An improving Ohio women's basketball team will try to remain above .500 in Mid-American Conference play with a win against Central Michigan on Saturday, though Ohio could be undefeated in the MAC.
The Bobcats (6-8 overall, 2-1 MAC) essentially handed a game to Miami in the closing minutes last week, losing by four points in heartbreaking fashion. But victories at home against Kent State and on the road against winless Akron have left them with a winning conference record.
Parity between the Bobcats and Chippewas could make the game interesting. Both are comparable in height, statistics and record, but one key difference exists, coach Lynn Bria said.
They play a half-court game
and we play a full-court game she said. Whoever establishes the tempo will win.
Bria stressed the difficult-to-defend trio of Casey Manning, Dana Westover and Lindy Hatfield, who provide a good inside-outside punch for the Chippewas (7-7, 1-2 MAC).
Hatfield shoots 40 percent from behind the arc, and Manning leads the team in scoring. Pressure to guard them closely on the perimeter could free the lane for Westover and Chasidy Myers, who is the team's second-leading scorer.
Bria said seniors Erin Isbell and Andrea Johnson will be expected to anchor the Bobcats defense, which will have to play its best.
One positive for the Bobcats is the continuing rehabilitation of point guard Angel Hornsburger, whose injured knee has kept her playing time to a minimum this season. Since her Dec. 1 return during a loss against Ohio State, she has played gradually more each game, including a season-high 20 minutes off the bench against Akron on Tuesday.
Quintana Ward, Ohio's point guard, has been rapidly forced into the mix, playing a lot of minutes. Though freshman mistakes have plagued Ward at times, the Bobcats are going to be better because of it Bria said.
When Hornsburger is back to 100 percent, she and the increasingly adept Ward may prove to be a heat-packing duo.
For now, the Bobcats will try to beat the Chippewas with the lineup they have, in what they hope is not dramatic fashion.
I hope we blow them out
Bria said. I hope it's boring.
After three fairly close MAC contests, it's easy to explain her sentiment.
If her aspirations come true, spectators can yawn their way through the game starting at 1 p.m. Saturday in The Convo.
-Patrick Bourland
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Patrick Bourland
