CLEVELAND - Jennifer Bushby has no problem getting up early for basketball.
In fact, the junior point guard remembers getting up for 7 a.m. practices during Fall Quarter.
Coach had us up bright and early in the morning
Bushby said. I was getting up at 5:30 in the morning to go to practice.
It's a good thing that she's used to it because the Bobcats will be facing the No.2 seed from the Mid-American Conference West Division, Toledo, at 9 a.m. today in the second round of the MAC Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena.
Semeka Randall isn't too concerned about the time of the game, however.
These young ladies have played AAU basketball at the crack of dawn Randall said. They know how to come out and play.
Still, Randall foresaw something like this happening to her.
Rookie coach she said. I just knew all along that I was going to get that nine o'clock game if we won.
The Toledo Rockets are 17-12 and 11-5 in the MAC, but are on a two-game slide.
Freshman point guard Naama Shafir leads the Rockets. Shafir averages 4.48 assists per game, which is fifth-best in the conference.
Shafir also is the second-leading scorer for the Rockets, averaging 11.6 points per game.
Randall has nothing but praise for her.
(Toledo) has an unbelievable point guard who does some great things
she said.
The Rockets pulled off a comeback against Ohio in their only regular season meeting Feb. 8. The Rockets won 60-51 at Savage Arena in Toledo.
The Bobcats were not full strength, though.
Ohio played without shooting guard Jenny Poff, who didn't make the trip because of the flu.
The Bobcats also started to make some lineup changes because of injuries. With Thia Gholson out, Ohio implemented their four-guard lineup for the first time.
We were disappointed in that
Bushby said. But with Poff back and us playing defense
we'll be okay.
The main problem for the Bobcats was turnovers. They gave the ball away 24 times, which the Rockets turned into 24 points.
Toledo is fourth in the conference in steals, averaging 9.72 per game. Tamika Mays is their spark. She is second in the MAC in steals per game with 2.52.
The Bobcats must be ready to play today, as Randall knows that Toledo will be.
Toledo's a great basketball team
she said. I'm expecting nothing but the best from them.
When the ball is tipped, you've got to be ready to go.
,",2,Sports,Matt Wagner,27563b.jpg,Ohio guard Jennifer Bushby puts up a shot in the first half of Ohio
the junior point guard remembers getting up for 7 a.m. practices during Fall Quarter.
Coach had us up bright and early in the morning, Bushby said. I was getting up at 5:30 in the morning to go to practice.
It's a good thing that she's used to it because the Bobcats will be facing the No.2 seed from the Mid-American Conference West Division
Toledo
at 9 a.m. today in the second round of the MAC Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena.
Semeka Randall isn't too concerned about the time of the game
however.
These young ladies have played AAU basketball at the crack of dawn, Randall said. They know how to come out and play.
Still
