Ohio women's basketball coach Lynn Bria has never been happier to cancel a hotel reservation.
After a number of disappointing performances on their home court, Bria considered taking the Bobcats to an Athens hotel to simulate a road game for the remaining three games of a four-game home stand. Those plans have been put on the shelf, however, after Saturday's 85-65 win in The Convo against Buffalo.
Ohio dominated the Bulls (5-14 overall, 3-6 Mid-American Conference) in nearly every dimension of the game. The Bobcats outrebounded Buffalo 44-29 and nearly doubled the Bulls' number of field goals, 35-18.
I thought about taking them to the AmeriHost and getting them a hotel. If this wouldn't have happened
I probably would've done that Bria said. We would have gone to the OU Inn or something and acted like we were on the road but I'm not going to have to do that because they played well this afternoon.
Ohio (9-11, 3-6 MAC) entered the game at 2-5 at home, including an 0-3 mark against conference opponents. On the road, however, the Bobcats are 4-6, including conference wins in Akron and Mount Pleasant, Mich.
I think we play better on the road
so it'll be interesting to see if we can keep it up and do well at home. I wish I could say we play better at home
but I honestly can't say that
Bria said. This was our first game where we've actually played well at home.
Kicking off a homestand with an impressive victory goes a long way, said guard Candace Bates.
It helps a ton
she said. Anytime you can defend your home court
it takes you with momentum into the next game.
Bates led all scorers with 20 points. Forwards Erin Isbell and Lindsay Wight contributed 17 and 14, respectively.
Buffalo came in thinking we were going to pound it inside
which is why Candace and I were open a lot
Wight said.
Ohio's Angel Hornsburger picked up the game's first bucket 16 seconds into the first half and the Bobcats would not trail for the entirety of the game.
I knew at some point if we'd ever get on all cylinders
we'd be a pretty good team
