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ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio women's basketball team (4-19, 2-10 MAC) is set to host Northern Illinois (12-12, 5-7 MAC) on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET and the game will be available to watch on ESPN+.
 
SCOUTING NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Northern Illinois has a 12-12 overall and 5-7 conference record heading into its matchup at Ohio.
 
The Huskies average 66.3 PPG; shooting 43.7 percent from the field, 37.0 percent from the arc and 69.2 percent from the line. The team averages 36.5 rebounds, 14.5 assists and 5.6 steals per game. Northern Illinois has forced 13.3 turnovers per game.
 
Northern Illinois' opponents average 69.3 PPG; shooting 40.7 percent from the field, 31.7 percent from the arc and 71.7 percent from the line. Opponents average 36.5 rebounds, 13.8 assists and 9.5 steals per game. Opponents have forced Northern Illinois to give up 17.3 turnovers per game.
 
SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio has a 4-19 overall and 2-10 conference record heading into its matchup with Northern Illinois.
 
The Bobcats average 57.3 PPG; shooting 36.5 percent from the field, 28.2 percent from the arc and 66.7 percent from the line. The team averages 31.8 rebounds, 10.5 assists and 8.6 steals per game. Ohio has forced 16.6 turnovers per game and averages 12.1 points off turnovers.
 
Ohio's opponents average 73.0 PPG; shooting 42.5 percent from the field, 31.5 percent from the arc and 72.4 percent from the line. Opponents average 42.8 rebounds, 17.3 assists and 9.5 steals per game. Opponents have forced Ohio to give up 19 turnovers per game and average 19.3 points off turnovers.
 
ALL TIME VS NORTHERN ILLINOIS
The Bobcats lead the Huskies in their all-time series, 25-23.
 
LAST TIME VS NORTHERN ILLINOIS
The Bobcats and the Huskies last met earlier this season. In the teams' last meeting, Ohio earned a 71-55 win over NIU.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Ohio women's basketball team (4-19, 2-10 MAC) battled hard but ultimately fell to Buffalo (20-4, 11-1 MAC) by a score of 79-67 on Saturday afternoon.
 
The matchup marked Ohio's annual Pink Game, as the Bobcats participated in Play4Kay to support the fight against breast cancer. Fans were encouraged to wear pink in solidarity with the cause, and donations were collected to contribute to the team's fundraising efforts.
 
Sophomore Bailey Tabeling (Seymour, Ind.) paced the Bobcats' offense with 19 points, shooting an efficient 7-of-10 from the field and 5-of-7 from beyond the arc. She also contributed three assists and three steals. Graduate student Anyssa Jones (Westerville, Ohio) added 12 points, knocking down two three-pointers and going 4-of-6 from the free-throw line. Senior Kate Dennis (Rockford, Ill.) was perfect from the floor, scoring 10 points on 4-of-4 shooting, including two three-pointers.
 
Ohio pushed to score but Buffalo ultimately took control of the first half. The Bobcats trailed 49-37 at the break but kept themselves within reach behind Tabeling's hot shooting from deep. Ohio shot 47.8% from three-point range as a team, connecting on 11 of its 23 attempts.
 
The Bobcats fought to close the gap in the second half, getting to the free-throw line frequently in the third quarter. Ohio converted 13-of-18 attempts from the line in the second half, capitalizing on Buffalo's defensive fouls. Despite their strong shooting performance, turnovers became a challenge, as Ohio gave the ball away 31 times, allowing Buffalo to extend its lead.
 
Defensively, Ohio put up a strong effort, grabbing 13 steals and forcing 14 turnovers. Graduate student Aliah McWhorter (Cincinnati, Ohio) played a key role on the boards, pulling down six rebounds while adding eight points and two steals. Freshman Danni Scully (Park Ridge, Ill.) and sophomore Asiah Baxter (Indianapolis, Ind.) each contributed on the court, combining for eight rebounds.
 
Ohio finished the game with 32 total rebounds, 11 assists, and three blocks. Despite a solid showing from beyond the arc and at the free-throw line, the Bobcats were unable to overcome their turnovers down the stretch.
 
THE WATKINS WAY
Senior Kennedi Watkins has a been an important presence on the court for Ohio this season. Through 20 games, Watkins is averaging 14.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. The senior is currently shooting 44.0 percent from the field and 29.7 percent from the arc. This season, Watkins has recorded six 20-point games and has led the team in scoring nine times this season. She also recorded her first double-double as a Bobcats with 20 points and 10 rebounds at Wright State (12/24).
 
Watkins ranks first on the team for scoring with a total of 296 points. The senior reached the 1,000 career points milestone at Buffalo (1/22).
 
A NEW ROLE FOR BAILEY TABELING
After finishing her freshman season as one of the top 25 three-point shooters in the NCAA, sophomore Bailey Tabeling's role on the team has shifted to a point guard and playmaker this season.
 
Tabeling has started and played in every game this season, compiling a team-high 721 minutes played. The sophomore currently ranks first on the team for rebounds, assists and steals. Tabeling also ranks second on the team for points. Tabeling tallied a new career-high 28 points in the team's first conference win of the season at Northern Illinois (1/4). The sophomore recorded her first career double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds versus Eastern Michigan (1/25).
 
DEPENDABLE KATE DENNIS
Senior Kate Dennis has been a consistent leader for the Bobcats on and off the court. Dennis has started and played in all 23 games this season, averaging 25.8 minutes per game. Dennis recorded her 100th career game at Ohio at Western Michigan (1/8).
 
The senior has recorded eight double-figure point games so far this season and has only tallied 13 turnovers, averaging less than one turnover per game. Dennis ranks first on the team for blocks, second for minutes played and third for points.
 
TEAM STATISTIC CATEGORY LEADERS (TOP 3)
Points: Kennedi Watkins (296), Bailey Tabeling (276), Kate Dennis (154)
Rebounds: Bailey Tabeling (107), Kennedi Watkins (85), Asiah Baxter (83)
Assists: Bailey Tabeling (56), Aliah McWhorter (43), Asiah Baxter (26), Kennedi Watkins (26)
Blocks: Kate Dennis (12), Kennedi Watkins (8), Aliah McWhorter (7)
Steals: Bailey Tabeling (48), Kennedi Watkins (29), Anyssa Jones (23)
Minutes Played: Bailey Tabeling (721), Kate Dennis (593), Kennedi Watkins (544)
 
MAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STATISTICAL LEADERS (2/17)
Team Rankings (Top 5):
3PT FG's Made Per Game - 2nd (7.5)
Steals - 5th (197)
Steals Per Game - 5th (8.57)
 
Individual Rankings (Top 10):
Points Per Game - Kennedi Watkins, 8th (14.8)
3PT FG's Made Per Game - Bailey Tabeling, 4th (2.2)
Steals - Bailey Tabeling, 8th (48)
Steals Per Game - Bailey Tabeling, 8th (2.1)
 
Game Highs (Top 3):
Team FG Attempts - Ohio vs. Ohio Christian (12/3), 2nd (80)
Team 3PT FG Made - Ohio vs. Ohio Christian (12/3), 3rd (14)
Team 3PT FG Attempts: Ohio at Saint Louis (12/15), 1st (38)
Individual FG Attempts:
Bailey Tabeling at NIU (1/4), 2nd (23)     
Individual 3PT FG Attempts:
Bailey Tabeling at NIU (1/4), 1st (16)
 
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.
 
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 seasons 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 at Akron on Saturday, Feb. 22.  Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET and the game will be available to watch on ESPN+.
 
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