Ohio forward Lexie Baldwin shows her maturity and personality as she becomes the third key player in Bob Boldon's game plan.
Lexie Baldwin wasn’t a top name for Ohio going into the 2015-16 season.
Even before that, Baldwin didn’t plan on attending Ohio. Originally she committed to Jackson State, but when the Tigers changed their coaching staff, Baldwin opted for the Bobcats.
Since joining Ohio in 2012, her talent almost has gone unnoticed. For three and a half years, she has played in the shadows of Kiyanna Black. But this year has been different.
She's no longer behind the scenes in Ohio’s game plan. Instead, Baldwin acts as a stealthy weapon on Ohio’s offense. Without her, Ohio wouldn't have as much success.
Coach Bob Boldon said he knew Baldwin had the potential to be another star on the team, but he didn’t quite know when she would show it. And after winter break this year, Boldon was ready to utilize Baldwin to her fullest potential.
Boldon said Baldwin didn’t play her best basketball early this season, but since January, she's become a top name on the team roster, almost as much as Black and Quiera Lampkins.
“This is my last year,” Baldwin said. “I don’t know what my full potential is. I just go out and do whatever I can every game.”
The turning point in Baldwin’s season came when the team played Kent State and Northern Illinois in late January. She tied her career-high with 19 points against Kent State and 16 points and 12 rebounds against Northern Illinois to help extend Ohio’s win streak to 10 at that point in the season.
But there was nothing magical about Baldwin’s performance. Only her apparel was dazzling.
Every practice and game, Baldwin wears mis-matched shoes and claims she started the long-sleeve turtle neck trend on the team.
“I just like to be different,” Baldwin said in Janurary. “I was the only one wearing a long-sleeve with a turtleneck on it in the game, and then Kiki (Lampkins) started doing it.”
Baldwin said there is no philosophy behind wearing two types of shoes on game day. Whatever shoes are closest to her locker, she grabs them and goes with it.
Seems silly, right? That’s just part of Baldwin’s personality. She goofs around. She knows the difference between when to be serious and when she can be more relaxed. But most of the time she likes to joke with Boldon during his interviews.
“Nine times out of 10, Bob usually tells me not to laugh at practice, and it’s usually because of Lexie and Mariah (Harris),” Lampkins said while laughing. “She’s mature, but she’s immature.”
One time, Baldwin recalled a situation when she was messing around with Boldon.
It was the trip to Buffalo a few weeks ago, and the team had just gotten to the hotel.
“We were at the hotel,” she said. “And I had a Snickers in my hand. Everyone was tired, but we were heading to practice the same day we had gotten off the plane and I said to (Boldon), ‘I’m not myself right now.’ ”
Boldon, who generally shows his serious side to the media, enjoyed Baldwin’s joke and laughed along with her.
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Baldwin said jokes keep the team positive and improves chemistry. As the chemistry builds, so does Baldwin’s maturity on the court.
Lampkins said Baldwin’s maturity has grown to where she is more talkative on the court. It's helping the younger players on the team know where to go and coaching them a little bit.
Baldwin's maturation this season earned her All-MAC Honorable Mention, announced Monday afternoon.
Ohio won it's second consecutive MAC regular season title and plays Buffalo on Wednesday afternoon en route to potentially becoming back-to-back MAC Champs.
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