Last season, Ohio finished 6-23 and recorded just one win in Mid-American Conference play.
But this year, the Bobcats sit in second place in the MAC East and have the opportunity to continue their hot start to conference play against Akron on Thursday.
The Bobcats (8-8, 3-2 MAC) will travel to play their in-state foe with hopes of rebounding from Ohio’s 79-63 loss Saturday against Ball State. However, despite the Zips (8-8, 2-3 MAC) bolstering a similar record, Akron is a juggernaut, offensively.
“Akron is tremendous on offense,” coach Bob Boldon said. “They could score 100 (points) on us. So, you gotta figure out, are you going to try to score 101 or try to hold them to a number we can score. You kinda have to pick your poison and try to get better at something during the week.”
The Zips have been dominant on their home court, having posted a 7-1 record, and are averaging 81.4 points per game on the season, compared to the Ohio’s 64.7 points.
Akron is coming off a 71-51 victory against Kent State on Saturday and made 25 of its 30 attempts from the field.
Comparatively, the Bobcats defeated the Golden Flashes last Wednesday 76-59 after posting 48 second-half points.
With a high-scoring offense comes impact players and Akron boasts the two leading scorers in the conference.
Senior forward Rebecca Tecca averages 24 points and almost nine boards per contest, while senior guard Hanna Luburgh posts 23 points, seven rebounds and two assists per game.
The Bobcats have three players averaging double-digit points, including junior guard Mariah Byard, who had a brace on her left wrist and did not participate in team drills in practices this week. She has missed the past four games because of an injury.
Kiyanna Black, a sophomore guard who leads the team in the scoring, averages 13.5 points per game. Black stepped aside towards the end of Wednesday’s practice with pain in her right shoulder, but returned to play after stretching with a trainer.
“There’s starting to be some expectations of winning and that’s a good thing,” Boldon said. “But it does come with pressure sometimes. In those times, you have to go about your fundamentals and do things the right way.”
@charliehatch_
gh181212@ohiou.edu
Upnext
Who: Ohio (8-8, 3-2 MAC) at Akron (8-8, 2-3 MAC)
When: Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Where: James A. Rhodes Arena
— The Bobcats are second in the MAC East, while the Zips sit in third.
— Akron averages more than 81 points per game.
