As the Ohio women's basketball team walked off the court at Alumni Arena in Buffalo on Saturday night, they had taken what did not come easily last season: a victory on a conference opponent's court.
Thanks in part to a dominating first half of play that saw them take a 17-point lead, the Bobcats were able to cruise to a 72-62 victory over Buffalo for their first road victory in the conference, equaling last season's total.
It's great to go to an opponent's court and get a win
coach Lynn Bria said. It helps us out in the standings and where we are as far as our conference goes.
Ohio (5-9, 2-1 Mid-American Conference) got a major boost in the standings with the win, tying Kent State for second place in the MAC East. On the court Saturday night, the Bobcats gained some energy off the bench from guard Katie Reihmann.
With the Bulls starting off in a zone defense, Reihmann made her mark early, hitting all four of her three-point attempts in the first half to help Ohio take a 34-17 lead into the locker room at halftime. Reihmann was aware of the opportunities Buffalo gave to her.
We did a good job going inside and then it opened up outside Reihmann said. In the first half
I had to open it up.
Just minutes into the second half, the Bulls came out firing and cut an 18-point deficit down to seven with 9:27 to play thanks to a 14-3 run. Buffalo's big three of Heather Turner, Brooke Meunier and Stephanie Bennett led the comeback after all three were shut down in the first half.
I knew they'd respond
Bria said about the Bulls' run. We didn't have the intensity in the second half
which bothered me a little bit
but I feel we stopped them when we needed to.
Ohio would keep control of the game thanks to Simone Redd's 17-point second half, which included 13 from the free-throw line. Redd, who was held to just two points in the first half, really came alive in the second.
I took my game to a different level
Redd said. Instead of just settling for jump shots
I had to take it to the basket.
Rachel Frederick registered her second straight double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, while also hitting a three-pointer late in the game that put it away for the Bobcats.
Ohio will take to the road again when they play Bowling Green on Wednesday night. Buffalo (6-8, 1-2 MAC) will travel to Akron on Wednesday night as well.
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