After pulling off a major conference win at Buffalo, Ohio will travel to Kalamazoo on Wednesday in hopes of doing it again against Western Michigan. The Broncos had a three-game winning streak snapped in their last game and hopes to find their way back against the Bobcats.
GAME INFORMATION
Opponent: Western Michigan (9-5, 2-1 Mid-American Conference)
Game time: 7 p.m.
Place: Read Fieldhouse (Kalamazoo, Michigan)
Where to watch: ESPN3
How to listen: Ohio IMG Network
MEET THE OPPONENT
Head Coach: Shane Clipfell
Probable starters
10 Breanna Mobley
11 Kamrin Reed
23 Jordan Walker
24 Leighah-Amori Wool
05 Chelanye Bailey
Reserves
02 Maddie Watters
12 Reilly Jacobson
20 Sydney Shafer
03 Jillian Fletcher
01 Kia Brooks
INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS
Points per game: Walker (15.7)
Rebounds per game: Mobley (10.7)
Steals: Walker (32)
Field goal percentage: Walker (.412)
3-point percentage: Reed (.338)
Free throw percentage: Wool (.833)
TEAMS STATS COMPARED TO OHIO
Points per game: 70.7 (70.5)
Rebounds per game: 40.8 (35.5)
Steals: 9.43 (11.14)
Field goal percentage: .392 (.400)
3-point percentage: .272 (.329)
Free throw percentage: .700 (.617)
SERIES HISTORY
Ohio leads the all-time series against the Broncos, 32-27, and have won the last four matchups. The last time the two faced off was last year in The Convo on Feb.16 when Ohio beat Western Michigan behind the dominant play of Cece Hooks, Gabby Burris and Dominique Doseck.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
A very interesting matchup on Wednesday night will take place between Ohio forward Gabby Burris and the Broncos’ Breanna Mobley. Mobley is the MAC’s best rebounder, currently crashing the boards for 10.7 rebounds a game. The redshirt senior can get buckets as well, averaging 13.8 points a game. On Burris’ side, her numbers aren’t as eye-opening as Mobley’s, but Burris is one of the Bobcat’s most versatile players. She can play good defense, reach double-digit point totals efficiently and occasionally knock down open 3-pointers. In short, both Mobley and Burris should give one another problems when they face off.
WHY DOES THIS GAME MATTER?
It was only the third conference game, but Ohio needed to beat Buffalo. That win kept the Bobcats’ hopes of a conference title afloat and gave the team a much needed boost. A loss to Western Michigan would only put the Bobcats back where they were after losing to Central Michigan. A win on Wednesday would give the Bobcats their second straight victory and would keep Ohio atop of the East division standings ahead of its showdown with the hottest team in the conference, Ball State, on Saturday.
