Ohio remains winless in Mid-American Conference play, as the Bobcats fell to Northern Illinois 73-52. The Huskies also entered Wednesday without a MAC victory, while Ohio has now lost nine consective games. Follow our chronological coverage below, and check back Thursday for a full story.
Pregame
Ohio and Northern Illinois will begin Wednesday in search of their first Mid-American Conference wins of the season.
The Bobcats (5-15, 0-8 MAC) haven’t won since Jan. 5 at Xavier. Sunday’s game against Kent State almost resulted in a win for the Bobcats, but Ohio blew a four-point lead with 30 seconds left in the game and lost 57-55.
However, the Huskies are in the same boat as the Bobcats. Northern Illinois (5-16, 0-8) hasn’t won since Dec. 29 against Norfolk State, though their margin of defeat has been substantially less than Ohio’s.
The Huskies are led by senior forward Satavia Taylor, who is averaging 16.5 points per MAC game. The Bobcats held her scoreless last year, but achieving that feat again is unlikely.
Northern Illinois leads the all-time series 15-14, winning four of the past five meetings. The Huskies were also victorious last season 50-46.
First Half
For the sixth consecutive game that starting rotation for Ohio was junior guard Erin Bailes, freshman guard Kiyanna Black, senior guard Symone Lyles, senior guard Ashley Fowler and senior forward Tina Fisher.
Lyles scored the first points of the game for the Bobcats with a jumpshot on the wing, but guard Jenna Thorp responded with a pair of free throws for the Huskies after a foul by Fisher.
Northern Illinois guard Ashley Sneed then scored five consecutive points before an Ohio timeout.
Byard then broke a five-minute scoreless streak for the Bobcats with a three pointer, which was followed by another make from downtown on Ohio's next possession from Lyles.
However, Northern Illinois went on a 9-0 run and jumped out to a 19-8 lead at the midway point in the half.
Lyles then connected on another three-pointer to end Ohio's drought, however, the Huskies answered with a four-point play from guard Amanda Corral.
Through the first 12 minutes in the half, the Huskies were shooting 53 percent overall, including making 5-of-6 from three, as they doubled up the Bobcats 26-13.
The Bobcats were unable to find any rythym offensively, as the Huskies went on a 23-5 run. Three Northern Illinois players had scored at least seven points in the first 15 minutes.
Fisher ended a 10-0 run on a fastbreak layup with 3:33 remaining, before Ohio went another two minutes without scoring when Bailes knocked down a three-pointer.
Halftime: Northern Illinois 35, Ohio 18
The Huskies shot the lights out in the first half, connecting on 75 percent (6-for-8) from three, while shooting 52 percent overall. Meanwhile, Ohio shot 29 percent (7-for-24) and was out-rebounded 22-8.
Lyles led the Bobcats on offense with eight points, while Bailes and sophomore guard Mariah Byard each scored three points.
After leading by just two points with 12:50 remaining, the Huskies finished the half on a 25-8 run.
Second Half
The Huskies began the second half where the first ended, as Sneed laid in a basket 15 seconds in.
After shooting just 1-for-3 in the first half, Black took control of the offense early on after driving in the paint for a lay-up, before Bailes knocked down a three on Ohio's next possession.
Lyles then made a lay-up, followed steal and lay-up from Black in just four seconds total. The Bobcats made five of their first six shots, going on a 9-4 run to begin the half, before a NIU timeout.
However, Corral and Thorp scored five straight points for Northern Illinois to jump back out to a 17-point lead with less than 16 minutes remaining.
Junior guard Shavon Robinson drained a three-pointer for her first points of the night, but the Bobcats began to slow their pace offensively.
Robinson scored again two possessions later on a drive through the lane, but NIU responded with two basket of their own on consecutive trips down court to take a 21-point lead.
Freshman forward Lexie Baldwin scored her first points of the contest with 10 minutes remaining on a lay-up. However, the Huskies scored the next fve points of the game before Fisher made a pair of shots at the line.
Through 12 minutes, Northern Illinois was shooting 73 percent in the half, while shooting 61 percent overall in the game. The Huskies led 60-38 at that point.
Neither team scored the next two minutes, before trading lay-ups, with Lyles also finishing an and-1 for Ohio.
Bailes then med a lay-up, followed by a pair of free throws from Fisher and a Baldwin lay-in. But Northern Illinois answered for every basket, as Ohio was unable to cut the deficit.
Byard made a three pointer for Ohio's final score of the game.
FINAL: Northern Illinois 73, Ohio 52
Ohio remains winless in MAC play, while Northern Illinois won its first game since conference play began. The Huskies finished the game shooting 59 percent, including 67 percent from three.
Statistics
Lyles: 13 points, two rebounds.
Bailes: 10 points, one rebound, one assist.
Black: Eight points, four rebounds, two assists.
Byard: Six points, one assist.
Fisher: Six points, two rebounds.
Robinson: Five points, three rebounds and two assists.
Ohio was out-rebounded 40-17
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Corral: 20 points, six assists, four steals.
Sneed: 13 points, four rebounds.
Lindstrom: 11 points, three rebounds.
Augusta: 12 points, three rebounds.
Reactions
"The game was a game of runs and we didn't have enough. It was a tough loss and we kind of just have to move on to the next game." — Lyles, on another tough loss.
"When we go on runs it feels great, but we feel like everything is a make even when we miss. But when they're on runs and energy is low and we feel the tiredness. We just need a few stops and end their runs." — Lyles and Bailes commenting on the many runs NIU went on.
"We need to get to the boards more -- we only had two offensive boards, so we need to step that up. We just need to work on that in practice so we can compete in the games, but they were trees today." — Lyles, on being out-rebounded 40-17.
Up-next
The Bobcats will hit the road to take on Eastern Michigan (5-17, 3-6 MAC) Saturday in search of their first MAC victory. The Eagles fell to Akron 82-81 Thursday evening.
