Ohio defeated La Salle and Massachusetts to improve its record to 8-2 after winning just nine games last year.
Right when Ohio’s season looked like it was starting to slip away, sophomore guard Queira Lampkins pulled it back on track.
Lampkins’ double-doubles against La Salle and Massachusetts gave Ohio it’s seventh and eighth wins of the season, respectively, as the Bobcats snapped a two-game slide going into the Georgia State Tournament. Last year, Ohio won just nine games all season.
“It feels good to win. It’s kinda bittersweet because we didn’t play very good basketball today and that’s frustrating,” coach Bob Boldon said. “I think we may have taken a step back … and we really have things we got to work on.”
Lampkins, who notched 12 points and 12 rebounds in Ohio’s 59-52 win over Massachusetts on Saturday, also garnered three assists, a block and two steals. It was Lampkins fourth double-double of the season.
Despite the well-rounded performance, Lampkins shot 4 for 17 from the field and the Bobcats seemed to struggle offensively.
Ohio shot just a 31 percent after starting the first half 10 for 34 and failed to score 60 points for the first time this season. Senior guard Mariah Byard went 2 for 10 from the field with six points in 34 minutes.
Despite the statistically poor shooting, redshirt junior Kat Yelle had a solid game. She scored eight points off free throws and finished with a team-high 13 points. Yelle’s free throws late in the second half helped halt a comeback by Massachusetts.
“When we were struggling (Yelle) hit a big three for us when we were having a hard time scoring. She made free throws down the stretch and handled the basketball flawlessly,” Boldon said. “She's just a hard-nosed kid who works and works and I thought her hard work really paid off today."
Junior guard Kiyanna Black was injured in the win, as she left for the locker room late in the first half. Black has been an integral part of the Bobcats historical start, as she averages 16 points per game.
Boldon said after the game he didn’t know the severity of the injury and team trainers will attempt to aid in the coming days. The Bobcats don’t play again until Dec. 29.
During Ohio’s 74-63 win against La Salle on Friday, four starters had double-digit points, including junior forward Lexie Baldwin, Black, Byard and Lampkins.
“They're a good team. They pounded us on the boards a little bit and they came back and made a run like we expected they would,” Boldon said. “I think our kids did a tremendous job of responding. We hit some threes, but it came after good ball movement. We didn't just come down and hoist up shots. I thought we executed the offense all around.”
Boldon said Lampkins attacking the rim and taking advantage of foul-outs on her way to an 18-point game was a huge benefit for Ohio. Lampkins, a 5-foot-9 forward, has had a knack all season for scrapping inside the box and scoring off put backs.
The wins this weekend put Ohio on a pedestal it hasn’t reached in prior seasons. The Bobcats, which already have eight wins before the start of Mid-American Conference play, combined to win 16 games in the past two seasons.
“Everything we do is a collective effort and that’s working together as a team,” Boldon said. “That’s what a team does, players step up and make plays.”
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