Pregame
Having broken its five-game losing streak with a win against Eastern Kentucky on Thursday, Ohio will attempt to win consecutive games for the first time this season against Morehead State Sunday.
The Bobcats (2-5) will host the Eagles (1-7) in the final game of Ohio’s five-game home stand. Morehead State is in the midst of a six-game losing streak midst of a six-game losing streak after winning its home opener against Kennesaw State by just one point.
Junior guard Terrice Robinson leads the Eagles in points per game with 13, while also averaging three rebounds and an assist. Sophomore forward Casey Ryans also helps fuel Morehead State, as she leads the team in rebounds per game, while also adding five points.
The Eagles are averaging just less than 47 points per game, while they are allowing more than 63 points. However, Ohio and Morehead State are both making less than 33 percent of their shots from the field.
Ohio is just 2-7 all time against Morehead State, having lost the past two meetings, including a 62-57 defeat in last season’s showdown, but after Thursday’s win, Ohio coach Semeka Randall is optimistic that the win will open doors and allow the Bobcats to gain confidence moving forward.
First Half
Ohio’s starters are as follows: Senior guard Ashley Fowler, junior guard Erin Bailes, freshman guard Kiyanna Black, junior guard Shavon Robinson and senior forward Tina Fisher.
Both teams scoreless through first two minutes. Teams are a combined 0-for-5 on shot attempts.
A three-pointer from Shavon Robinson puts Ohio on the scoreboard first with 16:15 on the clock, but Whitney Kyle converts a jumper for the Eagles on the following possession.
Scoring beginning to pick up in The Convo, as Robinson responds with a jumper on Ohio's next possession. She has all five points for the Bobcats at the first media timeout with 15:02 remaining.
Almesha Jones converts a three-point-play for Morehead State, but Symone Lyles was then fouled on Ohio's next possession and converted an and-1 herself.
Through the first seven minutes, Ohio and Morehead State have turned the ball over eight times. Poor shooting and ball-handling have hindered both teams' offenses.
Shavon Robinson knocks down another shot beyond the arc for the Bobcats. This time, from the edge of the mid-court logo, as time was expiring on the shot clock. Ohio leading 12-8 with 11:50 on the clock.
Ashley Fowler intercepts a Morehead State pass and connects with Robinson on a fast-break layup, giving her 10 points in just the first 10 minutes.
Following a timeout, Terrice Robinson knocked down a three for Morehead State, cutting Ohio's lead down to one-point.
Kiyanna Black struggling offensively for the Bobcats, as she has not converted any of her first four shot attempts.
Almesha Jones converts a layup to give Morehead State its first lead in almost eight minutes, but it was short-lived as Alex'ie Hartnett was fouled and made both free throws.
Mariah Byard then knocked down a three-pointer to extend the Bobcats' lead to a game-high four points, but Almesha Jones made another layup on the Eagles' next possession.
Byard hits another shot from downtown, extending Ohio's lead to five points. Bobcats ahead 22-17 with 3:57 remaining at a media timeout.
After being fouled prior to the timeout, Alex'ie Baldwin made one-of-two free throws. Morehead State then responded, as Kelsey Funderburgh hit a three pointer.
Ohio's Ashley Fowler answers with a three-pointer of her own. Bobcats are shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc (5-of-10).
Robinson makes a pair of free throws for Ohio, which were her first two points since the 11:14 mark. She still leads all scorers with 12 points.
On Ohio's next possession, Ashley Fowler made yet another shot from beyond the arc. Followed by a mid-range jumper from Symone Lyles. Ohio leading 33-27 with 15 seconds until halftime.
Casey Ryans makes the final shot before halftime for Morehead State with three seconds on the clock.
Halftime: Ohio 33, Morehead State 29
Led by 12 points from Shavon Robinson and three-point shooting, Ohio finished the first half ahead for just the second time in nine games.
The Bobcats finished the half shooting 54 percent from beyond the arc (6-of-11), and 44 percent from the field (10-of-23), overall. However, the Bobcats turned the ball over 12 times.
Kiyanna Black struggled offensively, as she finished the half scoreless, having missed all five shots she attempted. Ashley Fowler and Mariah Byard came off the bench to make up for Black's struggles, as the duo both hit two of their three shots from downtown.
Terrice Robinson finished the half as Morehead State's leading scorer with 11 points, as the Eagles also made more than 41 percent of their shots from the field (12-of-29).
Second Half
Terrice Robinson makes the first basket of the half for Morehead State. She's not the game's leading scorer with 13 points.
Shavon Robinson hits a mid-range jumper for the Bobcats' first points of the half. She has 14 points with 17:27 remaining in the game and is just eight away from her career high of 22 points.
Kiyanna Black scored her first points of the game with a three-pointer. Bobcats have already knocked down seven threes.
Black then knocked down a layup on the team's next possession. Quick five points to start the half. However, both teams are struggling in the paint, as each team has missed layups in their past two turns with the ball.
Tina Fisher breaks the streak for Ohio with a layup to put the Bobcats ahead by seven points, but Morehead State's Casey Ryans responded with a three-pointer on the ensuing possession.
First timeout of the half has been called, with Ohio leading 42-38. Both squads are 4-of-8 from the field this half, with 13:53 left to play.
Terrice Robinson continues to fuel Morehead State's offense, as she has 17 points after making a layup, followed by a three-pointer from Almesha Jones of the Eagles.
Morehead State has comeback to take a 43-42 lead with 11:36 remaining, as they are on an 8-0 run.
Ashley Fowler stepped to the line for the Bobcats and made one-of-two free throws, ending the Eagles' run and tying the game at 43.
After making a mid-range jumpshot, Terrice Robinson now has a game-high 21 points, but Kiyanna Black responded with a three-pointer on Ohio's next possession.
Alex'ie Baldwin converts a three-point play for Ohio, but Morehead State is still leading 50-48 with 7:28 remaining. Both teams are on-pace to top their points per game average.
Baldwin and Kiyanna Black emerging as Ohio's primary offensive threats to close the game. However, Terrice Robinson has eclipsed the 30-point total for Morehead State.
Morehead State leading 61-59 with 3:30 remaining, as a media timeout has been called.
Baldwin, Black and Robinson each have scored double-digit points for Ohio. Robinson just gave the Bobcats the lead, as she drained a three-pointer to give her 17 points in the game. Ohio up 64-63 with two minutes left.
But Morehead State's Robinson continues to dominante the game, having just knocked down a mid-range jumer. She has 36 points, which is a game-high. But Ohio is still ahead 66-65 with less than a minute left.
Ashley Fowler lost her dribble and turned the ball over with 30 seconds to play, but Morehead State's Robinson missed her shot on the Eagles' possession. Bobcat basketball with a 66-65 lead and 12.5 seconds on the clock.
Mariah Byard converts both free throw attempts at the line for Ohio after being fouled. Bobcats have a three-point lead with 7.5 on the clock, as the Eagles called a timeout.
Terrice Robinson drains a deep three-pointer with three second on the clock, giving her 39 points in the contest. Shavon Robinson unable to make a game-winner for Ohio. Game heading into overtime tied at 68.
Overtime
Kiyanna Black breaks the tie by making one-of-two free throws upon being fouled.
After a layup from Morehead State's Casey Ryans to put the Eagles ahead, Alex'ie Baldwin made two free throws to give Ohio a 71-70 lead. Less than three minutes on the clock.
Kiyanna Black then knocks down a three-pointer on the Bobcats' next possession, giving Ohio a four-point lead. Terrice Robinson has also fouled out of the game. She finished with a career-high 39 points.
Black also knocks down a layup for Ohio, extending the lead to six points.
Ashley Fowler makes one-of-two free throws at the line. Ohio leading 77-70 with just 53 seconds on the clock. Morehead State has gone three minutes since scoring.
Final: Ohio 79, Morehead State 72 (OT)
Ohio wins its second consecutive game for the first time this season, despite Morehead State's Terrice Robinson scoring a game and career-high 39 points. Four different Bobcats finished with double-digit points, led by freshman Kiyanna Black with 19 points, after not scoring any in the first half.
Statistics
Black: 19 points, two rebounds, one assist
Robinson: 17 points, four rebounds, one assist
Baldwin: 14 points, nine rebounds, one assist
Byard: 10 points, three rebounds, three assists
Fowler: Nine points, seven rebounds, six assists
Bobcats finished 10-of-20 from beyond the arc
—————
Robinson: 39 points, eight rebounds, one assist.
Jones: 15 points, three rebounds, six assists.
Reactions
“As we’re starting to build this, other people are starting to step up, which is good for us. I have been on them non-stop, because I know they have something special. Sometimes, they think that I’m picking on them, but it’s because I know what they can do. I believe they can do some special things, but they need to step up every game.” — Ohio coach Semeka Randall, on break-out games from freshmen Kiyanna Black and Alex’ie Baldwin.
"In practice, she is very hard on us, but it’s good for us, because today we saw that it in the end pays off." — Freshman guard Alex'ie Baldwin on the results of Randall's tough love.
"Go-to players on teams are going to make plays. You can never shut down completely a go-to player, but you can slow them down and try to contain them. She was hot, knew what to do and was rolling." — Junior guard Shavon Robinson, on Morehead State's Terrice Robinson's 39-point game.
"Finals are coming up, so it's always hard to balance studying, backetball and finals. For us to take a few days off will be great for us to get school out of the way and back to focusing on basketball." — Shavon Robinson on a break for final exams, until traveling to Marshall Saturday.
Up-next
The Bobcats will not play all week due to final exams, but Ohio (3-5) will hit the road and travel to Marshall (5-4) Saturday. The game will be the first on the road for the Bobcats since their trip to Minn. in the middle of November.
