Ohio will tip off its season with a trip to Cleveland State tonight. The matchup with the Vikings will begin at 7:30 p.m., and coach Semeka Randall will keep an eye on the Bobcats' energy level.
Last game
we didn't show a sense of urgency until the last few minutes in the second half and the score at that point reflected that Randall said. For most of the game
our team was lackadaisical.
After a slow start, the Bobcats came back from 11 points down with a little more than five minutes to play, ripping off a 17-6 run to tie the score.
As time wound down, senior Jenny Poff knocked down an eight-footer to seal the 69-67 victory. Also of note was senior Jennifer Bushby, who led all scorers with 30 points.
That resilience has been a source of confidence for Randall, who looks around her locker room and sees players that are never out of the game.
When we were down
our players showed tremendous poise. They realized that we couldn't come back in one possession
that it would take several possessions
Randall said.
The Bobcats will need similar determination to knock off Cleveland State. Ohio has had 10 days off since its last game, but the Vikings played Tuesday. They do not have to deal with as long a layoff and will be in a rhythm, Randall said.
Senior guard Kailey Klein and junior forward Shawnita Garland are leaders for Cleveland State. In an exhibition-turned-rout against Case Western, Klein went off for 29 points and Garland netted 24 more. CSU also dominated the boards in that game by a margin of 47-25.
One thing to watch for against the Vikings will be the Bobcats' perimeter defense. They gave up 11 three-pointers in their game against Ohio Dominican, and Cleveland State is coming off a game against Wayne State in which the Vikings made seven. If Ohio isn't effectively able to shut down their beyond-the-arc scoring, it could be a long night for the Bobcats.
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Sports
Mark Emery
