Ohio (4-17, 2-8 Mid-American Conference) looked like it had no chance to upset Toledo (17-4, 8-2 MAC) when it trailed by 11 at halftime on Saturday. But Ohio was able to give Toledo a scare before ultimately falling 66-55.
The Bobcats fell behind early in the game, when the Rockets went on a 11-0 scoring run to take a 15-4 lead. The Bobcats answered with their own 7-0 scoring run led by Yaya Felder, who scored or assisted on all 11 first quarter points. Despite Felder's efforts, the Rockets maintained a nine-point lead after the first quarter.
The Rockets quickly grew their lead in the second quarter, but a three-minute scoring drought let the Bobcats back in the game. Felder scored the game's next seven points to get the Bobcats back within 5. The Rockets' offense couldn't be kept in check for long, and Sophia Wiard led the Rockets on a 11-3 scoring run. Jaya McClure made a layup before halftime, but the Bobcats still trailed by 11.
Felder exploded offensively early in the second half with two 3-pointers, and the Bobcats only trailed by three. The Rockets, meanwhile, were stalling offensively in the third quarter. The Rockets made their first field goal with only 1:10 to go in the third quarter, and the Bobcats were well within striking distance going into the fourth quarter.
Felder again started off the quarter on the right foot, when she made a 3-pointer to make it a one possession game. The Rockets scored four straight points to create some separation, but Kendall Hale led the Bobcats on a 6-0 scoring run. With only a one-point lead, Khera Goss made a clutch and-1 layup. A minute later, Goss made a 3-pointer, and the Bobcats were suddenly down three possessions. The Bobcats couldn't respond, and when the clock ran out the Bobcats comeback had come up short.
Felder finished the game with 33 points on 11-20 from the field. Saturday's game was Felder's second game of the season scoring 30 or more points. The Bobcats didn't have another scorer reach double digits, but Kendall Hale gave the Bobcats a nice boost off the bench with eight points. Although Caitlyn Kroll didn't provide a lot of scoring, she found ways to impact the game, leading the team with nine rebounds and five assists.
