TOLEDO, Ohio – The Ohio women's basketball team (14-9, 8-4 MAC) defeated Toledo (12-10, 6-5 MAC) 71-67 in a close battle on Tuesday, Feb. 10.
 
Ohio shot 40.4 percent from the field, 45.8 percent from the arc and 62.1 percent from the line. The Bobcats finished with 27 rebounds, 14 assists, 12 steals and three blocks.
 
Junior Bailey Tabeling (Seymour, Ind.) led the team with 17 points; shooting 5-for-9 from the field, 2-for-6 from the arc and 5-for-8 from the line. Tabeling also led the team in rebounding with seven boards.
 
Three other Bobcats finished with double figure points. Graduate student Aliah McWhorter (Cincinnati, Ohio) scored 12 points while graduate student Elli Garnett (Lakewood, Colo.) and redshirt sophomore Bella Ranallo (Lake Forest, Ill.) tallied 11 points each.
 
McWhorter distributed a team-high four assists. Tabeling and Ranallo led the team in steals with three each.
 
Ohio got off to a strong start, taking a 9-5 lead over Toledo with 7:35 to play in the first. The Bobcats extended their lead to 16-9 with 5:40 left on the clock. Toledo tied the game at 16-16 with just over four minute to go. The Rockets took Ohio's lead, 19-16, at 3:25 left on the clock. Freshman ReRe Jennings (Killeen, Texas) tied the game again at 19-19 with a three pointer with 2:33 left in the quarter. At the end of the first quarter, the two teams were tied at 21-21.
 
Toledo scored first to start the second quarter, but Ohio quickly answered back. The Bobcats took a 24-23 lead off a three pointer by Ranallo with 7:52 on the clock. With 6:01 to go in the half, Ohio extended its lead to 31-23. Toledo began to find success on offense, cutting Ohio's lead to 34-27 with just over three minutes to play. Heading into the locker room, the Bobcats led the Rockets 37-29.
 
Ohio continued its momentum into the beginning of the third quarter, taking a 43-32 lead with 7:42 to go. Almost halfway through the quarter, Toledo cut Ohio's lead to 45-38. The Rockets continued to close in on Ohio's lead throughout the rest of the quarter. With just over a minute to go in the third, Ohio only led Toledo 53-49. Heading into the fourth, Ohio held a small 53-51 lead over Toledo.
 
It was a tight fourth quarter between the Bobcats and the Rockets. With 5:31 left in the game, Ohio led Toledo 60-55. The Bobcats were challenged by the Rockets, only leading 66-60 with 50.9 seconds. The game came down to the final seconds
 
The Bobcats will be back in action when they host Kent State for their Pink Game on Saturday, Feb. 14 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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