ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio women's basketball (10-17, 7-9 MAC) will travel to Akron (10-7, 5-11 MAC) for a midweek matchup on Wednesday, March 6. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. ET and the game will be available to watch on ESPN+.
 
SCOUTING AKRON
Heading into its matchup with Ohio, Akron has a 10-17 overall and 5-11 conference record. Akron averages 62.2 points per game; shooting 39 percent from the field, 29.5 percent from the arc and 70.7 percent from the line. Akron averages 36.7 rebounds, 12.1 assists and 5.7 steals per game. The Zips have forced 14.7 turnovers per game and average 13.5 points off turnovers.
 
Opponents average 66.2 points per game; shooting 42.2 percent from the field, 30.5 percent from the arc and 69.2 percent from the line. Opponents average 36.6 rebounds, 13.9 assists and 7.6 steals per game. Opponents have forced Akron to give up 16.3 turnovers per game and average 15.6 points off turnovers.
 
Reagan Bass leads Akron in scoring with 442 points and rebounding with 273 boards. Morgan Haney has a team-high 77 assists and Kaia Woods ranks first on the team for steals with 28 total.
 
SCOUTING OHIO
The Bobcats are 10-17 overall and 7-9 in conference play heading into their game with Akron. Ohio averages 63.9 points per game; shooting 39.1 percent from the field, 28.2 percent from the arc and 68 percent from the line. Ohio averages 31.3 rebounds, 11.4 assists and 11 steals per game. The Bobcats have forced 21.5 turnovers per game and average 19.4 points off turnovers.
 
Meanwhile, opponents average 71.7 points per game; shooting 42.5 percent from the field, 30.8 percent from the arc and 72.4 percent from the line. Opponents average 42.5 rebounds, 14.9 assists and 9.1 steals per game. Opponents have forced Ohio to give up 18.9 turnovers per game and have scored an average of 19.6 points off turnovers.
 
Jaya McClure leads the Bobcats in scoring with 246 points and assists with 68 total. Laylay Fantroy has recorded a team-high 102 rebounds and 50 assists.
 
LAST TIME VS AKRON
Ohio and Akron met earlier this season with the Bobcats earning a 67-58 win over the Zips.
 
ALL TIME VS AKRON
The Bobcats leads in their series with Akron 48-23 and have won six of the last 10 matchups.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Ohio women's basketball team (10-17, 7-9 MAC) defeated the Central Michigan Chippewas (6-20, 4-12 MAC) 77-63 after an intense battle in the Convocation Center on Wednesday, Feb. 28.
 
Following the game, seniors Bengisu Alper (Istanbul, Turkey), Peyton Guice (Westerville, Ohio), Kailiah Johnson (Holland, Ohio), Madi Mace (Parkersburg, W. Va.), Kate Dennis (Rockford, Ill.) and Ella Pope (Orem, Utah) were honored for their contributions to the Bobcats and Ohio.
 
Overall, the Bobcats shot 45.5 percent from the field and 18.8 percent from the three-point arch. The Bobcats went 14-for-18 at the free-throw line. The Bobcats grabbed a total of 33 rebounds with 27 being defensive. Ohio's defense forced 29 turnovers and scored 34 points off them. Central Michigan outrebounded Ohio 50-33, but Ohio recorded an impressive 21 steals. Individually, the Bobcats were led by sophomore Jaya McClure (Louisville, Ky.) with 19 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals. Freshman Laylay Fantroy (Palestine, Texas) with 14 points, six rebounds and five steals. Mace with 13 points and three rebounds. Dennis also added 10 points. Freshman Monica Williams (Indianapolis, Ind.) contributed with eight points, five assists and snagging seven steals.
 
Central Michigan won the tip, but freshman Bailey Tabeling (Seymour, Ind.) stormed in with a steal to allow Dennis to score a layup. Ohio fought hard on the other end to keep Central Michigan off the board, snagging rebounds and gaining possession of the ball. Williams snagged a defensive rebound and drove the ball down the court to assist McClure to a three-point jumper. McClure would further Ohio's lead with two additional layups off opponent turnovers. Ohio kept snagging steals to have an offensive advantage during the quarter.
 
Ohio's defense kept Central Michigan from scoring, only allowing one free throw. Central Michigan's first official basket of the game was five minutes into the quarter with a three-point jumper. Fantroy continued to add offensively for Ohio with a steal and driving layup. Dennis would follow with a layup off a turnover assisted by Fantroy. Williams snagged four steals in the first ten minutes of play, followed by Tabeling with two. Ohio led by seven points going into the second quarter.
 
The Chippewas began the second quarter with possession but were no match for Ohio's defense with a steal from McClure to assist Tabeling's layup. Williams would immediately follow with another steal and drawing a foul to go 2-for-2 at the line. Ohio went back-to-back in scoring with layups by McClure and Williams. Dennis would further Ohio's lead with a three-point jumper assisted by McClure. Fantroy snagged a steal on defense and allowed Mace to sink her first basket of the game. Mace scored a three-point jumper assisted by junior Kennedi Watkins (Ballwin, Mo.) to set Ohio's lead to 16 points with four minutes remaining in the half. Mace would also go 2-for-2 at the stripe after drawing a foul on a layup, followed by an impressive offensive passing play to assist an exciting layup by Fantroy. Watkins added points in the quarter going 2-for-2 at the stripe. Fantroy ended the quarter stealing the ball and driving in for a layup. Ohio led by 16 going into the locker room. Tabeling began the second half with a driving layup assisted by McClure followed by a steal. Dennis drew a foul on a layup and made the bonus free throw, earning a three-point play and furthering Ohio's lead to 21 points. Central Michigan began to crawl back on offense and closed the gap to eight points, forcing Ohio to call a timeout. Out of the timeout, Central Michigan sank a three-point jumper, but Mace quickly responded with a driving layup to keep Ohio on the board. Ohio and Central Michigan traded baskets for the remainder of the third quarter, but McClure ended the third quarter with a second-chance layup. Ohio led by eight points going into the final quarter of the game.
 
Mace began the fourth quarter with a layup in the paint assisted by Fantroy, followed by a layup by McClure. Mace would go 2-for-2 at the stripe drawing a foul on a layup. McClure would have a three-point play after drawing a foul in the paint, followed by Fantroy stealing the ball for another driving layup to force the Chippewas to call a timeout. Out of the timeout, Ohio kept Central Michigan off the board by pressing on defense. Fantroy extended Ohio's lead to 14 points with a second-chance layup. McClure earned another three-point play drawing a foul in the paint with two minutes remaining in the game. Central Michigan attempted to use a defensive press against Ohio but would be unsuccessful. Alper added her first point of the game with a free throw after drawing a shooting foul. Ohio would finish the game with a second-chance layup made by Alper. Ohio defeated Central Michigan 77-63.
 
SHARING THE WEALTH ON OFFENSE
Ohio has five players who have recorded 200 or more points throughout this season and three other players have scored over 100 points this season. The team's top three scorers are only separated by one point and five Bobcats have recorded 10 or more double figure point games this season.
 
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 14 of 19 games, amassing 246 points.McClure ranks first on the team for points, assists and has recorded 12 double-figure point games. She tallied a career-best 26 points and seven rebounds versus Kent State (2/21). Against Syracuse (12/9), McClure recorded a career-best in assists (9) and free throws made (7). McClure led the team with 19 points and a career-high seven rebounds versus Central Michigan (3/2)
 
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 tallied a career-high 21 points at Toledo and versus Ball State. Watkins has tallied 245 points so far this season, ranks second on the team for scoring and has recorded 14 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 10.7 points, 3.7 rebounds per game and has tallied 12 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 second on the team for rebounds and has netted 140 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 27 games this season. Dennis has played 620 minutes for the Bobcats - averaging 22.9 minutes per game - tallied 168 points, 51 rebounds, 15 steals and eight blocks. She has only recorded 21 turnovers across 27 games, averaging less than one turnover per game. Dennis tallied a career-best 14 points against Kent State (2/21).
 
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 fifth in the MAC and 24th in the NCAA for 3PT FG percentage and has the second-best single-game performance for 3FGs made so far this season. Tabeling ranks third on the team for points with 244 total.
 
FRESHMEN 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 27 games this season.
 
Williams ranks second on the team for assists, third for steals, rebounds, blocks and fourth for points. Williams tallied a career-high five assists in Ohio's wins over IUPUI (11/26) and Central Michigan (3/2). 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. She also recorded a career-best three blocks versus Kent State (2/21). Against Central Michigan (3/2), Williams recorded a career-high seven steals and is tied third for one of the best single-game steal performances in program history.
 
Fantroy recorded her first career double-double and is Ohio's first player to do so this season. Coming off the bench for majority of the season, she has a team-high 50 steals, ranks first in rebounds and fifth in points. Fantroy is currently fourth in the MAC for steals per game and fifth for total steals. Fantroy made her first career start at Ball State (2/3) and recorded a career-high 24 points versus Texas State (2/10).
 
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. Since her return, Guice has played in 22 games, making 11 starts. Guice recorded a career-best six rebounds against NIU (1/10) and Ball State (2/17).
 
TEAM STATISTIC CATEGORY LEADERS (TOP 3)
Points: Jaya McClure (246), Kennedi Watkins (245), Bailey Tabeling (244)
Rebounds: Laylay Fantroy (102), Madi Mace (95), Monica Williams (93)
Assists: Jaya McClure (68), Monica Williams (64), Madi Mace (36)
Blocks: Kennedi Watkins (12), Kate Dennis (8), Monica Williams (6)
Steals: Laylay Fantroy (50), Bailey Tabeling (45), Monica Williams (37)
 
MAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STATISTIC LEADERS (Thru 3/4)
Team Rankings (Top 5):
3PT FGs Made - 4th (191)
3PT FGs Made Per Game - 4th (7.1)
Free Throws Made - 5th (308)
Turnover Margin - 4th (2.63)
Turnovers Forced Per Game - 1st (21.5)
Total Steals - 2nd (296)
Steals Per Game - 1st (10.96)
 
Individual Rankings (Top 10):
3PT Field Goal Percentage - Bailey Tabeling, 5th (.417)
3PT FGs Made - Bailey Tabeling, 3rd (58)
3PT FGs Made Per Game - Bailey Tabeling, 3rd (2.1)
Total Steals - Laylay Fantroy, 5th (50); Bailey Tabeling, 7th (45)
Steals Per Game - Laylay Fantroy, 4th (2.0); Bailey Tabeling, 7th (1.7)
 
Game-High Stats (Top 3):
Team 3PT FG Attempts - 2nd (39), Ohio vs. Buffalo (1/31/24); 3rd (37), Ohio at Bowling Green (2/7/24)
Team Steals - 1st (21), Ohio vs. Central Michigan (3/2/24); 2nd (20), Ohio at Central Michigan (1/24/24)
Individual 3PT FGs Attempts - Bailey Tabeling, 2nd (15); Ohio vs. Buffalo (1/31/24)
Individual 3PT FGs Made - Bailey Tabeling, 2nd (7); Ohio vs. Syracuse (12/9/23)
Individual Steals - Monica Williams, 3rd (7); Ohio vs. Central Michigan (3/2/24)
 
OHIO IN THE NCAA STATISTIC RANKINGS (Thru 3/3)
Team Rankings (Top 25):
Steals Per Game, 18th
3PT FG Attempts Per Game, 24th
Turnovers Forced Per Game, 9th
 
Individual Rankings (Top 25):
3PT Field Goal Percentage - Bailey Tabeling, 24th
 
UP NEXT
The Bobcats will be back in action at Miami on Saturday, March 9. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET and the game will be available to watch on ESPN+.
 
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