After defeating Marshall in the middle of December, Ohio was one game under .500 and in the midst of a three-game win streak.
Oh, how the times have changed.
The Bobcats (5-11, 0-4 Mid-American Conference) have lost six of the seven games since beating the Thundering Herd, including the first four MAC showdowns, as injuries have taken a toll on the squad.
With Kat Yelle, Jenna Curry and Olivia McCuskey already having been declared out for the season, Ohio coach Semeka Randall was forced to find players to fill out the team’s roster.
Last week, Randall added a pair of Ohio seniors to the roster – former volleyball player Ashley Jordan and former field hockey player Laura Mastro.
“We’re playing hard and we are definitely tired, but things get to the point where we don’t know what else to do,” junior guard Erin Bailes said. “I’ve never been in this situation before — in high school or AAU — never, but the new girls definitely give us more bodies and a break when needed.”
The Bobcats are missing their third and fourth leading scorers in junior guard Shavon Robinson and sophomore guard Mariah Byard, who have left a strong void in the team’s rotations.
In Sunday’s 67-41 loss to Bowling Green, six Bobcats played 198 of the game’s 200 combined minutes, with the newcomer Mastro picking up the other two minutes. She also played 10 minutes Thursday against Miami in her Ohio basketball debut.
“Our coaches are handling (the injuries) pretty well,” senior guard Symone Lyles said. “Our practice schedules aren’t as strenuous as they have been in the past — we’re pretty much taking every other day off to get our legs back so we can compete for 40 minutes.”
Robinson has missed the past five games after suffering a hairline leg fracture, and her doctors say her status is still day-to-day, but Randall said that she will be out until she can build trust and confidence in returning to the court.
Byard has missed the past two games after suffering an injury against Buffalo, as she’s still a week away from returning to action.
With five players in sweat suits instead of uniforms during games and two new additions, it has been tough for Ohio to find any momentum in games, especially with a rough gauntlet to begin MAC play.
The Bobcats have played the top four teams in the MAC East and will play the only undefeated team in conference play Wednesday in Central Michigan.
“On any given night we can show up to play and catch teams off guard,” Randall said. “There isn’t one day I don’t wake up thinking this team can’t do something amazing. There are a lot of games left, so we have time to get bodies back and do some things.”
Senior forward Tina Fisher and Lyles have both taken responsibility themselves to up their play to keep the team competitive in the MAC. The duo has brought energy to the game by taking charges, battling for rebounds and making baskets when others are struggling.
But despite their stellar play, the team has been outscored by at least 22 points in each of their four MAC contests.
“You have to give credit to our seniors for constantly pushing through,” Randall said. “Their leadership is how our team keeps fighting and pushing through. It’s not pretty by any means, but it’s great the pride that they have.”
cl027410@ohiou.edu
