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Box Score (PDF)

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Behind 26 points from both redshirt junior guard Erica Johnson and senior guard Cece Hooks, the Ohio women's basketball team (6-4, 4-3 MAC) took down Central Michigan (7-4, 5-2 MAC) on the road, 93-84, on Saturday afternoon at McGuirk Arena.

"We showed a lot of character and toughness today and those are two things as the season goes on we are very excited about," head coach Bob Boldon said. "Our backs were against the wall and we were looking at having a losing record in the conference for the first time in a long time. That gets your attention and they had to do it against the best team in the conference and they did just that. The team deserves a lot of credit."

Johnson (Mansfield, Ohio) posted 26 on 7-of-14 shooting. Johnson was 3-of-5 from the three-point line and 9-of-9 from the free-throw line. Johnson added a career-high six steals, four rebounds and two assists.

Hooks (Dayton, Ohio) had 26 points on 12-of-20 shooting. Hooks was 2-of-4 from the free-throw line and added four assists and two steals in 31 minutes on the floor before fouling out.

Hooks has scored 20 or more points nine times this season. Johnson has scored 20 or more six times this season.

Senior forward Gabby Burris (Baltimore, Ohio) had 15 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field and 3-of-5 from deep. Burris added eight boards and was +14 on the floor.

Redshirt junior Caitlyn Kroll (Bridgeport, Ohio) posted her third-straight game with 10 or more points after knocking down three from behind the arc and finishing with 12 points. Kroll had eight rebounds. Redshirt freshman Madi Mace (Parkersburg, W. Va.) recorded her career-high with 12 points on 3-of-9 shooting and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line.

Overall, Ohio shot 29-of-61 (47.5 percent) from the field and 9-of-22 (40.9 percent) from the three-point line. CMU was 30-of-61 (49.2 percent) overall and 8-of-25 (32.0 percent) from deep. Ohio was 26-of-30 (86.7 percent) from the free-throw line while CMU was 16-of-18 (88.9 percent).

Ohio forced 22 turnovers and had 12 steals. Johnson's six swipes led OU, while Mace posted three.

Both CMU and Ohio had 32 rebounds. Ohio posted nine offensive boards. Both Burris and Kroll had eight boards, while Mace came down with six. Johnson hauled in four while sophomore Peyton Guice (Westerville, Ohio) had one rebound to add to her two points. OU had 18 points off of turnovers.

Ohio assisted on seven buckets, with Hooks posting a game-high four. Johnson had two and Kroll posted one.

The Bobcats took a 41-32 lead into halftime, with Hooks posting 15 first-half points. OU shot 15-of-33 in the first half and 3-of-12 from deep.

After outscoring CMU 24-20 in the third, Ohio outpaced CMU 32-28 in a fast-paced fourth quarter. Ohio was 6-of-9 (66.7 percent) from the field in the final frame, and 13-of-14 (92.9 percent) from the free-throw line to ice the game.

Ohio will return home to continue Mid-American Conference play on Wednesday. The Bobcats will take on Buffalo at the Convocation Center at 6 p.m.

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