Ohio improved its record to 11-3 overall after defeating Toledo on Saturday.
It was becoming déjà vu from a previous Bob Boldon nightmare.
After gaining a comfortable 16-point lead against Toledo, the Saturday game was eventually tied at 56 — for the second consecutive season at home.
It was a year ago in January when the Bobcats saw a 21-point lead evaporate as the Rockets went on to win 64-62.
“It was eerily the same,” Boldon said. “I wish we would’ve gone up 21 today.”
But this time was different.
The same Ohio roster took the floor, an older and more mature squad than a year ago, and kept their poise.
Ohio’s 65-58 victory over Toledo Saturday was the full transformation of a team that knows how to win games.
“It didn’t happen (last year),” Boldon said. “I was here for every game. We didn’t do it last year. This team is more mature.”
A right-handed hook shot off the glass from sophomore guard Quiera Lampkins with 1:35 remaining put the Bobcats back in front, 58-56.
After converting two free throws on the next possession, junior guard Kiyanna Black got the ball again with 30 seconds left, when she juked one defender, juked another and forced a foul to go to the free throw line and extend the lead to 61-56.
Black, who had a big grin after the play as if the game was over, said following the contest she had no confidence her pair of free throws would put the Rockets out of reach.
And even if Boldon, or any of his players play down the significance of each win they pull out, it’s evident this team has progressed and taken strides forward.
Halfway through this season, the Bobcats hold an 11-3 record, already surpassing last season’s win total of nine. This time a year ago, Ohio jumped out to a 2-1 record in conference play, but went on to lose 10 consecutive games.
The team is now in the same position, but Boldon believes this next 10-game stretch will have a different outcome.
“We have to continue to try to get better,” he said. “I think we’re a better basketball team this year. We have less turnovers, we shoot the ball better, we do a lot of things better. Hopefully that culmination of things will lead us in the right direction.”
The maturation process of Ohio isn’t complete; but it’s gone from the worst squad in program history two years ago to becoming a tough competitor in the Mid-American Conference East division.
“I thought we took a step in maturing and we made some big plays as well,” Boldon said. “We hit some shots, and more importantly, we got some defensive stops.”
@charliehatch_
gh181212@ohio.edu
