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OHIO WOMEN'S BASKETBALL 2021-22 • GAME 7
December 15, 2021
8 p.m. EST/7 p.m. CST | Ohio (4-2) vs. Minnesota (6-6) | Williams Arena | Minneapolis, Minn. | BTN+ | Live Stats | Game Notes | Listen Live

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- After three straight victories inside the Convocation Center, the Ohio women's basketball team returns to action on the road on Wednesday night (Dec. 15). The Bobcats (4-2) will take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-6, 0-2 B1G) inside Williams Arena, with tip-off scheduled for 8 p.m. EST/7 p.m. CST. The game will be broadcast on BTN+, and can also be heard on the radio through the Stretch platform.

Ohio picked up their fourth win of the season in their last game, a 98-89 victory over the Richmond Spiders on Dec. 4. Senior Cece Hooks recorded her first double-double of the season with 24 points and 13 rebounds, while also dishing out eight assists. Redshirt-junior Erica Johnson led the team with 32 points, while also grabbing five rebounds and distributing seven assists. Senior forward Gabby Burris added 20 points of her own, and redshirt-sophomore Madi Mace was the fourth Bobcat in double figures with 10 points.

This meeting between the Bobcats and the Golden Gophers is the fourth all-time, with Minnesota winning the first three matchups. The last time these two teams played was in December of 2012, an 85-40 victory for Minnesota.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN GOPHERS
Minnesota is coming off a 73-61 loss to No. 13/11 Michigan on Sunday afternoon. Jasmine Powell led Minnesota with 19 points and eight rebounds. The Golden Gophers are shooting just over 35% from beyond the arc this season, a category in which Ohio has held their opponents to just 29.6% so far this season.

BACK ON THE ROAD
After three straight home victories inside the friendly confines of the Convo, the Bobcats hit the road for their next four contests, starting with their matchup with Minnesota.

OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION
The Bobcats have scored 90 or more points in their last three wins, including 98 points in their previous two matchups (Florida A&M, Richmond). This high-powered offensive output has vaulted the Bobcats to the top of the Mid-American Conference in scoring offense, with 81.8 points per game.

RARE COMPANY
Redshirt-junior Erica Johnson is one of only four Division I players to average 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game so far this season, joining Paige Bueckers (UConn), Caitlin Clark (Iowa), and Jennifer Coleman (Navy).

WARM WELCOME BACK TO THE CONVO
Ohio returned to action on the Convocation Center floor in front of fans for the first time since the 2019- 20 season when the Bobcats took on Mercyhurst on Nov. 20. Cece Hooks and Erica Johnson each scored 21 points to help lead Ohio to a convincing 90-46 victory. Freshman guard Yaya Felder made her first start in a Bobcat uniform, scoring 10 points and grabbing a team-high 8 rebounds.

DYNAMIC DUO
Cece Hooks and Erica Johnson led the Bobcats to their first win of the 2021-22 season against Cincinnati. Hooks contributed 21 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 assists, while Johnson led the team with 27 points, along with 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals.

RUN IT BACK
The Bobcats return all five starters and nearly all bench players from their 2020-21 team that made it to the semifinals of the MAC Tournament and played in the WNIT as well.

CECE CONTINUES RECORD-SETTING CAREER Senior point guard Cece Hooks returns for another season after testing the WNBA draft process after last season. She averaged a MAC- best 25.1 points/game en route to winning MAC Player of the Year last season

RECORDS REWRITTEN?
Cece Hooks sits in second place all-time for several career records, including total points scored, points per game, field goals made, free throws made, and free throws attempted. She set a new school record for field goals attempted (1,783) in the season opener against Notre Dame. Erica Johnson and Gabby Burris can also already be found in the Ohio women's basketball record book, and aim to move up the ranks this season.

PRESEASON ALL-MAC PICKS
As a team, Ohio was picked to win the regular season Mid-American Conference title, picking up 132 total votes and four first-place votes. The Bobcats also had Cece Hooks and Erica Johnson picked to the preseason All-MAC First Team.

BECKY HAMMON PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Cece Hooks was selected to 2022 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player Of The Year watch list, her second year in a row earning this recognition.

CHERYL MILLER PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Erica Johnson also earned preseason recognition, being added to the Cheryl Miller watch list, an award given to the best small forward.

CECE'S RECORDS
CAREER
- Steals, first (431)

- Scoring, second (2,324)

- Points per game, second (18.4)

- Field goals made, second (881)

- Assists, fourth (420)

SEASON
- Points per game, 25.1, first, 2020-21

- Field goals made, 239, second, 2020-21

- Steals, 110, first, 2018-19

- Steals, 106, second, 2019-20

- Steals, 100, third, 2017-18

- Steals, 94, fourth, 2020-21

2,000 POINT SCORER
Cece Hooks became the second player in program history to eclipse 2,000 career points last season, doing so in a victory over Ball State on February 10.

1,000 POINT SCORERS
Two Bobcats - Gabby Burris, Erica Johnson -- are 1,000 point scorers for Ohio.

Burris averaged 13.6 points per game last season, Johnson was second on the team with 18.1.

LAST YEAR'S HONORS
For the third-straight year, Cece Hooks was named MAC Defensive Player of the Year. Hooks was also named the MAC Player of the Year, was a member of the All-MAC first team, and an All-American Honorable Mention last season.

Erica Johnson was named to the All-MAC Third Team, after going 41-of-125 from behind the three-point line in just 14 games and recording double-digit points in every game she appeared in.

Gabby Burris earned All-MAC Honorable Mention recognition after last season, after leading the team in free-throw percentage (81.8%) and shooting 45.1% from the field overall.

Madi Mace was chosen for the All-Freshman team after playing in all 20 games throughout the season and averaging 8 points per game while shooting 41.4% from the field.

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