Ohio’s 66-63 loss to Liberty on Saturday night may have been closer than its season-opening destruction at the hands of Notre Dame, but the problems that plagued it in South Bend were still painfully obvious in Lynchburg.
The Bobcats (0-2) couldn’t stop the Flames (2-0) inside and were far too sloppy with the ball, leading to many easy baskets, both in transition and in the half-court. The Flames do not possess the same level of talent that the Fighting Irish do, so it’s troubling to see Ohio continue to have the same problems against a lesser opponent.
Here are the numbers to know from Ohio’s loss to Liberty on Saturday:
18
Ohio gave up 18 offensive rebounds, which led to Liberty scoring 21 points. For the entirety of the game, Ohio was unable to keep its opponent off the offensive glass, including numerous times when the game was close enough that a stop and a score would have given Ohio the lead. The inability to finish off possessions with defensive rebounds is a major issue for an Ohio team whose main strength is not the defensive end of the floor.
6
Cece Hooks turned the ball over six times, but none were more costly than her losing control of the ball in the paint with 30 seconds left in the game and Ohio trailing 63-62. Hooks is a player that the Bobcats look to in bigger moments, and they are going to struggle when she turns the ball over like she did against the Flames.
50%
Ohio could not catch a break at the free throw line. It shot 10-of-20 from the free-throw line Saturday. Hooks also shot 50% from the line, going 5-of-10. Bad free throw shooting is a lapse that can throw a wrench in Ohio’s rhythm as it did Saturday. Like turnovers, this fault also came up in the game’s final moments. Madi Mace missed a free throw that would have tied the game at 64 with 12 seconds remaining in the game.
15
Erica Johnson missed 15 shots against Liberty, shooting just 4-19 from the field and 2-12 from 3-point range. While Ohio has a deep and talented roster, it is only going to go as far as Johnson and Hooks can help take it. If Saturday’s performance is a glimpse into the rest of Ohio’s nonconference schedule, then Ohio might be in trouble. Johnson knocked down a pair of 3-pointers early in the game, but she then missed her next 10 attempts. She settled on many of her shot attempts instead of looking for a better option.
24 & 11
Liberty center Mya Berkman was dominant on Saturday, recording 24 points and 11 rebounds. Just like Notre Dame forward Maya Dodson on Tuesday night, Berkman repeatedly found space in the paint to finish easy layups. Her size caused major problems for Ohio, something that is quickly becoming a trend. If Ohio is unable to stop larger opponents from having their way in the paint, its season could go sideways in a hurry.
