Feb. 11, 2009
Final Stats | Notes
ATHENS, Ohio - Sophomore forward Kamille Buckner (Chicago, Ill.) scored a team-high 12 points and recorded two blocks, tying her for second place on Ohio's single-season blocks list with 44, but Western Michigan's second-half shooting was too much as the Bobcats (8-14, 4-6 Mid-American Conference) fell to the Broncos (6-17, 2-8 MAC), 74-56, in The Convo.
"Western Michigan is a good team," Ohio coach Semeka Randall said. "We knew that coming in. You can't let their record fool you. They are a very good offensive rebounding team. From start to finish, they just beat us on the offensive glass. You can't win a game when you give up 18 offensive rebounds."
Sophomore center Thia Gholson (Louisville, Ky.) scored a career-high 11 points, grabbed six rebounds and tied a career high with two steals, while freshman center Maxine Ohakim (Westerville, Ohio) scored a career-high five points and grabbed five boards, also a career best, including four on the offensive glass. Freshman guard Tracy Snider (Lancaster, Ohio) tied her career-high four points, while guards Jennifer Bushby (Gahanna, Ohio) and Da'Keisha Mann (Columbus, Ohio) each chipped in eight points apiece, with Bushby dishing a game-high six assists. She now sits in ninth place on Ohio's career assist list.
Buckner also added six rebounds, but Ohio was outrebounded for only the sixth time this season, pulling down 32 caroms to WMU's 40. The Bobcats turned the ball over 17 times, five below their season average. They also rejected five shots, one above their season average of four per contest.
With four attempts in the game, junior guard Jenny Poff (St. John's, Mich.) is now in sole possession of fifth place on Ohio's all-time three-point field goals attempted list with 316. Poff finished the game with four points and five assists.
Western Michigan held a 31-25 advantage at the half, taking advantage of several second-chance opportunities created from offensive rebounds. WMU pulled away in the second period behind guard Brenna Banktson's accuracy from behind the arc. She finished 5-of-9 from three-point land with a game-high 21 points, and the Broncos were 6-of-9 from distance in the second period alone, seemingly hitting one every time the Bobcats made a run.
Overall, the Bobcats shot 41.5 percent from the floor on 22-of-53 field goals, while Western Michigan made 43 percent of its attempts, including 36 percent from distance.
Ohio will return to the floor Saturday, Feb. 14 for a Valentine's Day match-up at Ball State. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET in Muncie, Ind.
