Ohio finished the season 24-5 and will play Thursday in the quarterfinals of the MAC Tournament.
With a win over Bowling Green on March 2, the Bobcats clinched the Mid-American Conference regular season title for the second consecutive season.
It is the first time in program history that the team is the regular season champion in back-to-back seasons.
Here are a few numbers to bring you up to speed from spring break.
No. 1
Before the season began, coach Bob Boldon said his team wasn’t defending its MAC title from last year. Instead, Ohio was determined to replicate the 2014-15 success.
After Ohio lost in its season opener at Illinois on Nov. 15, Boldon said he wondered if Ohio would win another game in November. The quote was as exaggeration, and Ohio won five of its next seven games.
Then came a 12-game win streak, including the best start to conference play in school history, and comparisons between this year’s team and last's were mentioned. Although the roster was slightly altered, Ohio’s record nearly mirrored the 2014-15 season.
But then the Bobcats stumbled. Twice.
Ohio (24-5, 16-2 MAC) finished with two conference losses to Buffalo. After the second lost to the Bulls on Feb. 27, Boldon said Buffalo was clearly better than Ohio.
Just like the November comment, that’s also an exaggeration, but it should leave the Bobcats cautious entering the MAC Tournament this week in Cleveland.
While Ohio has the No. 1 seed, the tournament was restructured in the offseason, meaning the Bobcats will need to win three games to win the conference title, as opposed to only two a year ago.
Instead of automatically receiving byes until the semifinal (as was the case last year), Ohio will begin conference tournament play in the quarterfinal Thursday at noon.
Ohio’s first game will be Wednesday against the winner of the No. 8 vs. No. 9 game.
Buffalo is the No. 8 seed.
18.4
Kiyanna Black averaged more than 18 points per game this season and is a strong candidate to win MAC Player of the Year.
In an interview with The Post, Black said she felt as though she should’ve been the Player of the Year last season. Ball State guard Nathlie Fontaine won the award.
The conference will announce the 2015-16 MAC Player of the Year on Monday after the coaches have all voted.
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Following the win over Bowling Green this past week, Boldon made it clear he thinks Black deserves the title.
“She was awesome, yes,” Boldon said after the game about Black potentially winning Player of the Year. “She’s been the heart and soul of this team.”
3
Not to look too far ahead, but if Ohio wins all three of its games in the MAC Tournament, the Bobcats will win the conference outright for the second-straight season. The conference sweep would be the first in program history.
Winning the tournament also would secure another NCAA Tournament berth.
@charliehatch_
gh181212@ohio.edu
