Pre-game
After winning its first game since Jan. 5 against Kent State Wednesday, Ohio will look to win their second consecutive Mid-American Conference against Buffalo Saturday.
The Bobcats (6-18, 1-11 MAC) fell to the Bulls 73-36 in the teams' first meeting of the season, but Buffalo (8-17, 6-6 MAC) has lost four of its past five games.
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 game will be special for the seniors on the team as guards Symone Lyles and Ashley Fowler, along with forward Tina Fisher will all be hoping to build off of the winning momentum and secure a win on senior night.
Ohio will also sport pink uniforms in the game, a part of the Play4Kay promotion, which will attempt to raise money for cancer research in honor of former North Carolina State women's basketball coach Kay Yow.
First Half
The Bulls scored the first five points of the game, as sophomore forward Kristen Sharkey and freshman guard Mackenzie Loesing made a pair of jumpers — the latter coming from downtown.
Ohio did not attempt a shot in the first 3:14 while the Bobcats also committed a pair of turnovers.
Freshman guard Kiyanna Black ended a 7-0 Buffalo scoring run with a made free throw, but the Bobcats found themselves down 9-1 at the first media timeout.
Junior guard Shavon Robinson then made Ohio's first field goal of the game on a three-pointer with 13:14 on the clock. The Bobcats missed their first seven shots, while the Bulls shot just 4-for-14 in the first eight minutes.
The teams combined for just 13 total points in the first 10 minutes of play. Ohio grabbed nine boards, while Buffalo caught 13 rebounds in that span.
Loesing then snapped a seven-minute scoring drought with a free throw for Buffalo. She then completed a three-point play on the Bulls' next possession.
Buffalo's offense began to pick up after it scored again on the ensueing turn with the ball.
Robinson then ended an almost seven-minute scoring drought of their own with a jumper from inside the three-point arc. She had five of Ohio's first six points, while the Bobcats trailed 17-6 with 6:31 remaining.
Ohio scored again with a pair of free throws from junior guard Erin Bailes, but Buffalo's sophomore guard Sloane Walton responded with a three-pointer.
The Bobcats stepped to the line again on their next possession, with Robinson making 1-of-2 from the stripe. Freshman forward Lexie Baldwin then scored a layup to give Ohio double-digit points with less than four minutes until half.
Robinson continued the scoring with a jumper on Ohio's next turn, before the Bobcats went another two minutes without scoring when Bailes made a jumper from inside the key.
Halftime: Buffalo 30, Ohio 15
For the fifth time in 13 MAC games, the Bobcats failed to surpass 20 points in the first half, while Ohio also did not hold a lead.
The Bobcats shot just 18 percent from the field in the first half, while the Bulls made 38 percent of their attempts. Ohio was also out-rebounded by Buffalo, 26-18 in the first half.
Robinson led the Bobcats with eight points, making each of her three attempts from the field and a free throw. Bailes added four points, while Black and Baldwin added two and one, respectively.
Aside from Robinson's 3-for-3 shooting from the field, the rest of the Bobcats made just 2-of-25 attempts.
Buffalo's Sharkey was the only player in double-digits, as she finished the half with 11 points.
Second Half
Robinson began where she left off in the first half, as she hit a jumper, before Bailes knocked down a three on the next possession.
Fisher continued the scoring with a pair of layups for Ohio, but the Bobcats still trailed siginificantly, down 38-24 with 15:00 on the clock.
Both teams picked up their offensive pace by moving the ball down the floor, though neither scored more than 10 points in the first five minutes of the half.
Neither team scored the next two minutes, as Baldwin missed a pair of free throws, but Robinson broke the scoreless stretch with a drive and layup — putting her at 10 points in the game.
Robinson's basket marked the only points from either team for five minutes of play.
The Bulls then broke a scoreless stretch with a pair of jumpers for five points, as Walton made a three-pointer.
Neither team contributed much offense in the second half. With seven minutes remaining, each team was averaging less than one point per minute in the half.
Fisher scored another layup to cut the deficit to 43-28 with 6:36 to play, but Buffalo responded with a three-pointer to re-extend their lead to a game-high 18 points.
Buffalo added another three-pointer a minute later, as the Bulls were in the process of wrapping-up their second victory against the Bobcats.
Ohio finally broke 30 points with 1:46 remaining, when Bailes finished a layup, before Fowler and Bailes then each scored on the Bobcats' next final two possessions.
FINAL: Buffalo 56, Ohio 35
Ohio finished with their lowest point total of the season, as Buffalo finished a season-sweep of the Bobcats. Ohio scored less points in two meetings with Buffalo than the Bulls scored in the teams' initial meeting.
Statistics
Robinson: 12 points, five rebounds, one assist.
Bailes: 11 points, four rebounds, three assists.
Fisher: Seven points, six rebounds.
Ohio shot just 24 percent from the field, made just 41 percent of free throws.
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Walton: 14 points, three rebounds, one assist.
Loesing: 12 points, three rebounds.
Sharkey: 11 points, six rebounds, one assist.
Reactions
"This game was pretty brutal. We can look at the positives that we didn't give up 61 rebounds to Buffalo like we did the first game, but they're wider, longer and strength players that affected us and our shot selection." Randall, on what seems like a poor match-up with Buffalo.
"I think our offense just wasn't flowing much today. (Buffalo) runs a 3-2 defense and most teams don't run that, so it was tough getting our offense to flow." — Fisher, on struggles scoring against Buffalo.
"In the second half, we were down by 12, but we missed six free throws in a row which could've changed the game, but we didn't make those shots when we needed to." — Randall, on the turning point in the loss.
"It was really exciting to remember the past four years today, but it's definitely gone quick." — Fisher, on being honored for Senior Day.
"I think we need to enter each game with confidence, regardless of the outcome. We have had an inconsistent season, but there's nothing we can do it about it now. If we approach every game with confidence toward our goal for that game it will help out." — Robinson, on finding consistency to finish the season.
"At times you have to read what the defense gives you, but our decision making at times has been suspect. Some days we do a really good job and other days we get stuck, which is kind of what happened tonight." — Randall, on not adjusting to oppositions' runs.
Up-next
Ohio will travel to Akron Wednesday to take on the Zips, who beat the Bobcats 81-54 in the teams' first meeting. Akron (18-8, 9-4 MAC) sits atop the MAC East standings.
cl027410@ohiou.edu
