After breathing a collective sigh of relief following its first Mid-American Conference victory of the season at Kent State on Wednesday, the Bobcats hope to make it two in a row against Buffalo on Saturday.
The Bulls (8-17, 6-6 MAC) dismantled the Bobcats 73-36 in their previous meeting this season. Four players were in double figures for Buffalo in the victory as the Bulls beat Ohio with a balanced scoring attack and a great rebounding effort.
“Buffalo just came in there and annihilated us and took advantage of a wounded team,” Ohio coach Semeka Randall said. “We gave up 61 boards. I think that was a career high for Buffalo in terms of collectively being able to rebound the basketball like that.”
Junior forward Cherridy Thornton is leading Buffalo in scoring as she averages 12 points per game. Freshman guard Mackenzie Loesing is also averaging double figures. She scores 10.7 points per game.
The Bulls have lost four of their last six games and freshman forward Rachael Gregory, who scored 16 points against Ohio earlier in the season, is out with an injury.
Ohio (6-18, 1-11 MAC) will need a balanced scoring attack of its own to defeat the Bulls on Saturday, which is senior day for the Bobcats. Junior guard Erin Bailes, senior forward Symone Lyles and Shavon Robinson all scored in double figures in the Kent State victory.
“We really need three people to step up with the scoring load,” said Randall. “We just have to be prepared for a very special night. With senior night happening and Think Pink, there’s going to be a lot of activities going on, but it’s so important that we stay between those lines.”
The game will be special for the seniors on the team as Lyles, Tina Fisher, and Ashley Fowler will all be hoping to build off of the winning momentum and secure a win on senior night.
“It would be very important (to get a win on senior day) for all of us,” said Randall. “You just want to send them off on a high note because their parents will be here, and they will be honored before the game.”
To get a win on senior day, the Bobcats will have to play a complete team game against the Bulls to avoid another blowout loss. Ohio now has a chance to win back-to-back MAC games, something it hasn’t done all season.
“We have to be able to execute. If we can do that, it puts us in position to win a game,” Randall said.
jm296009@ohiou.edu
