ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio women's basketball team (5-4, 0-0 MAC) fell to Saint Louis (6-7, 1-0 A10) 80-74 in a tough battle on Saturday, Dec. 20.
 
Overall, Ohio shot 25.6 percent from the field, 21.6 percent from the arc and 70.3 percent from the line. The Bobcats recorded 50 rebounds, 12 assists and four blocks. Ohio tallied 13 steals and forced Saint Louis to give up 25 turnovers.
 
Junior Bailey Tabeling (Seymour, Ind.) was the led Ohio in scoring with her first 20-point game this season. Tabeling finished with seven field goals, two three-pointers, two rebounds, two assists and a team-high three steals. Tabeling also finished 4-for-5 from the line.
 
Junior Antonicia Moultrie (Nassau, Bahamas) played her best game of the season. Moultrie scored a career-high 15 points; shooting 5-for-9 from the field, 3-for-3 from the arc and 2-for-4 from the line. Moultrie also recorded a career-high six rebounds, three steals and two blocks. In addition to being one of three Bobcats to score in double figures, Moultrie led the team in steals and blocks.
 
Junior Asiah Baxter (Indianapolis, Ind.) was another key player for Ohio, scoring 10 points in addition to grabbing a team-high and career-high nine rebounds. Baxter also contributed two steals, two assists and one block.
 
Ohio got off to a tough start, allowing Saint Louis to go on a 14-0 run in the first five minutes of play. A three pointer from freshman ReRe Jennings (Killeen, Texas) got the Bobcats on the board. Ohio weas able to get a couple more points, due to the efforts of Tabeling, before the end of the quarter. After the first period of play, Ohio trailed Saint Louis 23-10.
 
Ohio took control in the beginning of the second quarter, going on a 7-0 scoring run off a three pointer by graduate student Elli Garnett (Lakewood, Colo.) and back-to-back layups by Tabeling and Baxter. Another Ohio layup by Moultrie cut Saint Louis' lead to 25-19 with 6:19 left in the quarter. Both teams went over two minutes without a basket until Saint Louis ended the scoring drought with two free throws with 3:17 to go. Ohio's final play of the half – a steal by sophomore Gigi Bower (Powell, Ohio) and layup by Baxter – cut the Bilikens' lead to three points. A last second jumper by Saint Louis put the Bilikens up 35-30 at the end of the second quarter.
 
The third quarter was both long and competitive with Saint Louis only outscoring Ohio by four points. The Bilikens opened the quarter with three straight layup, extending their lead to 41-30. Ohio went on a 9-2 scoring run, highlighted by a three pointer by Bower, halfway through the quarter to cut Saint Louis' lead to 45-40 with 4:04 to go. Ohio spent majority of the final three minutes at the free throw line. The Bobcats drew nine fouls and shot 14 free throws throughout the entire third quarter. Heading into the final quarter of the game, Ohio trailed Saint Louis 59-50.
 
Ohio went into the final period down by nine points. Both teams kicked off the fourth quarter with three-point baskets. Ohio closed in on Saint Louis' lead with seven-straight made free throws. With 5:37 left in the game, the Bobcats trailed the Bilikens 67-63. A tip in by Baxter with 4:14 left to go cut Saint Louis' lead to 67-66. Saint Louis retook control of the momentum and extended its lead to 78-70 with 1:11 left in the game. Despite putting up a hard fight, the Bobcats ultimately fell to Saint Louis 80-74.
 
The Bobcats will be back in action when they host Wilberforce (Ohio) on Sunday, December 28 in the Convocation Center. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET and the game will be available to watch on ESPN+.
 
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