Pregame
After falling to Northern Illinois Wednesday, Ohio is now the only Mid-American Conference team that has yet to win a game in MAC play.
Ohio (5-16, 0-9 MAC) has never lost more than nine consecutive conference games, but a loss Saturday against Eastern Michigan would be a new record for the Bobcats.
The Eagles (5-17, 3-6 MAC) have lost six of their past eight MAC games, but are coming off an 82-81 loss against Akron — the 11th highest scoring team in the NCAA.
Junior forward Olivia Fouty leads the Eagles, averaging 11 points and eight rebounds a game. She is filling a void left by former junior guard Miranda Tate, who was dismissed from the team to begin January, despite averaging 13 points per game in 12 games.
Eastern Michigan has won the past three meetings against the Bobcats, including a 63-53 win in The Convo last season.
First Half
Ohio’s starting rotation: junior guard Erin Bailes, freshman guard Kiyanna Black, senior guard Symone Lyles, senior guard Ashley Fowler and senior forward Tina Fisher.
Junior guard Desyree Thomas scored the first point of the game for EMU, before Bianca Cage knocked down a three-pointer on the Eagles' next possession.
Black then responded with a three of her own for Ohio's ensueing possession, before Lyles connected on a jumpshot.
Bailes also made a three-pointer, pushing to Bobcats to an 8-5 lead after the Eagles scored the game's first five points.
Ohio stuck with Bailes for its next two scores, as she made a lay-up and another three pointer — giving her eight points in the first six minutes.
The game was tied at 13 at the first media timeout with 13:29 remaining, but the Bobcats then commited two turnovers in 30 seconds, leading to four EMU points.
Bailes and Byard then knocked down back-to-back threes, putting Ohio back ahead 19-18 with 10:49 to play.
Junior guard Shavon Robinson then made a lay-up for Ohio, but EMU led 22-21 with 6:59 to play.
The Eagles then went on a 8-2 run, before Lyles made a lay-up putting the Bobcats back within three points.
Byard and Fowler each scored two points, which were the final scores for the Bobcats in the first half.
Halftime: Eastern Michigan 35, Ohio 28
The Bobcats made 5-of-13 shots from downtown in the first half, led by Bailes, who led all scorers with 11 points at the break. However, the Eagles made 49 percent of their shots, as they held a seven-point lead.
Second Half
Ohio scored just two points in the first five minutes, coming from a Black lay-up, but Byard then made a three-pointer for the Bobcats, ending a streak of seven consecutive misses.
The Bobcats scored just three more points in the first 10 minutes of the half, as Eastern Michigan jumped out to a 16-point lead. Ohio made just 2-of-10 shots in that span.
Bailes ended the drought with a lay-up, followed by a pair of free throws from Fowler on Ohio's next possession.
The Bobcats then continued to go on an 8-0 run, highlighted by a pair of threes from Byard.
Ohio matched a season-best with its 10th three of the afternoon as Bailes also hit a pair of threes — after trailing by 18 points, the Bobcats cut the deficit to just four points, 58-55 with one minute to play.
Fisher then made a lay-up off the glass to put the Bobcats within one possession.
EMU then scored and stole the ball from Ohio, to step to the line with 5.9 seconds remaining.
FINAL: Eastern Michigan 64, Ohio 57
Ohio battled back in the final 10 minutes, as the Bobcats turned an 18-point deficit to just four points. However, Ohio could not finish out the comeback in the final seconds, leading to a 10th consecutive loss.
Statistics
Bailes: 19 points, nine rebounds, two assists.
Byard: 14 points, two rebounds, two assists.
Robinson: Seven points, four rebounds, three assists.
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Cage: 16 points, one rebound, one assist.
Hairston: 12 points, seven rebounds.
Watkins: 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists.
Up-Next
The Bobcats will be off all week before hosting Western Michigan next Saturday for another televised game on SportsTime Ohio.
