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ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio women's basketball team (7-11, 4-4 MAC) is set to host Buffalo (10-8, 4-4 MAC) in the Convocation Center on Wednesday, Jan. 31 for its National Girls & Women in Sports game. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be available to watch on ESPN+.
 
SCOUTING BUFFALO
Heading into its matchup with Ohio, Buffalo has a 10-8 overall and 4-4 conference record. Buffalo averages 67.2 points per game; shooting 42.4 percent from the field, 32.3 percent from the arc and 69.5 percent from the line. Buffalo averages 36.7 rebounds, 13.4 assists and 7.5 steals per game. The Bulls have forced 14.8 turnovers per game and average 14.7 points off turnovers.
 
Opponents average 64.1 points per game; shooting 38.8 percent from the field, 29.5 percent from the arc and 68.1 percent from the line. Opponents average 37.7 rebounds, 14.2 assists and 6.8 steals per game. Opponents have forced Buffalo to give up 14.1 turnovers per game and average 12.6 points off turnovers.
 
Chellia Watson leads Buffalo in scoring with 449 points, averaging 24.9 points per game. Kirsten Lewis-Williams has a team-high 111 rebounds while Rana Elhusseini leads the team with 58 assists and 30 steals.
 
SCOUTING OHIO
The Bobcats are 7-11 overall and 4-4 in conference play heading into their game versus Buffalo. Ohio averages 63.1 points per game; shooting 38.5 percent from the field, 28.8 percent from the arc and 67 percent from the line. Ohio averages 31.8 rebounds, 10.9 assists and 11.2 steals per game. The Bobcats have forced 22.7 turnovers per game and average 19.8 points off turnovers.
 
Meanwhile, opponents average 70.2 points per game; shooting 41.6 percent from the field, 28.9 percent from the arc and 69.8 percent from the line. Opponents average 43.4 rebounds, 14.6 assists and 10 steals per game. Opponents have forced Ohio to give up 20.4 turnovers per game and have scored an average of 20.4 points off turnovers.
 
Kennedi Watkins leads Ohio in scoring with 173 points, Bailey Tabeling and Monica Williams are tied for second with 156 points and Jaya McClure rounds out Ohio's top scorers with 151 points. Madi Mace has a team-high 81 rebounds, Jaya McClure leads the team with 40 assists and Laylay Fantroy has a team-high 31 steals.
 
ALL TIME VS BUFFALO
Heading into the matchup, Ohio trails 22-27 in its series with Buffalo. The Bobcats have won four of the last 10 meetings.
 
LAST TIME VS BUFFALO
The two teams last met during the 2022-23 season in the Convocation Center. The Bobcats fell to the Bulls, 69-64.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Ohio women's basketball team (7-11, 4-4 MAC) earned a 71-55 Battle of the Bricks victory against the Miami RedHawks (4-14, 2-6 MAC) in the Convocation Center on Saturday, Jan. 27.
 
Overall, the Bobcats shot 44 percent from the field and 32 percent from the arc. The Bobcats grabbed a total of 40 rebounds including 29 defensive rebounds. Ohio's defense forced 22 turnovers and scored 28 points off turnovers. The RedHawks never led once throughout the entire of the game.
 
Individually, the Bobcats were led by freshman Bailey Tabeling (Seymour, Ind.) with 20 points, a career-high seven rebounds and two steals. Redshirt junior Madi Mace (Parkersburg, W. Va.) had 13 points, six rebounds and three assists. Freshman Laylay Fantroy (Palestine, Texas) had 12 points, six rebounds and recorded three steals. Freshman Monica Williams (Indianapolis, Ind.) had 10 points, four assists and three steals.
 
Ohio lost the tip to Miami, but senior Bengisu Alper (Istanbul, Turkey) immediately blocked the ball on the other end to stop the Redhawks from scoring. Ohio got on the board first with a quick five-point lead after senior Peyton Guice (Westerville, Ohio) snagged a steal to assist a driving layup for Tabeling, followed by a forced turnover on defense which allowed Dennis to sink a three-point jumper. Miami tied the score, but Ohio gained the lead once more with two driving layups and a free throw from Williams. An exciting three pointer by Tabeling, assisted by Mace, gave Ohio an eight-point lead. Ohio played aggressively on defense in the first quarter grabbing eight defensive rebounds and snagging six steals against the RedHawks.
 
Alper put Ohio on the board in the second quarter with a layup assisted by Tabeling. Ohio continued to press on defense, forcing Miami into a scoring drought for almost three minutes of play. The Redhawks also pushed back on defense against the Bobcats, only allowing one layup in the first five minutes of play. Ohio ended its scoreless streak with Mace going 2-for-2 at the stripe. Mace continued her offensive run with a three pointer and a second-chance layup under the rim. Mace forced a turnover, snagged a steal and finished on a driving layup. Tabeling and Mace were a force to be reckoned with in the first half, scoring a combined 23 points of Ohio's 36. Mace led in scoring for both teams with 13 points. At the half, Ohio led 36-20.
 
Tabeling opened the scoring in the half for both teams with a second-chance three-point jumper off a Miami turnover. Miami struggled on defense against Ohio. Tabeling and Guice both went 2-for-2 at the stripe after drawing fouls from Miami. The Redhawks also struggled offensively in the quarter. Alper and Tabeling both scored a driving layup off a turnover, forcing Miami to call a timeout with 6:33 left in the quarter. An exciting play of the quarter was a second-chance layup by Fantroy off an offensive rebound. After three quarters, Ohio led Miami 58-42.
 
Fantroy began the final quarter of the game with an offensive streak scoring two layups and a free throw for Ohio. Going into the final media timeout of the game, Ohio had a 16-point lead against Miami. Out of the timeout, Miami had a turnover giving Ohio possession of the ball. Guice would attempt to run the clock, but Williams drew a foul going 2-for-2 with the bonus. Ohio called a timeout with 2:15 remaining in the game leading with 20 points. Out of the timeout, Fantroy drew a foul on a fast break and went 1-for-2 at the stripe. Ohio was victorious over Miami, earning a 71-55 win.
 
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 played started in nine of 12 games, amassing 151 points.
 
McClure leads the team with 40 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). At Toledo, she tallied a career-best 21 points. Watkins has tallied a team-high 173 points so far this season and has recorded 10 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 10.8 points, 4.1 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 (81/4.5 RPG) and has netted 97 points. 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. Against Eastern Michigan, Mace recorded a career-best seven assists.
 
DEPENDABLE KATE DENNIS
Junior Kate Dennis has remained a consistent player for Ohio, maintaining a spot in the starting lineup throughout all 18 games this season. Dennis has played 391 minutes for the Bobcats - averaging 21.7 minutes per game - tallied 99 points, 30 rebounds, 11 steals and seven blocks. She has only recorded 11 turnovers across 18 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 first in the MAC for 3FG percentage (.463) and leads the conference with the top single-game performance for 3FGs made so far this season. Tabeling is currently tied for second for points on the team with 156 total.
 
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 18 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 (57), fifth in points (117) and has a team-high 31 steals. Fantroy is currently sixth in the MAC for steals per game, seventh for total steals and ranks second in the conference in game-high individual performances this season with her six steals at App State.
 
Williams is tied for second on the team in points (156), ranks fifth for rebounds (55) and second for assists (38). In Ohio's win over IUPUI, Williams tallied a career-high five assists. At Kent State, Williams recorded her first double-figure point game with a career-high 15 points. Against Eastern Michigan, she grabbed a career-best eight rebounds. In the team's versus Miami, Williams matched her career best in steal with three total.
 
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: Kennedi Watkins (173), Bailey Tabeling (156), Monica Williams (156), Jaya McClure (151)
Rebounds: Madi Mace (81), Kennedi Watkins (65), Bengisu Alper (59)
Assists: Jaya McClure (40), Monica Williams (38), Madi Mace (31)
Blocks: Kennedi Watkins (11), Kate Dennis (7), Cassidy Lafler (5)
Steals: Laylay Fantroy (31), Madi Mace (26), Bailey Tabeling (26), Bengisu Alper (24)
 
MAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STATISTIC LEADERS (Thru 1/29)
Team Rankings (Top 5):
3PT FGs Made - 5th (127)
3PT FGs Made Per Game - 5th (7.1)
Turnover Margin - 3rd (2.33)
Total Steals - 2nd (202)
Steals Per Game - 1st (11.22)
 
Individual Rankings (Top 10):
3PT Field Goal Percentage - Bailey Tabeling, 1st (.486)
3PT FGs Made Per Game - Bailey Tabeling, 7th (1.9)
Free Throw Percentage - Laylay Fantroy, 9th (.694)
Total Steals - Laylay Fantroy, 7th (31)
Steals Per Game - Laylay Fantroy, 6th (1.9)
 
Game-High Stats (Top 3):
Team Steals - 1st (20); Ohio at Central Michigan (1/24/24)
Individual 3PT FGs Made - Bailey Tabeling, 1st (7); 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 Ball State on Saturday, Feb. 3. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET and the game will be available to watch on ESPN+.
 
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