HATTIESBURG, Miss. – In the second game of this season's MAC-SBC Challenge, the Ohio women's basketball team (4-18, 2-9 MAC) fell in a tough battle at Southern Mississippi (9-15, 4-8 SBC) 58-46 on Saturday, Feb. 8.
 
Graduate student Anyssa Jones (Westerville, Ohio) led the team in scoring with 14 points. Sophomore Bailey Tabeling (Seymour, Ind.) also finished in double figures with 10 points total.
 
Sophomore Asiah Baxter (Indianapolis, Ind.) and junior Cassidy Lafler (Dublin, Ohio) led the team in rebounding with six boards each. Lafler's six rebounds matched her career high.
 
Tabeling recorded a career-high five steals, leading the team in the category. Jones and Lafler added three steals each.
 
Baxter, graduate student Aliah McWhorter (Cincinnati, Ohio), senior Kate Dennis (Rockford, Ill.) and freshman Danni Scully (Park Ridge, Ill.) all led the team in assists, finishing with two assists each.
 
It was a slow start for the Bobcats. Jones sunk a three pointer and Ohio trailed 8-3 with 6:18 to go in the quarter. At 3:10 left on the clock, Tabeling drained a three pointer and tied the game at 8-8. The teams traded points throughout the remainder of the quarter. With under a minute to go, Tabeling tied the game again at 13-13 with a steal and successful fastbreak opportunity. Southern Mississippi retook the lead with a jumper. Jones tried to even the score with a layup at the buzzer, but the basket was not counted. Ohio trailed Southern Mississippi 15-13 at the end of the first quarter.
 
The game remained close throughout the second quarter. Southern Mississippi found most of its offensive success off free throw opportunities. The Eagles finished 8-for-8 from the line but 4-for-11 from the field. Although they were not consistently successful on offense, the Bobcats' defense was very aggressive. At the end of the first half, Ohio had earned 10 steals, forced 13 turnovers and scored nine points off turnovers. Heading into the locker room, Southern Mississippi led Ohio 32-25.
 
The third quarter was a tough one offensively for Ohio. With Tabeling in foul trouble, the Bobcats struggled a bit. For most of the quarter, Ohio's shots wouldn't fall while it seemed that Southern Mississippi couldn't miss. Ohio trailed Southern Mississippi, 52-34, with one quarter left in the game.
 
Despite an overall solid fourth quarter, the Bobcats were unable to comeback. Ohio ultimately fell to Southern Mississippi, 58-46.
 
The Bobcats will return home when they host Buffalo on Saturday, Feb. 15.  Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET and the game will be available to watch on ESPN+.
 
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