A once-dormant rivalry might have been re-energized Tuesday night when the Ohio women's basketball team defeated Miami 65-63. This was the first win for Ohio against Miami since Feb. 8, 2000 when the Bobcats toppled the RedHawks 87-68 in The Convo.
Since the 1974-75 season, Miami has dominated the series by winning 42 of the 59 contests. But with Ohio's big win on Tuesday the series might be entering a new phase. Senior forward Erin Isbell was pleased to finally beat Miami in her final regular season game.
We go to Ohio University so
of course it's always a big game Isbell said. We always want to win and I'm just glad we got to beat them this time because we haven't beaten them yet in my career.
Forward Tiffany Byrd, who led Ohio with 22 points against Miami, also recognizes the Ohio-Miami match-up as more than just an average game.
A lot of people don't like Miami
of course
especially the students here
Byrd said. It's just a big rivalry for us.
Coach Lynn Bria, who has historically pegged Marshall as the team's major rival, wants a few more wins before the match-up can be dubbed a rivalry.
For it to be a rivalry
I think we'll have to beat them more often
she said.
With Marshall leaving the Mid-American Conference next year, the door seems open for Miami to become Ohio's major rival. Bria attributes the teams' current similarities in leading them to become rivals.
It might be becoming more of a rivalry
Bria said. We're very similar in regard to the types of players we have. We're recruiting a lot of the same players and we even have some players that played on the same AAU team. One's going to Miami and the other is coming here. A rivalry is about to come. They'll be the new Marshall for our team.
Kleptomaniacs
With 22 steals during Tuesday's victory, Ohio raised its average to 12 steals per game. Ohio stands 14th of 342 Division I schools in steals per game.
Forward Erin Isbell, who leads the team with 62 steals, loves the intensity Ohio brings on the defensive end.
I love the intensity we have
Isbell said. People are playing really good defense and are being really aggressive.
In Tuesday's victory, Angel Hornsburger re-emerged as a defensive threat by leading the team with seven steals, which tied her career high set last season at Central Michigan.
Hornsburger has been recovering from a torn ACL that sidelined her for the first three games this season and has limited her playing time. Bria said she doesn't believe her point guard has fully recovered but she has definitely noticed improvement.
She's not as quick as she was (last year)
but she's certainly a lot better than she was two months ago Bria said. It's really good to have her back.
Balancing
Forward Erin Isbell was awarded with the MAC Female Scholar Athlete award last week.
This award is given to a male and female athlete from the MAC who carries a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better and performs well during that week's games. Isbell, a fashion merchandising major, has managed to maintain a 3.42 GPA while leading the Bobcats in rebounds and steals this season.
Briana Adamovsky of the volleyball team is the only other athlete that has received the scholar athlete award this season.
