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ATHENS, Ohio – A double-double by Cece Hooks and a season-high in points from both Erica Johnson and Gabby Burris helped propel the Ohio women's basketball team to a victory on Saturday afternoon (Dec. 4). The Bobcats (4-2) knocked off the Richmond Spiders (4-4) by a score of 98-89 inside the Convocation Center. Hooks logged a stat line of 24 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists. Johnson poured in 32 points and dished out eight assists, while Burris added 20 points. 

"Sometimes, we take them for granted," said head coach Bob Boldon after the game. "They do this regularly. They had 20, 24, and 32. ... That's a lot. The free throws down the stretch, and Gabby had struggled from the three-point line this year and she came in right off the jump and got a couple threes for us and got us going. It's a blessing to be able to have those types of players that you can count on. On nights when they're all going, you score a lot of points. They're fun to coach."
 
Ohio took advantage of 47.4% shooting (9 for 19) in the first quarter to take a 25-16 lead after the first 10 minutes. The Bobcats were led by Burris, who scored 12 points on five of six shooting, including two of three from deep. The Bobcat defense held Richmond to only 35.7% shooting (6 for 17) and limited the Spiders to just 14.3% from beyond the arc (1 for 7). 
 
A 15-3 run midway through the second quarter helped Ohio extend their lead to the largest of the game at 40-24. The Bobcats were able to match that lead of 16 multiple times throughout the rest of the quarter but went into halftime with a 47-35 lead. Johnson joined Burris in double digit scoring during the quarter, getting up to 12 points in the first 20 minutes of play. 
 
Richmond made a comeback in the third quarter, outscoring the Bobcats 28-18 in the frame, making it a 65-63 game heading into the fourth quarter. Hooks and Johnson both scored six points to lead Ohio during the third quarter.
 
Richmond methodically worked to build their biggest lead of the contest throughout the final quarter, taking an 82-77 lead with 3:40 remaining. A Burris three-pointer with 2:16 left gave the Bobcats the lead for the first time since the 8:22 mark, and a Kaylee Bambule bucket from beyond the arc on the following possession gave the Bobcats momentum to finish out the game with a 98-89 victory.

Up Next:

Ohio will hit the road for their next few games, with their first stop in Minnesota on Dec. 15. The Bobcats will travel to take on the Golden Gophers, with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m. inside Williams Arena. The game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network+.

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