Sports
Ohio Women Fail To Hold Lead Against Kent State
By: Todd Ward
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The Ohio Bobcats (5-15, 0-8 MAC) could not hold a 16-point lead in the second half and lost to the Kent State Golden Flashes (3-18, 1-7 MAC) 57-55 at the Convocation Center.
“I’m not going to tell you it doesn’t burn,” Bobcats head coach Semeka Randall said. “Our players are really struck by this, and we just have to grow and learn from it, but this really hurts a lot.”
Kent State trailed 42-26 with 13:54 remaining in the game when they went on a 19-4 run in the next six minutes.
Kent State took its first lead at 49-48 with just over four minutes left. Then after a Kent State layup to go up 3, Ohio went on a 7-0 run to take a 4-point lead at 55-51 with 1:15 remaining.
But Ohio could not hold this lead either as the Bobcats missed the front end of a one-and-one, Kent State came down and hit a 3, and Tina Fisher threw away the inbounds pass.
This sequence of events allowed the Golden Flashes a chance to take the lead with 25 seconds left, and they did. The team got an offensive rebound off a missed layup and put it back in to take a one point lead.
“Down the stretch just miscommunication in terms of us not really using the clock to our advantage and making a huge turnover at a critical time,” Randall said.
Ohio’s Kiyanna Black tried a step back jumper in the lane, but missed it. Kent State hit one of two free throws, and Erin Bailes’ desperation 3 at the end hit the back iron.
The first half was all Ohio. Ohio forced 15 turnovers in the first half and 24 total in the game.
“We were just pressuring the ball and rotating,” Ohio senior guard Ashley Fowler said. “We actually had help side, which we have struggled with that throughout the season and Tina (Fisher) taking (many) charges.”
Kent State’s Rachel Mendelsohn finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and 12 turnovers.
Ohio led at halftime 29-20 and extended the lead to 16, six minutes into the second half.
Kent State’s Tamzin Barroilhet led all players with a double-double, 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Ohio was led by freshman Kiyanna Black with 14 points.
Ohio hosts another winless MAC team on Wednesday when the Bobcats play Northern Illinois at 7 p.m.