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ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio women's basketball team (0-1, 0-0 MAC) is set to host Bellarmine (2-0, 0-0 ASUN) on Sunday, Nov. 10 in the Convocation Center. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET and fans will be able to watch the game on ESPN+. Magnet schedules will be available as giveaways at marketing kiosks.
 
SCOUTING BELLARMINE
Bellarmine currently has an 2-0 overall record after opening the 2024-25 season with wins over Indiana University Southeast and Midway University (Ky.).
 
The Knights average 96.5 PPG; shooting 49.3 percent from the field, 36.0 percent from the arc and 81.8 percent from the line. The team averages 50.5 rebounds, 19 assists and 11 steals per game. The Knights have forced 20 turnovers per game and average 22 points off turnovers.
 
Bellarmine's opponents average 63.0 PPG; shooting 36.0 percent from the field, 27.8 percent from the arc and 63.6 percent from the line. Opponents average 31 rebounds, 14.5 assists and nine steals per game. Opponents have forced Bellarmine to give up 17.5 turnovers per game and average 13 points off turnovers.
 
SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio currently has an 0-1 overall record after opening the 2024-25 season with a 82-70 loss to Georgia Southern.
 
The Bobcats average 70.0 PPG; shooting 42.9 percent from the field, 40.0 percent from the arc and 55.6 percent from the line. The team averages 35 rebounds, 13 assists and six steals per game. The Bobcats have forced 10 turnovers per game and average 10 points off turnovers.
 
Ohio's opponents average 82.0 PPG; shooting 42.5 percent from the field, 35.3 percent from the arc and 57.1 percent from the line. Opponents average 48 rebounds, 14 assists and 14 steals per game. Opponents have forced Ohio to give up 21 turnovers per games and average 20 points off turnovers.
 
ALL TIME VS BELLARMINE
The Bobcats and the Knights have played each other once in the history of their programs. The two teams first met last season when Ohio fell to Bellarmine on the road, 70-66.
 
LAST TIME VS BELLARMINE
The last competition between Ohio and Bellarmine was during the 2023-24 season with the Bobcats falling to the Knights, 70-66, on the road.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Ohio women's basketball team (0-1, 0-0 MAC) fell to the Georgia Southern Eagles (1-0, 0-0 Sun Belt), 82-70, in its home opener on Monday, Nov. 4 in the Convocation Center for the MAC-SBC Challenge.
 
Overall, the Bobcats shot 42 percent from the field and 40 percent from the arc. The Bobcats grabbed a total of 35 rebounds including 24 defensive rebounds. Ohio's defense forced 10 turnovers and scored 10 points off turnovers.
 
 Individually, the Bobcats were led by senior Kennedi Watkins (Ballwin, Mo.) led in overall scoring of the game with a career-high 26 points, three rebounds and two steals. Sophomore Bailey Tabeling (Seymour, Ind.) had 14 points, a career-high eight rebounds and three assists. Senior Kate Dennis (Rockford, Ill.) also contributed 10 points, two rebounds and 1 block. Graduate student Aliah McWhorter (Cincinnati, Ohio) and graduate student Anyssa Jones (Westerville, Ohio) both added eight points to the board.
 
Georgia Southern won the tip and scored the first basket of the game, but Watkins quickly answered with a shot from the arc assisted by Tabeling. Ohio put pressure on Georgia Southern to stop scoring, snagging steals and blocking layups. A three-point jumper by Tabeling put Ohio ahead for the first time of the game. Watkins kept the Bobcats ahead with another three-point jumper assisted by Jones. Both teams traded baskets throughout most of the quarter, but Ohio held a three-point lead going into the next ten minutes of play. 
 
Watkins opened the second quarter with two driving layups to extend Ohio's lead. Dennis continued Ohio's hot scoring streak with a three-point jumper assisted by Jones. The Eagles would catch up in scoring, closing the gap to one point against the Bobcats. Both teams traded baskets and pressed each other on defense to keep the score gap to one point. With back-to-back layups and two made free throws, Georgia Southern got ahead of Ohio by six. Going into the locker room, the Eagles led 38-32. 
 
Tabeling opened scoring for the Bobcats in the second half with a three-point jumper assisted by sophomore Monica Williams (Indianapolis, Ind.). Williams also scored a driving layup in the paint to help close the score gap against Georgia Southern to three points. The Eagles made back-to-back baskets to gain a nine-point lead, but a second chance jumper by Watkins and a driving layup from McWhorter helped keep the Bobcats in the game. Both teams would trade baskets once more, but the Eagles would gain another lead. Dennis and Jones would quickly respond with three-point baskets to keep the deficit close. The Eagles led only by three points going into the final ten minutes of play. 
 
Dennis made a three-point jumper off an opponent turnover to bring the Bobcats closer in score. Jones and Watkins also made three-point jumpers to stay close in score. Both teams traded baskets to keep the score balanced, but Georgia Southern would eventually get ahead by 10. The Bobcats pressed on defense to keep the Eagles from scoring, but they would ultimately fall 82-70.
 
LAST SEASON'S STANDOUTS
Among Ohio's returning players, several were standouts for the Bobcats during the 2023-24 season. Three Bobcats were recognized with 2023-24 MAC Postseason Honors for their impactful performances on the court last season.
 
Despite several inuries, junior Jaya McClure concluded her sophomore season as one of the Ohio's top performers. The All-MAC Honorable Mention made 21 appearances with 16 starts, ranked first on the team for assists (75), second for points (278) and recorded 35 steals. Throughout the season, McClure tallied a career-high 26 points, 11 FGM, nine assists, seven rebounds and seven FTM.
 
Senior Kennedi Watkins made an immediate impact for the Bobcats in her first season at Ohio. Along with McClure, Watkins was named an All-MAC Honorable Mention. She made 26 appearances with 21 starts, ranked first on the team in points (288), blocks (12), averaged 11.1 PPG, grabbed 98 rebounds and ranked eighth in the MAC for steals with 40 total. Watkins recorded a career-high 26 points, five blocks, 10 FGM and seven rebounds.
 
Sophomore Bailey Tabeling ended her debut season at Ohio as one of the top three-point shooters in MAC and NCAA. She was named to the MAC All-Freshman Team after ranking third on the team for points (260), second for steals (48), grabbing 75 rebounds and recording 32 assists. Tabeling ranked third in the MAC for three-point percentage, fourth for 3FGs per game and seventh for steals. The sophomore also ranked 24th in the NCAA for three-point percentage at the end of the season.
 
VETERAN BOBCATS
The Ohio women's basketball team has nine players returning for the 2024-25 season including the previously named standouts; Jaya McClure (Jr.), Kennedi Watkins (Sr.) and Bailey Tabeling (So.).
 
Guards Kate Dennis (Sr.) and Monica Williams (So.) were important contributors for the team and consistently part of Ohio's starting lineup last season. Both Bobcats started and played in all 30 games during the 2024-25 season.
 
Dennis played 697 minutes across 30 games. She finished the 2022-23 season with 183 points, 57 rebounds, eight assists, eight blocks and 17 steals. Dennis ranked second in three-pointers (47), 3PT % (.343), blocks and first for FT%. The senior averaged less than one turnover per game with 21 total last season. Dennis recorded multiple career bests last season including 14 points versus Kent State (2/21/24), four steals versus IUPUI (11/26/23) and four blocks at App State (11/11/23).
 
Williams played a team-high 788 minutes, averaging 26.3 minutes per game across 30 games. In her debut season with Ohio, she recorded 247 points, 68 assists, 101 rebounds, 42 steals and seven blocks. Williams ranked second on the team for assists, third for steals, blocks and fifth for blocks. The sophomore netted a season-high 15 points at Kent State (1/6/24), recorded a season-high eight rebounds versus Eastern Michigan (1/20/24), a season-high five assists & seven steals versus Central Michigan (3/2/24) and three blocks versus Kent State (2/21/24).
 
Coming off the bench last season, Asiah Baxter (So.) played 73 minutes across 12 games as a guard for Ohio. Baxters netted 13 points and shot 41.7 percent from the field. She also totaled 10 rebounds and two assists. Baxter played a season-high 21 minutes at Ball State (2/3/24)
 
Cassidy Lafler (Jr.), Emma Barnett (So.) and Aja Austin (Sr.) are Ohio's three returning forwards. All three Bobcats missed a large portion or the entirety of the  2023-24 season due to injuries.
 
WELCOME TO ATHENS
Ohio welcomes seven newcomers, including three freshmen, a redshirt freshman, sophomore and two transfers, to its 2024-25 roster.
 
Gigi Bower (Freshman; Powell, Ohio): A 5-9 guard, Bower joins the team after being a four-year letterwinner for basketball at Olentangy Liberty. She earned several honors including Second Team All-State, First Team All-OCC, OCC Central Player of the Year, First Team All-District 11, First Team All-Delaware County, Delaware County Player of the Year and SBC Live All Star. During the 2022-23 season, Bower set the record for the most three pointers in a season and helped her team to an OCC Championships title.
 
Kiersten Cashell (Sophomore; Hilliard, Ohio): A 5-10 guard, Cashell was a four-year letterwinner for basketball at Hilliard Davidson High School. In 2022-23, Cash was a team captain, played in 22 games and averaged 12.5 points per game. The Hilliard native was named All-OCC Second Team and team MVP. Cashell received the Sharon Huesman Memorial and OCC Byron Prushing scholarships.
 
Anyssa Jones (Graduate Student; Westerville, Ohio): Prior to Ohio, Jones started her collegiate career at Ohio State before transferring to Dayton and playing for the Flyers for two seasons. At Dayton, the 5-10 guard appeared in 59 games, made 43 starts and averaged 27.8 minutes per game. In two seasons with the Flyers, she amassed a total of 541 points, 288 rebounds, 52 assists and 55 steals in her two seasons with the Flyers. At Ohio State, Jones appeared in 15 games, was two-time Scholar-Athlete Award recipient and earned 2021-22 Academic All-Conference honors.
 
Madison Lim (Redshirt Freshman; Marysville, Ohio):  A 5-10 guard, Lim was a four-year letterwinner for basketball at Mechanicsburg High School where she served as team captain. She was a recipient of the 2022-23 Scholar-Athlete Award. She helped her team to two conference championship titles and a birth to the 2023 District Semifinals. Lim started in all 25 games during senior season.
 
Aliah McWhorter (Graduate Student; Cincinnati, Ohio): A 6-1 guard, McWhorter enters her first year with the Bobcats spending four season playing at Wake Forest. She did not see action for two seasons due to injury. In total, McWhorter played in 19 games and made for start for the Demon Deacons. During the 2023-24 season, McWhorter appeared in 14 games, made one start versus North Carolina (2/18) and tallied 45 total minutes on the court.
 
Olivia Rinard (Freshman; Williamstown, W. Va.): A 5-5 guard, Rinard was a four-year letterwinner for basketball and soccer in high school. Rinard attended Williamstown High School for two years before transferring to Marietta High School for her junior and senior years. During her freshman season, Rinard's team competed at the West Virginia State Final Four.
 
Danni Scully (Freshman; Park Ridge, Ill.): A 6-1 forward, Scully was a four-year letterwinner for basketball at Nazareth Academy. She was a team captain, two-time All-Conference, a Montini Christmas First Team All-Tournament selection and named an All-State Honorable Mention. In 2023, Scully received the MVP Award in the state semi-final game. Scully helped her team to a 2022 State Runner Up finish and a 2023 State Championship title.
 
2024-25 MAC PRESEASON POLL
The Ohio women's basketball team was selected to finish sixth, tied with NIU, in the 2024-25 MAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the league on Tuesday, Oct. 22. Ohio earned 64 points and was chosen to finish above Miami (OH) (44), Akron (43), Western Michigan (34), Eastern Michigan (23) and Central Michigan (20). Ball State (120) was selected to finish first in the conference with 10 first-place votes. Kent State (104) also received two first-place votes and was chosen to finish second in the conference. Ball State (8) was also selected to win the 2025 MAC Tournament, followed by Bowling Green (1), Buffalo (1), Kent State (1) and Toledo (1).
 
2024-25 PRESEASON ALL-MAC
Junior guard Jaya McClure was selected to the Preseason All-MAC Second Team, as announced by the league on Tuesday, Oct. 22. Last season, McClure was named an All-MAC Honorable Mention after appearing in 22 games and making 17 starts. McClure concluded the season with 278 points, 12.6 PPG, 75 assists, 35 steals and 56 rebounds. McClure ranked first on the team for assists and second for points.
 
BOBCATS STAFF: FAMILIAR FACES
Ohio returns almost its entire coaching staff from last season. Associate Head Coach Tavares Jackson joins head coach, Bob Bolden, in his 12th season with the Bobcats. Assistant Coach Chelsea Welch enters her third season and Director of Operations Ebony Pegues enters her fourth season with the program. Kaylee Gregory Bambule has been promoted to an assistant coach position after serving as video coordinator for two seasons. Former Bobcat, Abby Garnett, returns to Athens for her first season as assistant coach with Ohio.
 
UP NEXT
The Bobcats will be back in action when they host George Washington on Saturday, Nov. 16 in the Convo. Tip-off is set for 12 p.m. ET and the game will be available to watch on ESPN+
 
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