Injured freshman guard Kat Yelle could have silently waited and watched as her Ohio University basketball team upended Atlantic-10 opponent Xavier in the Battle in the Desert Tuesday evening in double overtime.
Instead, she was vocal, cheering on her teammates and, despite not logging a single minute, inspired her teammates and helped drive them to a victory.
The usual starter was confined to the bench because of a knee injury incurred in the Bobcats’ first game in Las Vegas Monday. She had plenty to be thankful for, however, when the final buzzer rang out over the Cox Pavilion, signaling an 80-75 Ohio victory.
“She was so excited,” Porsha Harris said, of Yelle. “I looked over at her probably in the first overtime and said ‘we’re here’, don’t get down on yourself because we’re still here. We’ve still got your back. She didn’t shy away — she was there with us. Even though she wasn’t playing, she still helped us out tremendously.”
“She wanted to do whatever it takes for her team,” Ohio coach Semeka Randall said. “She was cheering, encouraging, she was there every second of the way. It shows how tight this team is and how good our chemistry is. Our kids wanted to go out there and give it all they’ve got for her.”
Ohio’s three leading producers were Tenishia Benson, Harris, and Shavon Robinson. The trio scored a combined 62 points — over 75 percent of the team’s overall production.
“They came in and really showed this is the reason why we recruited them to be here and they picked Ohio University,” Randall said of her “big three”. “They stepped up and just made play after play, whether it was off the free throw line, getting the ball inside or just attacking the basket.”
Porsha Harris had a career day for the Bobcats, tying her career high with 29 points. She also added 14 rebounds.
“I felt as though my team needed me to step up,” Harris said. “I felt like everybody needed to step up and I needed to do much more than I usually did.”
Benson was nearly as much of a force, netting 20 points of her own and missing out on a double-double by a single rebound.
Robinson also hit double figures, netting 13 points for the Bobcats.
Ashley Fowler, Yelle's replacement, shone brightly against the Musketeers. She ran the game, which featured 25 lead changes, with confidence and a veteran’s poise.
Although she only mustered four points, it was the little things that made the difference for her and the Bobcats.
“It wasn’t all about scoring, at times,” Randall said. “It was setting good screens, rebounding or just playing hard defense. And we were able to do that.”
The win was more than just a tally that evened out the Bobcats’ record to 6-6. Tuesday’s success marked a signature victory for the program.
“You know, you can talk about it a lot as a coach, but until you’re actually able to go out and seal the deal, in terms of a win… We’ve been in games since I’ve been here, we’ve played hard, but we have not been able to just go out on top,” Randall said.
If nothing else, the win was a morale booster for a team that has had mixed results this season. They Bobcats have seen success, but nothing like the win against Xavier.
The last time Ohio was in an overtime situation was two years ago to the day, when the Bobcats fell to Clemson in a single overtime period. Ohio’s last double overtime game came in the 2008 Mid-American Conference playoffs, where it defeated Bowling Green.
Program-defining wins don’t come around all that often, but for the Bobcats, this one was ever so sweet.
“Oh my god, it means so much,” Harris said. “I don’t know how to really explain it. I feel like we’ve been fighting ourselves, just trying to get that full game together. And I feel like tonight, everything came together.”
jr992810@ohiou.edu
