Jan. 6, 2010
Final Stats
KENT, Ohio - Kamille Buckner became Ohio's all-time leader in blocks and Jennifer Bushby scored a season-high 21 points, but Ohio dropped a tight 70-66 decision to Kent State to open up Mid-American Conference play Wednesday night in the M.A.C. Center.
Buckner's (Chicago, Ill.) swat with 6:53 left in the second half gave her the school's all-time record with 116 blocks now for her career. Bushby (Gahanna, Ohio) knocked down a season-best five three's en route to her game-high 21 points. Ohio (4-10, 0-1 MAC) finished the game shooting at a 46 percent clip from the field, including 45 percent, 9-of-20, from distance. The `Cats also got another big lift from their bench as the reserves totaled 35 points to Kent's 12. The Golden Flashes (8-5, 1-0 MAC) shot 49 percent from the field, and got to the free throw line 28 times compared to just eight for the Green and White.
Bushby's 21 led three Ohio players in double figures, as Jenny Poff (St. John's, Mich.) added 14 points and Carolyn Barnett (North Chicago, Ill.) chipped in 13 off the Bench. Buckner finished with a game-high nine rebounds to go with seven points and two steals in addition to her three blocks. Bushby recorded two blocks to tie a season high, while Poff also contributed a pair of thefts.
Kent took the early lead, jumping out to a 7-2 advantage before a Buckner bucket inside cut the lead to 7-6. The Golden Flashes knocked down a three to take a 10-6 lead with 17:27 left in the first half. The rims were unkind to Ohio over the next several minutes as Kent extended its lead to 15-6 with 11:42 remaining in the half.
Barnett knocked down three straight triples to cut pull the `Cats within one at 18-17. Kent then responded with a pair of quick buckets of its own to take a 22-17 lead. A Thia Gholson (Louisville, Ky.) layin off a Bushby feed tied the score at 24 apiece. Bushby then gave Ohio its first lead with a three with 5:12 left in the half. Following an intense back-and-forth couple minutes, Bushby knocked down two more treys, the latter giving the `Cats a 33-30 lead with 2:27 left in the frame.
Action remained intense the last two minutes of the half with the Green and White taking a 38-35 lead into the lockerroom. Ohio finished the half shooting 51 percent from the field, including a sizzling 67 percent (8-of-12) from behind the arc. The Golden Flashes also had a hot hand in the first stanza, shooting at a 54 percent clip from the field.
The second half began much the same as the first half ended, with action going back and forth over the first few minutes. Ohio held a 45-43 lead with 15:47 left. Kent's Chenel Harris knocked down a three to tie the score at 46 before a Bushby baseline jumper gave the Green and White a 48-46 edge with 12:15 left.
Neither side would give an inch over the next few minutes of play as the action was tied at 57 apiece with 7:47 left. Play remained tight with each side trading buckets over the next four minutes and Ohio holding a 63-59 lead following a pair of Da'Keisha Mann (Columbus, Ohio) free throws with 3:46 left.
A Jamilah Humes jumper with 1:32 left tied the score at 65, before Buckner knocked down a free throw gave Ohio back a one-point lead. Following a `Cat turnover, Taisja Jones managed to drive and get a prayer inside to drop and give Kent a one-point lead with 1:08 left. Another costly turnover hurt with just under a minute remaining hurt the Green and White as the Golden Flashes were able to knock down three free throws the rest of the way to secure the win.
Jones and Humes each scored 20 points to lead Kent State.
Ohio returns to the friendly confines of the Convo Saturday when it welcomes Bowling Green for its conference home opener. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
