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OHIO WOMEN'S BASKETBALL 2021-22 • GAME 18
February 6, 2022
2:00 p.m ET/1 p.m. CT | Ohio (11-7, 5-4 MAC) vs. Northern Illinois (8-11, 5-6 MAC) | Convocation Center | DeKalb, Ill. | ESPN+ | Live Stats | Listen Live

DeKALB, Ill. -- The Ohio women's basketball team returns to action a day later than planned, after inclement weather travel delays postponed the Bobcats' matchup against Northern Illinois by one day to Sunday afternoon (Feb. 6). Ohio (11-7, 5-4) will look to avenge their earlier loss this season to the Huskies (8-11, 5-6) on Sunday, with tip-off scheduled for 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT. Fans will be able to watch on ESPN+ or tune into the radio broadcast via the Stretch platform. 

Ohio is coming off a loss in their last game out, an 84-74 defeat at the hands of Ball State on Feb. 2. Cece Hooks set a season-high for scoring with 33 points in the loss while also recording her eighth double-double of the 2021-22 campaign as she grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds. 

This will be the second meeting between the two schools this season, with Northern Illinois staking claim to victory in the first matchup back on Jan. 8., by a score of 71-68. Cece Hooks led the Bobcats in scoring with 24 points, and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds in the loss. The Bobcats hit 14 three-pointers but were unable to secure the victory.

SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
Northern Illinois has alternated between wins and losses in their last four MAC contests, picking up victories against Kent State and Western Michigan, while dropping games against Buffalo and Bowling Green. Chelby Koker is the Huskies' leading scorer, averaging 17.8 ppg. A'Jah Davis hits the boards the most for NIU, snagging almost 12 rebounds per game.

VERY FEW LIKE HOOKS IN NCAA HISTORY
Cece Hooks is one of only three players (Angel McCoughtry, Louisville and Kevi Luper, Oral Roberts) to be top-50 for career scoring (47th) and top-10 (7th) for career steals in NCAA Women's Division I history.

ALL-TIME GREAT IN THE MAC
With a made floater in the third quarter against Bowling Green on Jan. 22, Cece Hooks surpassed Kim Knuth (Toledo, 1995-99) for most points scored in Mid-American Conference basketball history (2,510).

STANDING ALONE ATOP OHIO'S RECORD BOOK
Cece Hooks set the career scoring record in Ohio basketball history in the Bobcats' win over Central Michigan on Jan. 15, 2022. Her reverse layup with 5:58 remaining in the 2nd quarter eclipsed the previous record of 2,449 points held by Caroline Mast since 1986.

INCHING CLOSER TO A CENTURY
Ohio head coach Bob Boldon is only two wins away from his 100th career MAC victory at the helm of the women's basketball program.

ONE GRAND FOR CECE
With her 13 made shots against Ball State, Cece Hooks reached 1,000 made field goals in her career. She's the first player in both Ohio and MAC history to reach the milestone.

DEJA VU FROM DEEP?
After hitting a clutch three-pointer to help Ohio defeat Buffalo in the 2020-21 season, Kaylee Bambule hit two consecutive shots from deep against Buffalo to give the Bobcats their first lead of the game halfway through the fourth quarter on Monday, Jan. 24.

UNIQUE COMPANY FOR JOHNSON
Erica Johnson is one of only three active four- year players with career totals of at least 1,300 points, 450 rebounds, 350 assists, and 100 steals. She joins Haylee Andrews (Portland) and Sophia Ramos (San Diego State) on that list.

TOP OF THE MAC IN POINTS AND ASSISTS
Cece Hooks leads the MAC in scoring per game (23.6 ppg) and Erica Johnson currently leads the conference in assists per game, averaging 4.9 apg.

NOT THE ONLY RECORD SET THIS SEASON
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).

OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION
Ohio's high powered offense is atop the Mid- American Conference in scoring, averaging 76.5 points per game.

HALFWAY TO A HUNDRED
With her 11th 20+ point performance against Miami on Jan. 17, Cece Hooks logged her 50th 20+ point game in her Bobcat career.

DOUBLE-DOUBLES 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. Her second of the season came in Ohio's win over Bowling Green, when the senior put up 21 points and snagged 12 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.

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.

RECORDS REWRITTEN?
Cece Hooks sits in second place all-time for several career records, including 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
- Scoring, first (2,622)

- Steals, first (470)

- Field goals made, first (1,000)

- Points per game, second (19.0)

- Assists, third (458)

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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