Ball State wanted to beat Ohio and snap its seven-game losing streak to the Bobcats. Two of the biggest challenges it had entering the game were to stop Cece Hooks from shooting layups and playing a clean game.
Instead, the Cardinals gave up 25 points to Hooks — all of those points came on layups or free throws — and committed 21 fouls, five of which were drawn by Hooks.
Ball State was unable to stop Ohio (10-6, 3-2 Mid-American Conference) and the Bobcats cruised to a 79-71 win, their eighth-straight win over the MAC West foe.
“I don’t really try to draw fouls,” Hooks said. “But it happens because I’m pretty fast.”
Hooks took advantage of her time at the free throw line, making five-of-nine shots. The rest of the team benefited from the line, too, and Ohio shot 14-of-22 on free throw attempts.
The amount of free throw attempts was a direct result from all the fouls the referees were calling on both teams, not just the Cardinals. Erica Johnson took advantage of the calls and took the ball to the basket more than she normally would.
“If they are going to call it like that both ways then we can just get to the free throw line,” Johnson said. “In that aspect it changes, but defensively it shouldn’t change, we can’t control what they call.”
Ohio’s stubborn defense didn’t change, and it forced Ball State into 17 turnovers. The Cardinals’ defense, however, struggled to stop the Bobcats’ offense. Ohio scored 49 points in the first half and built a lead that was too much for Ball State.
The offensive play was an improvement for Ohio, and coach Bob Boldon was encouraged to see it.
“It looked more like how we play, and that was comforting,” Boldon said. “It’s not only comforting, I think it’s exciting moving forward because we’ve shown signs of what we can do.”
The Bobcats’ offense cruising back to normal was a good sign, especially for Hooks, who needed space for her 10 layups.
“There’s a lot of unsung heroes when Cece Hooks shoots a layup,” Boldon said. “We have to move so many people out of the way, because everyone knows Cece Hooks wants to shoot a layup.”
Hooks’ ability to shoot and make these layups, even though it is the opposite of what the defense wants her to do, is what makes her so good. The defense tried to shut her down inside.
Yet she still managed 25 points.
Boldon believes that is what makes it so hard to plan for a game against Ohio.
“The challenge is that they probably didn’t play against somebody like Cece and they probably didn’t play against somebody like Erica, and they certainly didn’t play against a team that had both of them,” Boldon said. “You guard those two very differently, and those are two kids that will alter the way you normally play defense.”
Hooks and Johnson got the best of Ball State in the win. Now, they turn their focus to Northern Illinois, whom Ohio defeated by 20 points less than three weeks ago. It is now the Huskies’ turn to try to plan for this Bobcats team. They will go into the game with two of the same challenges that the Cardinals couldn’t live up to.
Don’t let Hooks shoot layups and play a clean game.
