FOLLOW OHIO WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
ATHENS, Ohio – The women's basketball team returned to their winning ways on Wednesday night (Jan. 12), picking up their first Mid-American Conference victory of the season. Ohio (7-4, 1-1) knocked off Kent State (9-5, 1-4) by a score of 70-64 inside the Convocation Center.
Cece Hooks drew within 11 points of the program scoring record, finishing with 26 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Bobcats.
Madi Mace poured in 16 points on 7 for 11 shooting, and
Gabby Burris was the third Ohio player in double-digits with 12 points.
The close result was the seventh out of the last eight meetings between the two teams that had a winning margin of less than six points. Ohio had come out on top in four of those previous six contests.
"[Kent State] is a tough, gritty team," noted head coach
Bob Boldon after the game. "They've got a lot of length and they do a pretty good job of disrupting us with their length. … They've been good games. They're fun to be a part of."
Ohio got off to a slow start in the first quarter, but ended the frame only down by three points, 15-12, due to a strong defensive effort to close out the quarter. After starting 5 for 12 from the field, the Golden Flashes were only able to go 1 for 7 heading into the second quarter. The Bobcats took advantage of the shooting drought and ended the frame on a 7-0 run.
The Bobcats shot 41.7% from the field in the second quarter, led by Hooks and
Gabby Burris who both went 2 for 3 and scored five points each. Ohio went into the halftime break down by a single point, 31-30, having out-shot the Golden Flashes from beyond the arc, shooting 5 for 16 (31.3%) compared to 4 for 15 (26.7). The Bobcats' defense also forced eight turnovers by Kent State in the first half, compared to only four turnovers by Ohio.
The third quarter saw Ohio take the lead for the first time during the third quarter after a
Madi Mace layup gave the Bobcats a 35-33 advantage. Ohio was able to push their lead to as large as five points during the frame, after a Mace three pointer provided the home team with a 40-35 lead. A late surge by the Golden Flashes offense helped Kent State go into the final 10 minutes of play leading Ohio by a score of 46-44.
Ohio found success in the final quarter through Hooks, as the point guard shot 6 for 7 in the frame and scored 14 points. The Bobcats were able to wrap up the victory in the endgame with crisp execution of inbounds plays and clutch free throws. Hooks, who had struggled from the strip throughout the contest, knocked down two key free throws to extend Ohio's lead to three possessions with less than 30 seconds remaining.
"We know what each other are good at," explained Burris. "We know our position in important plays like that. And we lock in and talk to each other."
Up Next:
Ohio will hit the road for their next MAC contest, as both the women's and men's Ohio teams will go up against Central Michigan on Saturday afternoon. The women's team will tip-off against the Chippewas at 1 p.m., with the game being broadcast on ESPN3.
#OUohyeah
