Dec. 21, 2010
Final Stats
ATHENS, Ohio - Three Bobcats scored in double figures and Ohio got 26 points from its bench as the `Cats downed visiting Cleveland State, 62-45, Tuesday afternoon to wrap up their pre-Christmas homestand. Tenishia Benson tallied her third consecutive double-double with a game-high 14 points and career-best tying 11 rebounds.
With the win, Ohio (4-8) continued its string of home court success against CSU, improving to 8-0 all-time in Athens. The Green and White defense came through with a strong performance, holding the Vikings (6-4), the defending Horizon League champions and an NCAA Tournament qualifier a year ago, to 20 points below their season average and their lowest output of the season. CSU's 45 points also tied the lowest output by a Bobcat opponent this season.
The `Cats won the battle on the boards for the fourth consecutive game, outrebounding the Vikings 46-31, a season best in caroms for the Green and White. Ohio also held CSU to a season-low 31.5 percent shooting and 17 field goals. The `Cats, meanwhile, shot 33 percent from both the field and beyond the arc, knocking down six treys on the day.
Benson's (Akron, Ohio) 14 points and 11 rebounds paced Ohio, becoming the first Bobcat to record three-straight double-doubles since Rachel Frederick in 2006. Sophomore Ashley Fowler (Cincinnati, Ohio) chipped in 10 points to go with a career-high six rebounds. Kamille Buckner (Chicago, Ill.) added 10 points off the bench to go with a season-high nine rebounds, five blocks and three assists. Sophomore Tina Fisher (Cottage Grove, Minn.) turned in another strong outing off the bench with eight points, a season-high tying four rebounds and season-best three assists. Symone Lyles (Silver Spring, Md.) chipped in a career-high eight points as well, while Alesia Howard (Columbus, Ohio) notched a career-high two blocks.
CSU opened up with an 8-1 run to start the game, before the `Cats came roaring back with a big 15-0 run over a span of 6:21 to take a 15-8 lead. Lyles scored five points in that stretch to help spark the run. The Vikings battled back and eventually took a 21-19 lead after a Takima Keane trey at the 5:01 mark to cap off an 11-4 run. Ohio returned the favor with a big 10-0 run the rest of the half to take a 29-21 lead into the lockerroom.
Lyles scored all eight of her points in the opening frame, while Benson scored seven to go with 10 boards in the half. Ohio finished the stanza shooting 39 percent from the field and holding CSU to just a 14 percent clip from beyond the arc. Ohio also got 15 big points from its reserves in the opening half, outscoring the Vikings' 15-2.
Ohio would not relinquish its lead the rest of the way and opened the second half with a 13-4 run behind seven points from Fowler to take its largest lead of the game at 42-25 with 13:39 left. CSU would not go away without a fight, however, and battled back to pull within 12 with just over eight minutes left. That was as close as the Vikings would get, however, as Ohio's defense clamped down to seal the win down the stretch.
CSU was led by junior Janelle Adams' 10 points, while Shalonda Winton chipped in nine points, nine rebounds, four assists and a block.
Ohio will now break for Christmas before returning to action Dec. 29 when it heads to North Carolina to take on UNC Wilmington in its final game of nonconference play. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. in the Trask Coliseum.
