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MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Ohio women's basketball team picked up their second consecutive conference win amidst a record-setting performance by
Cece Hooks on Saturday afternoon. The senior point guard set the all-time scoring record for Ohio basketball as the Bobcats (8-4, 2-1) defeated Central Michigan (3-12, 1-5) 75-65. Hooks led the way offensively with 30 points,
Erica Johnson contributed 16 points, and
Gabby Burris was the third player in double figures with 15. The Bobcats' defense forced 21 turnovers, and converted those takeaways into 23 points.
"This is a tough place to play," said head coach
Bob Boldon after the game. "It always has been. We've had some success the last couple years. And none of them have been easy, and today was no different. Grind it out, fight through some tough shooting early, and then we had a hard time getting stops in the third quarter. Luckily our offense showed up and we got out of here with a win."
It was a slow start for both teams, as their offenses worked to find a rhythm in the 1st quarter. The Bobcat defense held Central Michigan to just 10 points in the first frame, and forced 11 turnovers. Ohio found success down low, scoring six of their eight total points in the paint. Hooks ended the quarter by forcing a steal and scoring a layup at the buzzer to pull the Bobcats within two points.
In the second quarter, Hooks scored 9 of the first 11 Bobcats points, including the record setting basket with 5:58 remaining. With a reverse layup, the senior point guard set a new scoring record in Ohio basketball history, surpassing Caroline Mast's previous record of 2,449 points.
"I just can't stop smiling," said Hooks after the game. "It's a big accomplishment. I couldn't do it without my teammates so I'm glad they were able to help me get this accomplishment. ... 2,000 points in college is hard to do, I'm just blessed with talent, a great team, and a great coach."
The Bobcats found success from beyond the arc to close out the quarter, hitting 50% of their shots from deep. Ohio's defense continued their strong play, holding the Chippewas to only 12 points on 23.5% shooting from the field (4 for 17). Ohio outscored Central Michigan 20-12 in the quarter, giving the Bobcats a 28-22 lead heading into halftime.
Two quick layups by Burris to start the second half gave Ohio a 32-22 lead and forced Central Michigan to call a timeout less than 90 seconds into the quarter. The Chippewas responded with a 14-5 run to cut Ohio's advantage to just 37-36 heading into the media timeout. Both offenses stayed hot to finish out the quarter, with Ohio holding on to a 50-46 lead at the end of the frame.
Ohio's offense started on a 7-0 run in the first 1:25 of play of the final quarter, extending their lead to 57-46 and forcing a Central Michigan timeout with 8:35 left in the game. Johnson and Hooks each connected on multiple shots from beyond the arc to help Ohio build a 68-56 lead with 3:32 remaining. The Bobcats were able to keep the Chippewas at arm's length for the remainder of the game, wrapping up their 75-65 victory.
Up Next:
Ohio will stay on the road for their next game, as they travel to Oxford, Ohio to take on their rivals Miami on Monday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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