Erin Isbell made it clear that she wanted to beat the Miami RedHawks last night.
She fought, sprinted and shot her way to a career high 21 points and 18 rebounds, with a game-winning shot to boot. And she did it on Senior Night, playing her last regular season game in The Convo.
I was really pumped
Isbell said.
Miami (14-13 overall, 8-8 Mid-American Conference) felt her presence for almost the whole game, as she saw only two minutes on the bench. The other 38 were spent snatching balls from RedHawks' grasps, splitting defenders for close baskets and leaping for misfires.
With just 2.2 seconds left she made her final shot -a layup that rolled around before it dropped -and gave Ohio (12-15, 8-8 MAC) a 65-63 victory.
It was Erin Isbell's game coach Lynn Bria said.
Her supporting cast contributed more than its fair share, though. Tiffany Byrd, the recurring late-season surprise, notched a career high scoring night of her own with 22 points. She made six 3-pointers, every one without much contest by Miami's zone defense.
(Bria) tells me if I don't shoot she'll sit me down
Byrd said.
Firing 15 shots in 24 minutes, Byrd found a way to stay on the court. Her contributions kept Ohio in the game.
If they're not gonna guard her
that's three points on the board
Isbell said.
The Bobcats, as always, brought it to their opponent with sturdy defense and forced 31 turnovers. They also committed 29 of their own, and the game was often sloppy. Just as soon as Ohio would get a steal -Angel Hornsburger had a career-high tying seven -it would give it right back.
As always
we had our patented turnovers
Bria said. I've just kind of gotten used to it.
Miami, despite its 31 turnovers, had the ball in its hands enough times to keep the game close. When it seemed as though Ohio had secured a win, up 63-56 with 1:18 left, Miami went on a 7-0 run and tied the game on a shot in the lane by Amanda Jackson with 17 seconds to play.
The Bobcats went back on offense after a timeout and executed their last play. Kristian Kirkpatrick missed a layup with seven seconds left, but Isbell promptly nabbed her 18th rebound and put it back up for her 21st point and Ohio's first win against Miami since Feb. 8, 2000.
Unlike the first meeting between the two teams this year, Ohio did not blow its second-half lead.
I never got the feeling
like in the last game
that it was slipping away
Bria said.
With a senior like Isbell anchoring the team, it would be hard to feel that it was.
With the win, Ohio claimed the MAC Tournament's No. 7 seed, overtaking Miami and setting a 2 p.m. date on Saturday in The Convo with Central Michigan (10-17, 4-12 MAC). The Bobcats beat the Chippewas, 71-70, in the teams' only meeting, which came Jan. 15 in Athens.
The question is, how is it possible for Isbell to leave Ohio on a better note than last night?
She could do it again Saturday
