miami down. This was a complete team effort against a very good basketball team."

Ohio returns home to host Northern Illinois, Saturday, Jan. 24, in the first half of a Bobcat basketball double header. The women tip-off at noon, with the men to follow at 2:30 p.m. in The Convo.