Three days after the fight at Central Michigan, Ohio went back to Michigan, this time without forward Porsha Harris, and came away with a win.
The Bobcats (10-12, 3-5 Mid-American Conference) bucked the Broncos of Western Michigan (5-16, 2-6 MAC) by earning the 72-59 victory on Saturday in Kalamazoo, Mich.
Shavon Robinson set the tone early for the Bobcats with a layup in transition and her teammates followed her lead. Ohio exploded with 44 points in the first half on 17-of-25 shooting.
Ohio assistant coach Megan Thorburn called the gym a “shooter’s gym” prior to the Saturday’s contest and the Bobcats exhibited just that.
Robinson led all scorers with 10 points in the first half. Five other Bobcats scored at least four points in the first half.
Ohio’s defense throttled Western Michigan and did not allow a field goal in the last seven minutes of the first half.
The Broncos outscored the Bobcats 39-28 in the second half, but it would not be enough to make up for the deficit they sustained in the first half.
Robinson kept scoring in the second half, adding 12 more to her point total to finish with 22 in the game.
In three of her last four games, Robinson scored in double figures and has begun to emerge as a key player on both ends of the court.
“When T (Tenishia Benson) or someone else is not having a great night, we need to rely on her,” Ohio coach Semeka Randall said.
Three other Bobcats finished in double figures. Benson finished with 14 points, Symone Lyles added 11 and Mariah Byard chipped in with 10.
Randall also keyed on how well the defense played. The Bobcats forced 35 turnovers.
Although the team put on one of its best shooting displays of the season, Randall said this game was not the best she had seen the team play. She noted games played in Las Vegas and the contest against George Mason.
This game marked Randall’s 40th victory at the helm of the Ohio program.
nr225008@ohiou.edu
