Wednesday's Scoreboard
Central Michigan 71, Kent State 58
Western Michigan 69, Bowling Green 55
Akron 69, Buffalo 63
Ball State 97. Northern Illinois 89
Ohio 86, Toledo 58
Story Courtesy of MAC Sports Information
Central Michigan 71, Kent State 58
Box Score
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Molly Davis scored 26 points and dished out seven assists while Micaela Kelly recorded a double-double as the Central Michigan women's basketball team defeated Kent State, 71-58, on Wednesday in a Mid-American Conference game at McGuirk Arena.
The Chippewas, 20-4, 13-0 MAC, extended their win streak to 13 games and have won 20 of their last 21 matchups.
With the win, CMU secured a first-round bye in the MAC Tournament and reached the 20-win plateau for the fifth-consecutive season and for the ninth time in their last 10.
"This team has a different mentality," CMU coach Heather Oesterle said. "It's one game at a time. We just want to keep getting better so that, by March, we're stringing four great quarters together, because we're on a mission."
Kent State, which had won two straight games and three of its last four, is 14-10, 7-6, and in second place in the MAC East.
The Chippewas, who are seeking their fifth-consecutive MAC West crown and their fourth-straight overall MAC regular-season title, have won nine straight and 10 of their last 11 over the Golden Flashes.
Western Michigan 69, Bowling Green 55
Box Score
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Western Michigan women's basketball team split their 2020 series with Bowling Green with a 69-55 win in a rematch against the Falcons on Wednesday, February 19 inside University Arena.
The Broncos dominated in their third straight conference win, leading throughout the contest on their way to a double-digit victory. Western Michigan led by as many as 17 points behind strong performances from the five starters as well as a number of Broncos contributing points off the bench.
Redshirt senior Breanna Mobley tied her season-high of 23 points, adding 13 rebounds for her 16th double-double of the season. She contributed 12 points in the third quarter alone, and went 7-of-8 from the free throw line. Jordan Walker and Chelayne Bailey also went into the double-digits, Walker with 15 points and five rebounds and Bailey adding 13 points and a team-high four assists. Sydney Shafer added eight points off the bench, helped by 2-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc.
Western Michigan held a 36-34 advantage in rebounds and poured in 18 points off Falcon turnovers. The Broncos tallied just five turnovers, their lowest of the season, and didn't give up a single point to BGSU on forced turnovers. WMU shot 43.9 percent (25-of-57) from the field and earned a 26.1 percent mark from long range.
The Broncos started out strong with back-to-back threes from Walker and Bailey, capped off by a free throw by Mobley to take an early 7-0 lead. The first timeout of the game saw WMU leading 13-7 before the Falcons came up with six straight points to narrow the gap.
Off the bench to start off the second quarter, Reilly Jacobson floated in a layup and Shafer came up with her first three-pointer to kick off another 7-0 scoring run. The home team held strong despite Bowling Green scoring ten in a row and coming within a point of the Broncos. WMU closed out the quarter with another deep shot from Shafer and a jumper from Wool to beat the buzzer and take a 33-29 lead back to the locker room.
Western Michigan shot out of the gate with four straight points to begin the second half. Bailey sunk a three followed by a pair of free-throw shots to force a Bowling Green timeout with the Broncos outscoring their opponents 11-5. Mobley and Bailey teamed up to score all 15 of WMU's points in the first five minutes of the frame. Bowling Green landed in foul trouble with six to start out the quarter, and the Broncos widened their lead with more points from Mobley and Walker.
Both teams traded baskets to start out the fourth quarter before the Broncos lit up behind back-to-back jumpers from Mobley and a three from Wool. Western Michigan secured the win and their largest lead of the game behind strong free throw shooting and a final basket from Walker.
Up next, the Broncos (14-10, 7-6 MAC) are on the road against Toledo seeking a series sweep over the Rockets. Tipoff in Toledo, Ohio is set for 2 p.m.
Akron 69, Buffalo 63
Box Score
BUFFALO, N.Y.– In a game that went down to the wire, the Akron women's basketball team picked up its second straight Mid-American Conference road win as the Zips took down Buffalo, 69-63, inside Alumni Arena behind the strength of two double-doubles by senior Haliegh Reinoehl (Westfield, Ind.) and junior Jordyn Dawson (Huntington, W. Va.) on Wednesday night.
At the 1:55 mark of the third quarter, Akron called a timeout after a 7-1 run by Buffalo erased the Zips lead and gave the Bulls a 46-42 advantage. Immediatley following the timeout, the Zips came out with high intensity scoring seven straight points off a three by Reinoehl and two layups from senior Shayna Harmon (Ashville, Ohio) as UA regained the lead, 49-46, heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
The Zips did not lay off the intensity as Akron outscored Buffalo, 20-17 in fourth, scored 20 points in the fourth quarter for the 11thtime this season, and iced the game with six free throws down the stretch of the contest to down the Bulls, 69-63.
Akron ended the contest shooting 23-for-54 from the floor (42.6-percent), an impressive 18-for-24 (75-percent) from the free throw line, and knocked down five three-pointers. The Zips assisted on 17 of its 23 made baskets, which tied for third-most in a single-game this season. UA scored 26 points in the paint, 14 off fast breaks, 10 off turnovers, and 10 second-chance points.
The Zips went toe-to-toe with one of the top rebounding teams in the MAC, Buffalo, pulling down 44 boards, including 10 offensive caroms. Two UA players in Reinoehl and Dawson grabbed double-figure rebounds combing 25 on the night.
Individually, three Zips scored in double figures as Reinoehl, Dawson, and Harmon scored 51 of the Zips 69 points. Reinoehl scored a game-high 24 points on 7-of-14 shooting and an efficient 9-for-10 from the free throw line. Harmon was key for the Zips with nine of her 14 points coming in the second half. Dawson flirted with a triple-double notching 13 points, 12 rebounds, and a career-high eight assists. Senior Shaunay Edmonds (Pittsburgh, Pa.) fell on point shy of double digits pitching in nine points, seven assists, three rebounds, and a steal.
On the defensive side of the ball, Akron forced 13 turnovers and swiped seven steals. UA limited the Bulls to shooting just 30.7-percent from the floor and 16-percent from long distance. Individually, the Zips held the second leading scorer in the MAC, Dyaisha Fair, in check with just 14 points, which is seven points below her season average.
A hot start to the first quarter combined with lockdown defense in the second quarter handed the Zips a 32-28 lead at the halftime break.
The Zips opened the contest on fire going 3-for-3 from the floor that included a triple in the corner by Harmon and back-to-back layins from Edmonds and Reinohl that gave Akron a 7-0 lead and forced Buffalo to take an early timeout.
UB would strike back in the final five minutes of the quarter going on an 11-4 run and claimed a one-point advantage (16-15) at the first quarter break. A large part of the Bulls success came courtesy of the offensive glass as UB recorded eight offensive boards that led to second-chance points.
After struggling to find the bottom of the basket throughout the run of play until the 5:01 mark of the second quarter, the Zips ripped off a 13-8 run in the closing 3:21 of the first half. While shooting just 26.7-percent from the floor in the period, Akron was clutch at the charity stripe knocking down 8 free ones in 10 attempts.
Reinoehl paced the first-half efforts for UA nearly posting a double-double in the initial 20 minutes scoring 15 points and grabbing eight rebounds. Dawson set a career-high in assists in the first half alone notching five of her eight total helpers.
In the third quarter, Dawson scored the Zips first seven points and added two more dimes to her assist total (7).
Buffalo's Theresa Onwuka took over offensively for the Bulls in the third helping UB on a 9-3 lead and claimed Buffalo's first lead since the 4:51 mark of the second quarter.
From the 1:55 mark of the third quarter until the final whistle, Akron outscored Buffalo, 27-17, to secure the road victory and the first win in Buffalo since 2016.
The Akron women's basketball team closes week eight of Mid-American Conference play inside James A. Rhodes Arena for game one of an Akron basketball doubleheader on Saturday, Jan. 22. The Zips play host to the Ohio Bobcats at 1 p.m. for UA's cancer awareness game and 'Akron For Nakon' game. All proceeds raised throughout the day will be donated to the Nakon Foundation.
Ball State 97. Northern Illinois 89
Box Score
MUNCIE, Ind. - Offense has not really been the key to the Cardinals success this season but tonight Ball State shot 52 percent from the field while placing five players in double figures, including a 28-point, 13 rebound performance from junior forward Oshlynn Brown, for her 11th double-double of the season.
Ball State (18-7, 10-3) once again protected its home, John E. Worthen Arena, with its 97-89 victory tonight over Northern Illinois (8-16, 4-9 MAC) to remain undefeated (7-0) at home in Mid-American Conference action.
You know the saying, "There's no I in TEAM", well that's why the Cardinals continue to be successful this year in some very tough situations, they all support each other and encourage one another to make sure they give all they have to get the job done and tonight was no different.
After opening the game with a strong 18-7 run, it had appeared that the Cardinals were going to lock the game up fairly quickly against the Huskies. But NIU quickly began to find its offensive rhythm, outscoring Ball State 11-5 the remainder of the first quarter to cut Ball State's lead to seven (27-20) as both teams headed in the second frame of action.
The Huskies continued to control the tempo in the second quarter, as the Cardinals struggled to make baskets which were accompanied by some unforeseen turnovers and missed rebounding opportunities. Those mistakes allowed Northern Illinois to take its first lead (32-29) of the contest with 5:39 left in the first half. Finally, at the 4:34 mark, graduate senior Jasmin Samz knocked down a 3-pointer for the Cardinals first field goal of the second quarter to knot the game back up at 32.
You had to give NIU some credit tough, Brown had scored 12 points in the first quarter alone and then was held to only two points in the second. Despite BSU's shooting woes, the Cardinals regrouped to end the second frame on a high note with a 9-3 scoring spree, to stay up 41-37 against NIU at intermission.
Per usual, the Cardinals were resilient in the second half, every time the Huskies tried to knock them down, Ball State got right back up no matter what, rather it was a nice move to the basket from Brown, who went off in the second half scoring 16 points, or maybe it was a 3-pointer from sophomore Thelma Dis Agustsdottir who finished the game scoring 15. The win also could have been attributed to a nice dish or basket from freshman Sydney Freeman, as she ended the game tonight with 13 points, or maybe it was some clutch shots towards the end of the contest from Samz who had 11 points along with some help from redshirt freshman Anna Clephane as she went onto finish the game with 10. Whatever the case maybe, all the Cardinals helped to overcome some close calls against the Huskies tonight.
In its last efforts to win the ball game, Northern Illinois would pull to within six (92-86) with 51 seconds remaining in the contest but Clephane would quickly answer with a fast break layup to put BSU back up by eight forcing the Huskies to send Ball State to the line the remainder of the game.
The Ball State women's basketball team heads back to the road Saturday in Mid-American Conference action for a noon tip-off at Eastern Michigan in the Convocation Center. Ball State won its first meeting over the Eagles, 59-54, on Jan. 11 in Worthen Arena.
Ohio 86, Toledo 58
Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio women's basketball team (17-7, 10-3 MAC) defeated Toledo (11-13, 6-7 MAC), 86-58, Wednesday night at the Convocation Center.
Redshirt sophomore Erica Johnson (Mansfield, Ohio) flirted with a triple-double after posting 31 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Johnson was 11-of-17 from the floor and 8-of-11 from the three-point line while going +27 in 33 minutes on the floor.
"The efficiency that she's (Johnson) playing with is absurd," head coach Bob Boldon said. "What probably goes unnoticed is she's cut her defensive mistakes in half. She's dedicated to the game and she wants to be the best player she can be. You can tell by the stat sheet and it jumps out that she had 31 points, but she also had nine assists, four steals and eight defensive rebounds. She was really good at both ends of the floor."
Ohio was excellent defensively in the second half and did not allow a Toledo field goal for 12:14 in the third and fourth quarter. Ohio went on a 28-1 run in that span.
"We've gotten much better at moving to the ball and protecting gaps," Boldon added. "We've done a much better job of intentionally guarding. We've had fewer breakdowns over things we know better than. That can sometimes be a product of lead, which we didn't do tonight. I'm very proud of them for that."
Junior guard Cece Hooks (Dayton, Ohio) had her eighth 20+ scoring night of the season with 20 points on 9-of-21 shooting and one three made. Hooks added seven rebounds, four steals and two assists.
Senior guard Amani Burke (Columbus, Ohio) had nine points while redshirt junior guard Katie Barker (Cary, Ill.) knocked down two threes for six points. Redshirt sophomore guard Caitlyn Kroll (Bridgeport, Ohio) and redshirt sophomore guard Kaylee Bambule (Plainfield, Ill.) each produced five points, with Bambule's being a season-high.
10 Bobcats scored for Ohio as a team that was 51.5 percent (34-of-66) from the field and 45.2 percent (14-of-31) from the three-point line. Ohio held Toledo to 39.2 percent (21-of-53) shooting and 7-of-31 (22.6 percent) from deep.
Each squad had 36 rebounds, with nine coming on the offensive glass. Ohio was led by Johnson with eight boards, while Hooks had seven and Burris produced six.
OU forced 23 Toledo turnovers and had 12 steals. Johnson and Hooks each had four steals while freshman guard Peyton Guice (Westerville, Ohio) had two steals apiece. Ohio had 17 points off of turnovers and 34 points in the paint.
The Bobcats and Rockets exchanged buckets to open the first quarter. Out of the media timeout, a layup from Hooks and a Johnson three tied the game at 12 with 3:19 left to play in the first quarter. Toledo then went on a 6-0 run to go up 18-12. that was ended by a Hooks layup. Johnson hit two shots from deep in the last minute of the quarter to tie the game at 20.
The Bobcats opened the second quarter on top with a three from Burke. After two Toledo buckets, a layup from Burke gave Ohio the lead again at 25-24 with 6:48 to play in the second quarter. After two back-to-back layups from Hooks, Toledo attempted to chip away at the lead with a pair of layups and a free throw, but Ohio remained on top to close out the first half, 35-31.
Ohio shot 15-of-33 (45.5 percent) in the first half and 4-of-15 from behind the three-point line. Hooks led the way with 14 points while Johnson had 12. Hooks pulled down six rebounds in the first half.
Toledo opened the third quarter with a pair of layups, but both were followed by a pair of threes from Barker and Johnson. Another three from Barker gave Ohio put Ohio up 44-35. Toledo chipped away at the lead cut the OU advantage down to two at 47-45 at the media timeout. Out of the media timeout, Ohio allowed just one field goal and ended the quarter on a 16-2 run to go up 63-47.
The Bobcats stayed hot in the fourth quarter going on a 14-0 run after a single Toledo free throw, capped by Johnson's eighth three-point basket on the night to go up 77-49. The Bobcats held the Rockets without a field goal for 12:14 until a three-point basket with two minutes left to play in the game from UT. Bambule's three was the last bucket for Ohio and OU won, 86-58.
OU shot 19-of-33 (57.6 percent) overall and 10-of-16 (62.5 percent) in the second half, while Toledo was held to 9-of-26 (34.6 percent) shooting and 4-of-16 (25.0 percent) from deep. In the fourth quarter, Ohio held Toledo to just 2-of-12 (16.7 percent) shooting.
The Bobcats continue conference play again Akron on Saturday, Feb. 22 at the James A. Rhodes Arena. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET.
