Ohio secured the season sweep against Ball State on Saturday in The Convo after defeating the Cardinals 92-62 behind a career-high, record-breaking performance from Amani Burke.
How did it happen?
Ohio (18-2, 7-2 Mid-American Conference) looked to put Ball State away early and made sure the Cardinals struggled to keep up. Bobcats’ shooting guard Amani Burke was electric from 3-point range and point guard Cece Hooks was a problem on both ends of the court.
Once Ball State started keying in on Hooks and Burke, it helped open up scoring for players such as Kaylee Bambule, Deesh Beck and •Olivia Bower. Ohio took full advantage of its balanced scoring and went on an 15-3 run in the second quarter and entered halftime with a 48-29 lead.
Burke started the second half with back-to-back 3-pointers and continued her hot streak up till the fourth quarter. Ball State was unable to handle the best offense in the MAC and Ohio cruised the rest of the way.
When was it decided?
With 4:03 left in the third quarter, Ohio went on an 8-0 run starting with a Dominique Doseck 3-pointer. Burke quickly made her ninth 3-pointer seconds later — which passed her career high — then Hooks got a steal and an easy lay up. Ball State went to the bench after calling a timeout with a 29-point deficit and zero hopes of making a comeback.
Key player
Ohio shooting guard Amani Burke was huge for the Bobcats on Saturday. The junior started the game with a perfect first quarter, she had 12 points in the first quarter, all 3-pointers, going 4-for-4 from 3-point range. Her sterling shooting carried into the second half when she opened up with back-to-back 3-pointers. She finished with 33 points on 11-for-16 shooting from 3-point range.
Key stat
Burke had a historic day. She broke an Ohio and MAC record with 11 3-pointers with 45 seconds left in the third. Ohio tried hard to get her the NCAA record (12 in a game) but her magic ended in the fourth. Luckily for the Bobcats, her shooting was infectious. As a team Ohio went 17- 37 on 3-pointers.
What does this game mean?
With the win, Ohio gets to wash the sour taste out its mouth from Wednesday’s loss to Miami. The Bobcats also extend their winning streak over the Cardinals to seven. While this win comes against one of the youngest and worst teams in the MAC, it’s another conference win, which means Ohio gets to stay in the hunt for a conference championship.
