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Box Score (PDF)

ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio women's basketball team took down Walsh in an exhibition, 83-77, on Saturday afternoon at The Convocation Center. 

Redshirt sophomore guard Caitlyn Kroll (Bridgeport, Ohio) led the way for Ohio with 20 points in 31 minutes of play off the bench. Redshirt sophomore guard Erica Johnson (Mansfield, Ohio) had 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting while junior forward Gabby Burris (Baltimore, Ohio) had 11 points and was +18, the best for Ohio during the win. Senior guard Amani Burke (Columbus, Ohio) knocked down two threes and recorded nine points. Junior guard Cece Hooks (Dayton, Ohio) posted seven points while redshirt junior guard Katie Barker (Cary, Ill.) posted six.

Ohio shot 39.1 percent (25-of-64) from the field and 30.4 percent (7-of-23) from the three-point line. The Bobcats held Walsh to 41.7 percent shooting (30-of-72) and 27.6 percent (8-of-29) shooting from behind the arc.

In her first collegiate basketball game after playing four years of volleyball at Duquesne, graduate transfer guard Maddie Bazelak (Dayton, Ohio) posted 10 rebounds and added six points in the win. Sophomore forward Deesh Beck (Grand Rapids, Mich.) pulled down nine rebounds, including six on the offensive side. 

The Bobcats had 19 offensive rebounds and 49 total rebounds while outrebounding Walsh 49-42.

Ohio had assists on 15 baskets, with Johnson leading the way with four. Freshman guard Peyton Guice (Westerville, Ohio) posted three assists, while Hooks, Barker and Hooks all had two.

The Bobcats had six steals, with Kroll and Beck recording two and Johnson and Burke posting one.

Ohio started the game down 20-17 after the first quarter. Burke had eight points in the first frame after playing all 10 minutes. Burke hit two threes and pulled down four rebounds in the quarter. Ohio was 7-of-19 from the field while Walsh was 8-of-13.

The Bobcats went to halftime up 40-31 after outscoring Walsh 23-11 in the second quarter. The Bobcats were led by Burris and Barker in the second frame after scoring six points each. Barker knocked down two threes while Burris was 3-of-4 from the field. Ohio cooled down Walsh and held the Cavaliers to 5-of-14 shooting, while Ohio was 9-of-18 from the field and 3-of-9 from deep.

Walsh took the lead in the third quarter after outscoring OU 27-16. Kroll posted nine points while Bazelak pulled in six offensive rebounds.

The Bobcats were able to take the lead in the fourth quarter with 5:57 left in the game after a junior guard Hunter Rogan (Urbana, Ohio) three. Walsh tied the game with 4:56 left but Kroll grabbed Ohio the advantage once again and the Bobcats held the lead for the rest of the game. OU outscored Walsh 27-19 in the final frame and was 9-of-20 from the field in the quarter.

Ohio will begin the regular season on Tuesday at No. 21 Syracuse. Tip-off in the Carrier Dome is set for 8 p.m.

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