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ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio women's basketball team (4-9, 1-2 MAC) will travel to Toledo (10-3, 3-0 MAC) for a conference matchup on Saturday, Jan. 13. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. ET and the game will be available to watch on ESPN+.
 
SCOUTING TOLEDO
Heading into its matchup with Ohio, Toledo has a 10-3 overall and 3-0 conference record. Toledo averages 68.3 points per game; shooting 42.1 percent from the field, 30.2 percent from the arc and 75.7 percent from the line. Toledo averages 37.4 rebounds, 13.8 assists and 8.3 steals per game. The Rockets have forced 17.1 turnovers per game and average 17.7 points off turnovers.
 
Opponents average 57.8 points per game; shooting 37.8 percent from the field, 28.7 percent from the arc and 69.1 percent from the line. Opponents average 34.7 rebounds, 9.5 assists and 7.2 steals per game. Opponents have forced Toledo to give up 15.1 turnovers per game and average 11.8 points off turnovers.
 
Sophia Wiard leads the team with 199 points, 69 assists, 22 steals and is tied for second for rebounds (59). Sammi Mikonowicz has been Toledo's best rebounder with 71 total this season. Quinesha Lockett (122) and Khera Goss (113) round out Toledo top three scorers.
 
SCOUTING OHIO
The Bobcats are 4-9 overall and 1-2 in conference play heading into their game at Toledo. Ohio averages 62.8 points per game; shooting 38.1 percent from the field, 28 percent from the arc and 63.6 percent from the line. Ohio averages 32.7 rebounds, 11.2 assists and 10.8 steals per game. The Bobcats have forced 22.5 turnovers per game and average 18.2 points off turnovers.
 
Meanwhile, opponents average 73.2 points per game; shooting 41.9 percent from the field, 27.5 percent from the arc and 69.1 percent from the line. Opponents average 45.2 rebounds, 15.2 assists and 10.3 steals per game. Opponents have forced Ohio to give up 21.3 turnovers per game and have scored an average of 22.5 points off turnovers.
 
Jaya McClure (146), Kennedi Watkins (103) and Bailey Tabeling (98) lead Ohio in scoring. Watkins (46) also ranks second for rebounding behind Madi Mace who has tallied a team-high 57 rebounds. McClure also leads the team with 36 assists followed by Monica Williams with 23 and Mace with 19. Laylay Fantroy has a team-high 18 steals, and three players rank behind her with 17 a piece.
 
ALL TIME VS TOLEDO
Heading into the matchup, Ohio is 8-11 in its series with Toledo. The Bobcats are 5-3 at home, 3-7 on the road and have won five of the last 10 meetings.
 
LAST TIME VS TOLEDO
The two teams last met during the 2022-23 season in the Savage Arena. Toledo claimed a 66-55 win over the Bobcats.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Ohio women's basketball team lost to Northern Illinois 67-62 on Wednesday (Jan. 10) in The Convo.
 
"Tonight was a loss at home, but we have another game prepare for. We have plenty more games to really make up from here, so this one night does not define us as a team. We still have room to grow," Senior guard Peyton Guice (Westerville, Ohio) said.
 
Freshman guard Laylay Fantroy (Palestine, Texas) made her first appearance of the new year on Wednesday night. She had been out due to injury since Ohio played Bellarmine in December. Fantroy contributed nine points, including a buzzer-beater at the end of the third quarter. Senior guard Kennedi Watkins (Ballwin, Mo.) led the Bobcats in scoring with 12 points. She also contributed a career-high blocks with five and career-high assists with three. Guice also had a career-high on Wednesday. She snagged six rebounds to tie with Watkins for second-most of the game. Senior Guard Bengisu Alper led the team with a season-high seven rebounds.
 
The Bobcats and Huskies stayed even throughout the first and second quarters. Despite trailing by four points at halftime, the Bobcats outshot their opponent 36% to 33%. However, the Bobcats were out rebounded by the Huskies 22 to 18 and the Huskies had more second chance points.Overall, Ohio was outscored by Northern Illinois in three of the four quarters. The two tied in the third.
 
Despite the loss, the Bobcats committed the least turnovers they have all season. They only turned over the ball 13 times on Wednesday. As a team, the Bobcats shot 36% from the field and 50% from the line. They also snagged 31 rebounds.
 
"I think it was a tough loss but just goes back into like growing, getting back into gym and just learn how to win games from start to finish, not just when it's down to one," Watkins said.
 
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 146 points in 10 games, ranks sixth in the MAC for points per game (14.6), ninth for points, eighth for assists and seventh for assists per game.
 
McClure leads the team with 36 assists and has recorded seven double-figure point games. She matched her season-best in points for the third time this season with 21 at Bellarmine (12/30). Against Syracuse (12/9), McClure recorded a career-best in rebounds (6), assists (9) and free throws made (7).
 
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 115 points - the second best on the team - so far this season and has recorded seven 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 9.6 points, 4.3 rebounds per game and has tallied 11 blocks.
 
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 (60/4.6 RPG) and has netted 63 points (4.8 PPG). Mace reached 300 career rebounds after grabbing four versus Syracuse and reached 500 career points after she netted a season-best 16 points at Kent State.
 
DEPENDABLE KATE DENNIS
Junior Kate Dennis has remained a consistent player for Ohio, maintaining a spot in the starting lineup throughout all 13 games this season. Dennis has played 286 minutes for the Bobcats - averaging 22 minutes per game - tallied 81 points, 21 rebounds, 10 steals and seven blocks. She has only recorded seven turnovers across 13 games, averaging less than one turnover per game.
 
TABELING FOR THREE
Freshman Bailey Tabeling has emerged as one of Ohio's best shooters, specifically from the third-point line. Against Syracuse (12/9/23), Tabeling led both teams with 23 points; shooting 80 percent from the field and 77.8 percent from the arc. Tabeling's performance beyond the arc was one of the best by an Ohio freshman and she is the first Bobcat to record seven or more three-pointers in a single game since Amani Burke in 2018-19. The freshman ranks third in the MAC for 3FG percentage (.431) and leads the conference with the top single-game performance for 3FGs made so far this season.
 
MAKING AN IMPACT: LAYLAY FANTROY & MONICA WILLIAMS
With more than half of the active players being underclassmen - including five freshmen - Ohio has one of the youngest teams in the league. Newcomers, Monica Williams and Laylay Fantroy, average 20 or more minutes per game and Williams has earned a position in the starting lineup in all 13 games this season.
 
Fantroy recorded her first career double-double and is Ohio's first player to do so this season. Coming off the bench, she ranks fourth in rebounds (39) and has a team-high 20 steals. Fantroy is currently eighth in the MAC for steals per game and ranks second in the conference in game-high individual performances this season with her six steals at App State.
 
Williams ranks fourth on the team in points (99), tied for third for rebounds (40)and second for assists (25). In Ohio's win over IUPUI, Williams tallied career highs for rebounds (6), assists (5) and steals (3). She matched her career high in rebounds in Ohio's conference opener and win versus Akron. At Kent State, Williams recorded her first double-figure point game with a career-high 15 points.
 
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. Since then, Guice has started in three games. Through eight games, she has tallied 17 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists and four steals. Against NIU (1/10), Guice recorded a career-best six rebounds.
 
TEAM STATISTIC CATEGORY LEADERS (TOP 3)
 
Points: Jaya McClure (146), Kennedi Watkins (115), Bailey Tabeling (105)
Rebounds: Madi Mace (60), Kennedi Watkins (52), Bengisu Alper (40),
     Monica Williams (40)
Assists: Jaya McClure (36), Monica Williams (25), Madi Mace (21)
Blocks: Kennedi Watkins (11), Kate Dennis (7), Cassidy Lafler (5)
Steals: Laylay Fantroy (20), Bailey Tabeling (19), Madi Mace (18)
 
MAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STATISTIC LEADERS (Thru 1/11)
Team Rankings (Top 5):
Total Steals - 2nd (140)
Steals Per Game - 2nd (10.77)
Turnover Margin - 4th (1.23)
 
Individual Rankings (Top 10):
Points Per Game - Jaya McClure, 6th (14.6)
3PT Field Goal Percentage - Bailey Tabeling, 3rd (.431)
Free Throws Made - Jaya McClure, 4th (43)
Free Throw Percentage - Jaya McClure, 10th (.741)
Assists Per Game - Jaya McClure, 7th (3.6)
Total Blocks - Kennedi Watkins, 7th (11)
Blocks Per Game - Kennedi Watkins, 7th (0.9)
Steals Per Game - Laylay Fantroy, 8th (1.8)
 
Game-High Stats (Top 3):
Team FT Percentage - 3rd (100%), Ohio at Ohio State (12/5/23)
Individual 3PT FGs Made - Bailey Tabeling, 1st (7); Ohio vs. Syracuse (12/9/23)
Individual Assists - Jaya McClure, 2nd (9); Ohio vs. Syracuse (12/9/23)
Individual Steals - Laylay Fantroy, 2nd (6); Ohio at App State (11/11/23)
 
UP NEXT
The Bobcats will be back in action at Western Michigan on Wednesday, Jan. 17. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET and the game will be available to watch on ESPN+.
 
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