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OHIO WOMEN'S BASKETBALL 2021-22 • GAME 10
January 8, 2022
1 p.m ET | Ohio (6-3) vs. Northern Illinois (3-7) | Convocation Center | Athens, Ohio | ESPN3 | Live Stats | Listen Live

ATHENS, Ohio -- The Ohio women's basketball team will return to action on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 8) after three consecutive postponements to begin Mid-American Conference play. Ohio (6-3, 0-0 MAC) will take on Northern Illinois (3-7, 0-2 MAC) inside the friendly confines of the Convocation Center, with tip-off scheduled for 1 p.m. Fans can watch the game on ESPN3 or listen live to the radio broadcast on the Stretch platform.

The Bobcats last took to the court on Dec. 21, 2021, when they played their second game in the FIU Holiday Hoops Showdown against Binghamton. Redshirt-freshman Madi Mace set a new career high (17 points) against the Bearcats, and point guard Cece Hooks logged yet another 20-point performance to lead the team in scoring en route to an Ohio victory, 76-67. 

Northern Illinois arrives to Athens having lost their first two conference games by a combined five points. The Huskies dropped an overtime contest to Ball State in their last game, on Jan. 5. This will be the 43rd meeting all-time between the two squads, with Ohio holding a slight advantage in the series record, 23-19. The last time these two teams met, the Bobcats walked off the court in DeKalb, Ill. with a 77-67 victory on Dec. 16, 2020.

SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
Northern Illinois has started their conference schedule with two close lossess -- a four point defeat against Central Michigan and a one point overtime loss against Ball State. The Huskies have three players averaging double-digits points so far this season, with A'Jah Davis averaging a double-double (14.8 ppg, 11.2 rpg)

NEW YEAR, NEW SEASON
As the calendar flips to 2022, Ohio shifts their attention to Mid-American Conference action. The Bobcats were picked to finish 1st in the conference this season, garnering 132 total votes in the preseason poll. Last season, Ohio finished 3rd overall and advanced to the semifinals of the MAC Tournament.

BACK IN ACTION
Ohio will take to the court for the first time since Dec. 21, due to being unable to meet the MAC's scholarship player availability requirements for the Bobcats' first three conference matchups (Miami, EMU, Akron).

RARE COMPANY
Redshirt-junior Erica Johnson is one of only two qualifying Division I players to average 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game so far this season, joined only by Caitlin Clark (Iowa)

SCHOOL RECORD FOR HOOKS
With her 11 made field goals against UMass Lowell on Dec. 20, Cece Hooks broke the school record for field goals made in a career, surpassing the previous mark of 898 set by Caroline Mast (1982- 86).

RECORD WATCH
Cece Hooks is closing in on yet another school record, sitting just 61 points away from breaking the Ohio women's basketball scoring mark (2,449), set by Carolina Mast (1982-86).

DOUBLE-DOUBLE FOR GABBY
Senior forward Gabby Burris recorded her first double-double of the season in Ohio's last game, a 76-67 victory over Binghamton, with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

CAREER DAYS ALL AROUND
Kaylee Bambule set a career high in points scored (18), total field goals made (6), and three pointers made (6) in the Bobcats game against Minnesota. Madi Mace matched her career high with 16 points against the Golden Gophers, and then set a new career high two games later with 17 points against Binghamton.

OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION
Ohio's highpowered offense is atop the Mid- American Conference in scoring, averaging 81.6 points per game.

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.

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, free throws made, and free throws attempted. In the Bobcats game against UMass Lowell she broke the current school record for field goals made of 898. 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 (443)

- Field goals made, first (908)

- Scoring, second (2,389)

- Points per game, second (18.5)

- Assists, fourth (428)

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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