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KENT, Ohio – The regular season came to a close for the women's basketball team on Saturday afternoon (March 5). Ohio (15-13, 9-10) dropped a road contest against Kent State (18-11, 10-10), 59-50. The Bobcats were led by freshman guard Yaya Felder, who tied her career high in points, racking up 20 points. Erica Johnson was the other player who scored in double figures, finishing with 12.
 
"She (Felder) was good," said head coach Bob Boldon after the game. "I think from a system standpoint, having her finish the season as strong as she did was good … and I think the other story that should be told is what Peyton Guice gave up to play, and having her back full time next year hopefully with a slew of others that you've seen walking around is sweatpants and crutches and boots and everything else. I do think the future is bright."
 
Ohio first got on the board courtesy of a corner three-pointer by Felder. Both defenses started the game strong, with only 15 points combined being scored between the two teams halfway through the frame. Felder connected on a deep attempt from beyond the arc out of the first media timeout, making it a 12-8 ballgame. The freshman continued her strong play, picking the pocket of a Kent State player and laying it in on the fast break to cut the Golden Flashes lead to just 16-10 later on in the quarter. A layup at the buzzer gave the Golden Flashes a 20-12 lead heading into the second quarter. 
 
Kaylee Bambule knocked down a three-pointer to start Ohio's scoring in the second quarter, and the Bobcats made it a 23-17 game after a Hooks layup off of a Felder steal. Ohio trailed by only seven at the media timeout, 27-20. Felder became the first Bobcat in double digits, reaching ten points on a layup with just over four minutes remaining in the half. Johnson made it a two-possession game, 32-27, with her first three-pointer of the half, and another three-point play by the redshirt-junior made it a 34-30 contest, before a Kent State layup put the score at 36-30 heading into intermission. 
 
The Bobcats finished the first half led by Felder's 10 points and Burris' four rebounds. As a team, Ohio shot 36.7% (11 for 30) from the field and 42.9% (6 for 14) from beyond the arc. 
 
The two teams combined for only two points before the first media timeout of the third quarter, with Kent State in possession of a 38-30 lead at that break. The score stayed the same at the second media timeout of the quarter, before Felder got Ohio on the board with her third three-pointer of the game, making it a 39-33 game. The freshman drained another shot from beyond the arc on Ohio's next possession to bring Ohio within three points of the Golden Flashes. A Johnson layup at the buzzer narrowed the deficit to just four, 42-38, heading into the final 10 minutes of play. 
 
Hooks snagged a steal and laid it on the fast break to start the fourth quarter scoring, but the defensive battle continued, with both offenses being held to just one made shot each through the first four minutes of the quarter. The final media timeout saw Kent State leading by just two possessions, 45-40. Felder knocked down two free throws out of the TV timeout to make it a three-point game with 4:56 remaining. Kent State stretched their lead to seven, 51-44, with three minutes to play, before Felder matched her career-high with 20 points on two free throws. The Bobcats' final push fell short as the Golden Flashes were able to secure the 59-50 victory at the free throw line.
 
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Ohio will wait for the Mid-American Conference to assign tiebreakers to determine whether the Bobcats qualify for the MAC Tournament in Cleveland next week.