CLEVELAND -- It was a play that wasn’t even drawn up.
Off an inbounds pass, junior guard Kiyanna Black received the ball from sophomore Yamonie Jenkins in the corner of the 3-point line.
With the Mid-American Conference Final tied at 30-30, Black hoisted a shot that bounced off the back rim once, then lightly fell into the hoop.
The shot ignited an 8-0 run that led the Bobcats to a 60-44 victory against Eastern Michigan — the team's first MAC Championship since the 1985-86 season.
“I couldn’t be happier for these young ladies that are sitting next to me and the ones in the locker room celebrating right now,” Ohio coach Bob Boldon said. “It’s a culmination of a lot of work and hard work really defines who they are.”
Black would finish with 25 points, junior forward Lexie Baldwin scored 13 points and senior Mariah Byard netted 12 points off four 3-pointers.
Black, who was named MAC Player of the Tournament, finished 5-for-12 from beyond the arc. Her shooting was what broke an early stalemate between the two teams.
The Columbus native said her spot-up shots, which electrified the Quicken Loans Arena on Saturday, stemmed from the confidence her teammates gave her.
“I struggle sometimes, but I just gotta keep pushing, keep shooting,” Black said. “I know my teammates look at me to lead, so there’s no room for pity parties and stuff like that.”
However, aside from Byard and Baldwin, the Bobcats’ play in the first half wasn’t up to par to what they’re used to.
Black — an integral part of Ohio’s offense because of her scoring in isolation — was flat in the first half, as she shot 2-for-7 from the field and got in early foul trouble because of a technical.
Going into the locker room down by two, frustrations from the lack of offense were apparent, but Ohio’s defense and rebounding was what kept its chance at a victory alive.
Eastern Michigan guard Cha Sweeney, who had 25 points against Ball State on Friday, had 24 but was held to 28 percent shooting by Ohio.
It was the eighth time this season Ohio held an opponent under 50 points.
“Rebound, because we’re giving away too many offensive rebounds” Lampkins said the Bobcats were telling each other at halftime. “Get a stop and score. In the last four minutes, (Boldon) was like, ‘Don’t shoot under four minutes’ and when (Black) made her three and Yamonie made her three, I was like, ‘This is over.’”
The Bobcats earned an NCAA Tournament bid and will find out who their next opponent is Monday.
But for now, Boldon and the Bobcats can embrace an historical season.
After finishing 9-21 and 6-23 in the previous two seasons, Ohio completely flipped the narrative in 2014-15. Its 27th win surpasses a program record set almost three decades ago.
“It’s fantastic,” Boldon said. “There’s a bunch of cliches for this moment because it’s just hard to put it into words. You work when school starts and, in the fall, these kids show up and you’re selling them on a vision and you hope they’ll buy into what you’re selling.
“This team has truly bought into what we’re doing.”
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