Mariah Byard had 24 points and Lexie Baldwin hit all seven of her shots, as Ohio dominated Manhattan for second-best starting record in program history.
During a timeout, Manhattan coach John Olenowski slammed his right hand against his clipboard in frustration.
The sixth-year coach could do little against the Bobcats’ offensive attack on Sunday, as Ohio rolled past Manhattan 82-58 to push its season-opening winning streak to five games.
“I thought we improved our spacing a little bit,” Ohio coach Bob Boldon said. “I thought our point guards did a nice job, in particular, of getting into the middle with penetration. I thought they all found space and got little better movement, which you don’t usually think about against a zone (defense).”
The Bobcats looked rested after their Thanksgiving break, capitalizing on numerous Jaspers turnovers, travels and shot clock violations.
Ohio’s defense caused 21 turnovers, 11 of which came in the first half, and held Manhattan to 41 percent shooting from the field.
Ohio (5-0) was just a step ahead offensively.
Guards Kat Yelle, a redshirt junior, and Yamonie Jenkins, a sophomore, attacked the paint and dished the ball efficiently to shooters on the perimeter. Junior Lexie Baldwin and sophomores Quiera Lampkins and Tmisht Stinson crashed the paint and scrapped for much-needed rebounds.
Boldon said Stinson’s work on the offensive glass was vital for the Bobcats, though they were outrebounded by the Jaspers 34-29.
Ball movement, however, was Ohio’s difference-maker. The Bobcats tallied 25 assists, and the Jaspers (1-4) finished with 15.
Ohio’s field goal percentage also never dipped below .500, as senior guard Mariah Byard and Baldwin led the Bobcats in scoring with 24 and 16 points, respectively. Baldwin shot 7-of-7 from the field.
“Offensively, I think we’re really hitting our shots. We worked all summer for that,” Byard said. “It’s definitely paying off.”
Manhattan attempted to control the paint early on, but double teams and traps by Ohio’s 3-2 defense stalled any momentum for the Jaspers. Pressure from the top of the key helped Ohio hold its opponent to below 50 percent shooting for the fifth-straight game.
After holding a 23-point lead at halftime, however, Ohio struggled to pull away — only outscoring Manhattan by one point in the second half.
“I don’t know if we have anything particular well on defense in the second half,” Boldon said. “If there’s one area of frustration, it’s our second-half defense. I would say our defense was somewhere between bad and awful. With all these non-conference games, you’re just trying to get these things on tape, things you can fix.”
Ohio’s 5-0 win streak marks the program’s best start since 2006 and is one win shy of the best start in program history. The Bobcats also have outscored their opposition by 160 points so far this season.
Ohio’s wins have come against mediocre competition, as its opposition has a combined record of 10-19, with only Northern Kentucky (4-3) owning a winning record.
“It feels good. We’re making some mistakes along the way, but that’s why we have practice (Monday),” Baldwin said. “ We have more games to play, but it’s a great feeling. I love it.”
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