March 4, 2015
Final Stats
The Basics:
Score: Ohio 69, Kent State 56
Location: M. A. C. Center - Kent, Ohio
The Short Story: Led by Mariah Byard's 17 points, the Ohio women's basketball team (24-4, 15-2 MAC) defeated Kent State (5-23, 3-14 MAC) in its final road game of the regular season, 69-56.
OHIO STARTERS: #2 Mariah Byard, #4 Kiyanna Black, #5 Quiera Lampkins, #10 Lexie Baldwin, #14 Kat Yelle
KENT STATE STARTERS: #0 CiCi Shannon, #3 Larissa Lurken, #21 Melanee Stubbs, #23 Mikell Chinn, #35 Jordan Korinek
How It Happened:
- With the Bobcats' first three points of the game, Kiyanna Black hit a three, her 87th of the season.
- Trailing 18-15 with 8:32 left in the first half, Mariah Byard hit back-to-back three pointers to put Ohio up 23-20.
- Byard and Black led the first half with six points each.
- Jasmine Weatherspoon grabbed seven rebounds in the first half.
- The Bobcats entered the half leading 31-24.
- The Bobcat defense held Kent State to one field goal the final seven minutes of the first half.
- Ohio recorded five steals in the first half.
- The Bobcats opened the second half with back-to-back threes by Black in Byrad in the first 34 seconds.
- Byard finished the game with 17 points, going 4-of-7 from the field, 3-of-6 from beyond the arc and 6-of-8 from the free throw line.
- Black finished with 11 points, shooting 3-of-15 from the field and 2-of-9 from three-point range.
- Lampkins finished with 10, making it three Bobcats in double figures.
- Weatherspoon finished the game with 12 rebounds.
- In total, Ohio grabbed 12 steals.
- The Bobcat defense forced 26 Kent State turnovers and scored 21 points off of them.
- The Bobcats shot 64.9% (24-of-37) from the free throw line.
- The Bobcats led for 28:47.
- The largest lead for the Bobcats was 16 at 8:24 in the second half.
- The game was tied for a total of three minutes and 43 seconds.
- The Bobcat defense held Kent State to 20% (2-of-10) from three-point range.
- The Bobcat bench scored 18 points.
- Kat Yelle dished out three assists.
- The Bobcat defense held the Flashes to no three pointers in the second half.
- For Kent State, Cici Shannon had 11 points and 11 rebounds.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Black's 87th three pointer of the season tied her with the program record in threes made in a single season.
- With her 88th made three in the opening second of the second half, Black became the all-time program leader in threes made in a single season.
- The Bobcats won their 24th game of the season. The last time Ohio won 24 games in the season was 1985-86.
- With their 15th conference win of the season, Ohio has won 15 conference games for the first time since 1994-95.
- The win gave Ohio their 28th all-time win against Kent State.
- The Bobcats now have 259 made threes.
QUOTABLE
Head Coach Bob Boldon:
"Mariah's a very special player. She was our leading scorer tonight. I think her effect on the team goes well beyond scoring the basketball. She's a great team defender. She's a team offensive player. She cares a lot about her teammates. She has a tremendous way about doing her business and she's tremendous academically. She's going to graduate with a nursing degree, which isn't easy under any circumstance, and especially playing four years of college basketball. She's endured some injuries along the way and I'm just really happy for her. Hopefully we can have a good night and send her off the right way."
COMING UP
The Bobcats wrap up the regular season in Athens when they host Miami for the second Battle of the Bricks on Saturday, March 7. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. Before the game, Ohio will honor senior Mariah Byard in a pregame ceremony.
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