INDIANAPOLIS — Ohio came into Sunday’s game at The Jungle in unfamiliar territory. It was the Bobcats’ first true road game of the season and the environment was stiffer than it was at home, but Ohio survived, beating nonconference foe IUPUI 73-66.
With the win Ohio (9-0) ties its best start in program history.
Ohio knew it was in for a tough match early. The Bobcats lost in Athens last season, but won in Indianapolis the year before. Both teams were familiar with each other, and it resulted in a tough defensive battle where every possession was critical.
The Bobcats traded baskets early in the first quarter before going on a 10-2 run to secure a seven-point lead.
In the second quarter, Ohio tried to hold off IUPUI, but sophomore forward Macee Williams made it difficult. She bullied the Bobcats in the paint, and at the half led all scorers with 15 points and seven rebounds.
Despite Williams emergence, Ohio never lost its lead in the second quarter, and led 39-36 entering halftime.
Ohio’s been a second-half team this season, and it lived up to it early in the third quarter. Point guard Cece Hooks engineered a 7-0 run.
But Ohio’s surge wasn’t enough to overwhelm IUPUI. The Jaguars went on a 16-2 run over the last seven minutes of the quarter and turned Ohio’s largest lead into a four-point deficit heading into the fourth.
The Bobcats stormed back early in the fourth. Dominique Doseck — who was clutch from 3-point range all game, finished with 11 points — hit a 3-pointer to cut IUPUI’s lead to one.
Hooks took the lead back on the next possession when she went coast-to-coast for an easy layup.
IUPUI took back the lead a few possessions later with a Sydney Roule 3-pointer. An Amani Burke 3-pointer and an Erica Johnson three-point play gave Ohio back the lead.
Johnson put the team on her back for the remainder of the quarter and finished with a career-high 22 points.
