Injuries have forced Ohio into a mode of desperation. Ashley Jordan, a former Ohio volleyball player, and Laura Mastro from the field hockey team, suited up for the Bobcats as Miami defeated Ohio 78-56.
The Bobcats gave up more than 70 points for the third straight game and allowed Miami to shoot 60 percent from the floor.
“We’re not making any more excuses right now, we just have to go out and play,” said Ohio coach Semeka Randall. “I have the utmost respect for our team right now because we just went out there and competed.”
Miami (10-6, 2-1 Mid-American Conference) held a 13-9 lead against Ohio with 12 minutes remaining in the first half as they kept Miami’s Courtney Osborn in check, holding her to three points.
However, Miami went on a 6-2 run to stretch the lead to 19-11 with 10 minutes remaining. The RedHawks then broke the game open by compiling a 13-4 run to open their lead to 32-15.
“You have to give it to their coaching staff,” said Randall. “She had a fantastic game plan against us.”
The backcourt duo of Kiyanna Black and Erin Bailes helped Ohio (5-10, 0-3 MAC) close the gap, making the score 41-28 at the break in favor of Miami.
Black opened the second half with a jumper. She then hit another and got the Bobcats within single digits for the first time since the 8:27 mark in the first half.
Ohio kept the game relatively close. But Miami junior shooting guard Hannah Robertson would bury the Bobcats with a slew of three-pointers, stretching the Miami lead to 53-41 with 11:45 remaining in the game.
Robertson again canned a shot from distance with 9:12 remaining in the second half to secure a 19-point lead.
From then on, the RedHawks poured it on. The combination of Osborn and Kirsten Olowinski, both preseason all-MAC first team selections, built a 72-48 lead with 4:54.
The bright spots in the game were Black’s scoring; yet again, she had a career-high 26 points in the game and the return of Bailes, who chipped in 10 points.
The Bobcats take on Bowling Green on Jan. 20 at The Convo, and it won’t be an easy one. The Falcons (11-5, 2-1 MAC) have won eight of their last 10 games and have a balanced attack with multiple players that can be relied on to contribute.
“We’re going to have to regroup real quick here and get our kids rested,” said Randall.
jm296009@ohiou.edu
