Two of Ohio’s top three scorers from last season are gone.
Kiyana Black graduated as the all-time leader in 3-point field goals in a season in the Mid-American Conference and at Ohio. She is also the second-leading scorer in Ohio history. Lexie Baldwin was an All-MAC Honorable Mention.
It will be interesting to see how the Bobcats adjust to losing two of their best players, but the answers to those questions will come later in the season. For coach Bob Boldon, this weekend’s exhibition game against Thomas More will be geared towards carving out the beginnings of a rotation.
“We’re gonna play a lot of players,” Boldon said. “I don’t know that (Quiera Lampkins) will even play at all. I think that we’re pretty sure that Kiki's gonna play this year and she’s gonna be pretty good for us, so I don’t think that there’s any value in playing her.”
Boldon will be experimenting with different lineups and player combinations in an effort to figure out who will be replacing Black and Baldwin in the starting lineup and how his bench will be configured. Specifically, he mentioned playing forwards Jasmine Weatherspoon and Hannah Boesinger on the court together, something the Bobcats didn’t do much last season.
At 6-foot-2 and 5-foot-11 respectively, Weatherspoon and Boesinger have the height to improve Ohio’s rebounding problem from last season. The Bobcats ranked last in the conference in rebounding margin, getting out rebounded by four on average.
Boesinger and Weatherspoon are both seniors known for their defensive prowess, so an Ohio team that ranked first in field goal percentage defense last year won’t be any easier to score on when they play together.
Boesinger’s 3-point percentage dipped from 34 percent her sophomore year to 20 percent last year, but if she can return to her original shooting form and Weatherspoon continues her improvement from deep (improved two percentage points on 36 more attempts last season), the pairing won’t cramp Ohio’s floor spacing, either.
Beyond that specific duo, Boldon said he just wants to see the rest of his players vying for playing time to execute the game plan. There aren’t any rotation spots nailed down yet outside of the three returning starters, and Boldon will let his players show him who deserves playing time.
“Just playing within our system,” Boldon said about what he’s looking for from his players. “When you get the shot, knock it down. Know when to drive, know when to pass it. And then defensively, be in the right spot. We’re still a little bit slow in our defensive rotations, which is to be expected. But hopefully some improvement from what we had last week.”
Boldon and his players believe they can make another trip to the NCAA Tournament this season. However, there is a lot to be sorted out between now and then.
This weekend against Thomas More, the first steps will be taken toward having order on the roster.
