In the Bobcats' last game against Akron it was the guards that led the team to victory. So, last night, it was the post players turn to step up against the Zips.
Center Chandra Myers scored a career-high 20 points and grabbed five rebounds and Lauren Hmiel added 12 points and five rebounds as the Bobcats cruised to an 86-58 win.
Our shots were falling
Myers said. They weren't doubling down on the post so it was a lot easier.
The win was the Bobcats fourth straight road victory and was the team's seventh win in their last eight games. The Bobcats are still just a half game behind Bowling Green for first place in the Mid-American Conference East Division.
Anytime you can get a win on the road it's big coach Sylvia Crawley said. Tonight was the night for post players G? we played well inside tonight.
The game was tied at 15 with less than 11 minutes to play in the first half when the Bobcats went on an impressive run that didn't end until early in the second half. From that point, the Bobcats went on a 40-7 run to give them a commanding 55-22 lead over Akron.
Crawley said that the key to the run was the play of backup post players Catherine Cain and Kamille Buckner. The two scored six and eight points off the bench, respectively, but it was their defense that changed the game for the Bobcats.
When we're aggressive on defense that gives us easy offense on the other side
Crawley said. There was a noticeable difference when we put those two in.
Ohio led by as much as 35 early in the second half, but Crawley told her team that she didn't want them to stop playing hard. The Bobcats have had big leads like that before, only to see them dwindle away in the second half. But Crawley set different goals for her team at halftime to make sure that they didn't fall into that same lull.
We had to keep our composure the whole game
Hmiel said. We got together and said that we had to pull together.
Ohio held the Zips to 36 percent shooting and 21 percent from the 3-point line. Their bench outscored the Zips' 39-14 and every player on Ohio's team scored. The Bobcats were also able to outrebound the Zips 39-23.
The win was crucial as the bobcats went forward for the Bobcats. Four of their final six games (five of the next seven if NIU is rescheduled) are on the road.
It was really important
Hmiel said. Down the stretch we really have to be ready for every game.
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