If history is any indicator, it could be a rough two-game set ahead for the Ohio women's basketball team.
Fresh off a solid 56-43 victory Wednesday night over Miami at The Convo, the Bobcats will hit the road for two games, the first against Buffalo on Saturday.
Last season, Ohio lost 11 of 13 games away from Athens, including seven of eight against Mid-American Conference opponents, but the win over Miami has the team feeling optimistic.
(The win over Miami) helped our confidence
guard Simone Redd said. Coach (Lynn Bria) told us that to be successful in the MAC we'd have to steal a few games on the road and we can do it.
We feel we're getting better and better each day in practice
forward Domenica Silva, a recent addition to the starting lineup, said. I feel I'm getting more comfortable.
The Bobcats will get to start on the road against a Buffalo team that they defeated 73-69 in their only meeting last season at home. However, the Bulls are enjoying a turnaround season, having already won more games at this point (six) than they did all of last season (four).
Buffalo is led by two-time MAC East Division Player of the Week Heather Turner, who is averaging 14.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
Looking for a turnover remedy
With 55 turnovers in their last two games, the Bobcats might have found a cure for the miscue bug in the form of Buffalo - at least on paper.
Buffalo's opponents have only turned the ball over 14.2 times on average against the Bulls thus far this season, while forcing an average of 18.2 turnovers. That could prove to be very beneficial for an Ohio team that Bria says is still figuring itself out.
I think some of (the turnover problem) is from playing together
Bria said. If you don't want turnovers
then walk the ball up
and there won't be any turnovers. We're not going to walk the ball up.
Bria went on to say that the aggressive style her team plays offensively sometimes will lead to turnovers, but she was fine with them.
This will be the first of two meetings between the Bobcats and Bulls this season. Saturday's tipoff is slated for 5 p.m. in Alumni Arena in Buffalo.
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Jason Fazzone
