ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio women's basketball (2-4, 0-0 MAC) is set to host Syracuse (7-1, 0-0 ACC) on Saturday, Dec. 9 in the Convocation Center. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET and the game will be available to watch on ESPN+.
 
SCOUTING SYRACUSE
With its 79-57 win over Northeastern on Monday, Syracuse is on a four-game winning streak and hold a 7-1 overall record heading into the matchup with Ohio. The Orange average 80.9 points per game; shooting 46.6 percent from the field, 34.3 percent from the arch and 72.7 percent from the line. Syracuse averages 43.9 rebounds, 14.4 assists and nine steals per game. The Orange force an average of 16.9 turnovers per game with an average of 18.4 points off turnovers.
 
Syracuse's opponents average 59.6 points per game; shooting 36.9 percent from the field, 31.1 percent from the arch and 64.3 percent from the line. Opponents have forced Syracuse to give up an average of 14 turnovers per game in addition to averaging 34.1 rebounds, 14.1 assists and 7.4 steals per game.
 
Syracuse's offense is led by graduate students Dyaisha Fair and Alaina Rice. Fair has netted 147 points (18.4 PPG) and Rice has tallied 109 points on the season (13.6 PPG). Fair and Rice are also the team's top two performers in steals, recording 16 and 14 respectively. Freshman Alyssa Latham and junior Kyra Wood have acted as Syracuse's top rebounders with a combined total of 131 rebounds.
 
SCOUTING OHIO
After falling to nationally ranked Ohio State, Ohio is 2-4 heading into its matchup with Syracuse. The Bobcats average 63.8 points per game; shooting 39.5 from the field, 33.6 from the arch and 62.4 from the line. Ohio is currently averaging 32.8 rebounds, 11.3 assists and 10.5 steals per game. The Bobcats have forced an average of 24.2 turnovers per game and are recording 17.3 points off turnovers per game.
 
Meanwhile, opponents average 75.3 points per game with a 40.7 FG%, 27.0 3PT%, and 68.1 FT%. Ohio's opponents average 46.5 rebounds, 13.5 assists and 12.2 steals per game. Opponents have forced an average of 24.2 turnovers with 25.3 points off turnovers per game.
 
Individually, sophomore Jaya McClure has a team-high 67 points, 16 assists and averages 13.4 points per game. Junior Kennedi Watkins is Ohio's second-best performer for points (56/9.3 PPG), tied for second for blocks (3) and tied for third for rebounds with 20 total (3.3 RPG). Regarding rebounding, redshirt junior Madi Mace leads the team with 28 total and 4.7 rebounds per game. Freshman Laylay Fantroy leads the team in steals (11) in addition to recording 44 points and 22 rebounds.
 
ALL TIME VS SYRACUSE
The two teams have met twice in the history of their programs with Syracuse leading the series with both wins. Ohio and Syracuse first met during the 2011-12 season in the Convocation Center with the Orange earning an 81-70 win.
 
LAST TIME VS SYRACUSE
The last time that Ohio and Syracuse faced each other was during the 2019-20 season. It was the Bobcats' second game of the season when they faced No. 21 Syracuse in the Carrier Dome. The Orange finished the game with a 66-54 win over Ohio.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Ohio women's basketball team (2-4, 0-0 MAC) lost to No. 12 Ohio State (7-1, 0-0 MAC) 85-45 in Value City Arena on Tuesday night after a hard-fought game.
 
The Bobcats started close to the Buckeyes after Sophomore guard Jaya McClure (Louisville, Ky.) tied the game with a 3-pointer in the first quarter. However, the Buckeyes gained traction and broke out to a 10-point lead in the early part of the quarter. The Bobcats were unable to finish their shots, which lead to a 13-0 run for the Buckeyes in the later half. Junior guard Kate Dennis (Rockford, Ill.) broke the run with a 3-pointer with less than a minute to go in the quarter.
 
Ohio stayed on top of Ohio State and caused it to commit 10 turnovers by halftime. Ohio worked its way into the paint and tried to thwart Ohio State's plans the best it could. However, Ohio found itself trailing at the half.
 
"When we are organized, we run a pretty good offense, which was a concern with their ball pressure," head coach Bob Bolden said.
 
The Buckeyes retained their lead throughout the remainder of the game despite the Bobcats' best efforts.
 
McClure ended the night with nine points as Ohio's scoring leader. Junior guard Kennedi Watkins (Ballwin, Mo.) followed her with five. Senior guard Bengisu Alper (Istanbul, Turkey) led the Bobcats at the board with six rebounds.
 
Six of Ohio's eight bench players scored, including senior guard Peyton Guice (Westerville, Ohio), who played in her first game since the 2021-22 season. Guice ended the game with two points and two assists in eight minutes of play.
 
"I was happy. It's hard for those kids to stay ready, especially when most of them were starters for most of their career," Boldon said. "I was really impressed with the way they handled themselves. We played a lot of them in the fourth quarter, and they did a nice job just staying ready. Some of those kids haven't played a lot this year. But I thought they did a nice job of taking advantage of the opportunity and I think that only makes us better down the road."
 
The Bobcats finished the game 15-for-53 from the field and 6-for-6 from the line. They also snagged 30 rebounds, 25 of which were defensive.
 
THE JAYA MCCLURE SHOW: SEASON 2
After missing the first game of the season due to injury, McClure has returned to the court with a commanding presence and has acted as a major playmaker for the Bobcats. She has amassed 67 points and ranks eighth in the MAC for points per game (13.7).
 
McClure leads the team with 16 assists and has recorded three double-figure point games. She tallied a season-best 21 points in Ohio's 75-71 win over IUPUI, finishing 50 percent from the field, 75 percent from the arch and 70 percent from the line. McClure's also recorded a career-best three 3PT field goals and six free throws against the Jaguars.
 
WATKINS MAKING HER MARK
Since arriving in Athens, junior Kennedi Watkins has made an immediate impact on the court for the Bobcats. Watkins surpassed the 500-point milestone after netting 10 points in Ohio's 67-61 win over Dayton (11/16).
 
She has tallied 56 points - the second best on the team - so far this season and has recorded four double-figure point games. Watkins' dynamic play and experience provides Ohio's young team with more veteran leadership.  The Ballwin, Mo. native is currently averaging 9.3 points per game and 3.3 rebounds per game.
 
MACE'S COMEBACK STORY
After spending the 2022-23 season on the sidelines due to injury, redshirt junior Madi Mace has proved to be an important presence on the court for Ohio since the first game of this season. She ranks first on the team in rebounds (28/4.7 RPG) and has netted 33 points (5.5 PPG). Mace is three rebounds off from reaching 300 career rebounds and 24 points from reaching 500 career points.
 
DEPENDABLE KATE DENNIS
Junior Kate Dennis has remained a consistent player for Ohio, maintaining a spot in the starting lineup throughout all six games this season. Dennis has played 129 minutes for the Bobcats - averaging 21.5 minutes per game - tallied 37 points, 13 rebounds, six steals and five blocks. She ranks 10th in the conference for total blocks. Dennis has only recorded four turnovers in six games, averaging less than one turnover per game.
 
WELCOME BACK, PEYTON GUICE
After spending almost two years on the bench with major injuries, senior Peyton Guice returned to the court during Ohio's game at Ohio State. The game was Guice's first time competing since the 2021-22 season. She played eight minutes, recording two points and two assists in the fourth quarter. 
 
YOUNG BOBCATS MAKING AN IMPACT
With more than half of the active players being underclassmen - including five freshmen - Ohio has one of the youngest teams in the conference. Three of the freshmen are playing an average of more than 15 minutes per game in addition to Monica Williams earning a place in the starting lineup in all six games this season.
 
Williams ranks fourth on the team in points (42), tied third for rebounds (20) and assists (10). In Ohio's win over IUPUI, Williams tallied career highs for rebounds (6), assists (5) and steals (3).
 
Coming off the bench, Laylay Fantroy has recorded 44 points, 22 rebounds, seven assists and a team-high 11 steals. Fantroy is currently 10th in the MAC for steals per game and eighth for total steals. She ranks second in the conference in game-high individual performances this season with her six steals at App State.
 
Bailey Tabeling has also made several contributions to the team so far this season. Tabeling has netted 31 points, shooting 52.4 percent from the field, 50 percent from the arch and 66.7 percent from the line. Her three-point field goal percentage currently ranks fourth in the MAC. She has also recorded 10 assists and nine steals, ranking in the top three on the team for both categories.
 
TEAM STATISTIC CATEGORY LEADERS (TOP 3)
 
Points: Jaya McClure (67), Kennedi Watkins (56), Laylay Fantroy (44)
Rebounds: Madi Mace (28), Laylay Fantroy (22), Kennedi Watkins (20), Monica Williams (20)
Assists: Jaya McClure (16), Madi Mace (12), Bailey Tabeling (10), Monica Williams (10)
Blocks: Kate Dennis (5), Cassidy Lafler (3), Kennedi Watkins (3)
Steals: Laylay Fantroy (11), Bailey Tabeling (9), Bengisu Alper (8), Madi Mace (8)
 
MAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STATISTIC LEADERS (Thru 12/3)
Team Rankings (Top 5):
3PT Field Goal Percentage - 3rd (0.336)
3PT FGs Made Per Game - 5th (7.3)
Total Steals - 3rd (63)
Steals Per Game - 2nd (10.50)
Individual Rankings (Top 10):
Points Per Game - Jaya McClure, 8th (13.4)
3PT Field Goal Percentage - Bailey Tabeling, 4th (.500); Madi Mace, 10th (.400)
Free Throws Made - Jaya McClure - 7th (20)
Blocked Shots - Kate Dennis, 10th (5)
Total Steals - Laylay Fantroy, 8th (11)
Steals Per Game - Laylay Fantroy, 10th (1.8)
Game-High Stats (Top 3):
Team 3PT Percentage - 3rd (52.4%), Ohio vs. IUPUI (11/26/23)
Team FT Percentage - 2nd (100%), Ohio at Ohio State (12/5/23)
Team Steals - 2nd (16), Ohio at App State (11/11/23)
Individual Steals - Laylay Fantroy, 2nd (6); Ohio at App State (11/11/23)
Individual Blocks - Kate Dennis, 3rd (4); Ohio at App State (11/11/23)
 
UP NEXT
The Bobcats will be back in action on Sunday, Dec. 17 for a non-conference game versus Indiana State in the Convocation Center. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. ET and the game will be available to watch on ESPN+.