Jan. 12, 2014

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ATHENS, Ohio -- The stingiest defensive effort of the season to date allowed the Ohio University women’s basketball team (7-7, 2-1 MAC) to topple Mid-American Conference West Division leader Western Michigan University (6-8, 2-1 MAC), 70-53, and win its second conference game in a row on Sunday (Jan. 12) at the Convocation Center.

Ohio has already surpassed its overall and conference win total from the 2012-13 campaign and has opened the 20013-14 season with a perfect 4-0 mark at the friendly confines of the Convo -- the best start to a home slate for the Bobcats since beginning 4-0 in 2006-07.

“I think there’s just more attention to detail,” said first-year head coach Bob Boldon of his team’s turnaround. “I think, defensively, there’s more pride in guarding. They’re starting to understand what we’re trying to do offensively. They’re starting to work together a little bit better and understand where people can score the basketball from and what players are good at what basketball skills, so to speak, and put each other in positions to be successful.”

The Bobcats forced the Broncos to turn the ball over 17 times while only giving up the rock seven times at the other end of the floor. Ohio converted Western Michigan’s miscues into 17 points. The Bobcats also dominated the battle of the paint, outscoring the Broncos by a 30-20 count.

“Defensively, that’s as good as we’ve played,” said Boldon. “For 30-35 minutes, I thought we were real solid defensively. To stay with it defensively on a night where you don’t shoot the ball real well was clearly the difference in the game.”

Making her first start of the season, sophomore guard Kiyanna Black (Columbus, Ohio) knocked down four treys and went a perfect seven-for-seven from the free throw line to compile a game-high 29 points. The contest marked a team-high sixth time Black has led the Bobcats in scoring as well as the sixth time she has finished in double figures. She has scored 20 or more points four times this season.

Freshman guard Quiera Lampkins (Gahanna, Ohio) racked up 19 points to finish in double digits for the third straight game and sixth time this season. She also tallied a game-high four steals. 

Two Bobcats piled up double-digit rebounds, as freshman forward Hannah Boesinger (Hudson, Ohio) hauled in a career-high 13 to lead the game. Sophomore forward Lexie Baldwin (Hattiesburg, Miss.) matched her season high with 10 boards.

Four-straight points from Black helped propel Ohio in front by four five minutes into the contest. Buckets on consecutive possessions from Lampkins extended the Bobcats’ edge to eight with nine minutes to play in the half, but WMU responded with a 6-1 run to pull within three at 19-16 at the 7:01 mark of the stanza. 

From there, the Bobcats answered right back to take control of the game. Ohio held WMU without a field goal for the remainder of the half and closed the period on a 11-1 run to enter the break ahead by 13, 30-17.

After the Broncos cut the Ohio edge to nine at 33-24, the ‘Cats responded with a 7-2 surge to go back up by 14 with 13 minutes to go in the second half. The Broncos moved back within nine, 40-31, with 11 minutes to play, but a combined nine points from Black and Lampkins gave Ohio a 17-point edge with nine minutes left in the game.

The Bobcats extended their edge to 22 on a 3-pointer from Black and another triple from the sophomore put the ‘Cats up by 26 65-39.

Ohio takes to the road to battle MAC East Division rival Kent State University on Wednesday (Jan. 15). The opening tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.  

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