Much like Mike Tyson's swift blow that knocked out Michael Spinks, Northern Illinois knocked Ohio out this past Saturday with one fast jab.
After a relatively close first half, the Bobcats lost hold of the game as the Huskies reeled off a 9-0 run in the second half. Ohio lost 56-48, falling to 6-15 in the process.
An injury-laden Tenishia Benson played a majority of the game despite an ongoing headache. She broke her orbital bone Jan. 22 against Western Michigan.
Originally taking the floor with just protective eyeglasses on, the junior guard disappeared briefly into the locker room during the first half and returned with a protective facemask.
It's a conscious thing (with the mask)
Benson said. You know you think about it when you are on the court and when you are playing the game. ... So a lot of times
I will just remove it.
Benson didn't let the injury hold her back. Even with the facemask strapped on, she dove for loose balls and hustled across the floor. Benson finished with 17 points and nine rebounds in 29 minutes.
Going into the locker room at the half, the Bobcats had managed to stay in the game, down by only five despite shooting a meager 25.8 percent from the field. But once the team stepped back onto the court, the tone of the game changed.
The Huskies responded with nine points in a row, and despite a comeback attempt, the Bobcats couldn't close the gap for the remainder of the game.
At times
we take breaks off where we come out of the locker room at halftime
and we're flat
said coach Semeka Randall.
We've tried different things to keep these guys motivated and put them back on when they come out with great energy
but we have not done that in the past few games.
Northern Illinois guard Marke Freeman, standing at only 5-foot-5, easily wove her way between Bobcats. She ended with 23 points and an astonishing 17 rebounds.
We just didn't contain (Freeman)
said Bobcat guard Ashley Fowler. They are going to score
and they are going to make big shots ... when you play types of players like her
you just try to contain them.
While the Bobcats may have held the lead only once, they limited Northern Illinois (9-12, 3-5 Mid-American Conference) to 58 points and forced 18 turnovers.
It's just going through this moment right now of learning how to win
