The Bobcats, who have won 12 games for the first time since 2012, will look to slow down WNBA-prospect Crystal Bradford and the Chippewas.
Ohio hasn’t had to face an athlete as good as Central Michigan guard Crystal Bradford all season.
Bradford, the team’s leading scorer (21.8 points) and rebounder (9.4), is a southpaw from Detroit and played for the USA Olympic team this past summer. She is regarded as a potential high-end WNBA draft pick.
“(Central Michigan) is very tough,” said coach Bob Boldon after Ohio’s win over Eastern Michigan. “They’re the only team in the league that has somebody from the Olympic team playing for them, so that’s a challenge.”
With Ohio coming off an 82-59 win over Eastern Michigan Wednesday, the Bobcats will seek to upset a Central Michigan squad (9-6, 4-0 MAC) that’s on a four-game winning streak and has not allowed a Mid-American Conference opponent to score more than 60 points in its previous three matchups.
In previous games, the Bobcats have done a decent job defending teams’ best players. Ohio (12-3, 3-1 MAC) held Massachussets’ Kim Pierre-Louis to just 12 points as the Bobcats won 59-52. Pierre-Louis averages 18 points per game for UMass.
Ohio also held Buffalo’s leading scorer, Mackenzie Loesing, to nine points on 3 for 11 shooting. Losing averages 13 points per game.
Boldon, who was not made available for comment after practice Thursday, could task junior forward Lexie Baldwin or sophomore forward Jasmine Weatherspoon to cover Bradford. Baldwin and Weatherspoon are two of Ohio’s longest defenders and Baldwin is one of the only players on Ohio that could possibly match Bradford’s athleticism.
Whoever matches up with Bradford Saturday may have to pay attention to her skillful vision with the ball. Bradford also averages 3.4 assists and has the ability to draw double teams and kick out from drives into the paint.
Last year, Ohio held Bradford to just 10 points and 4-for-13 shooting despite losing 80-63.
For the Bobcats, maintaining their offensive success from Wednesday will also be critical.
The Bobcats are coming off one of their best offensive performances as four players (Baldwin, Mariah Byard, Hannah Boesinger, Kiyanna Black) finished with double-digit points.
The Bobcats scored 80-plus points for the first time since Dec. 3 and shot 48 percent from the 3-point line. The Bobcats also scored 60 or more points for the 13th time this season.
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