Sports
Bobcats Best Middle Tennessee State
By: Connor Martin
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The Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders (6-5) are exactly that, blue, after falling to the Ohio Bobcats (8-3) 72-49.
A big second quarter gave the Bobcats a lead they never relinquished, as all-around solid play proved to be too much for the Blue Raiders to handle.
Middle Tennessee State may have scored the first points to start the game, but at the blink of an eye, they found themselves down 18-7 half way through the first quarter. After knocking down some free throws, the Blue Raiders fought back into the game and cut the lead to 18-17 before tying the bobcats 23-23 to end the first period. They would never be that close again, though.
With help from Kiyanna Black and Lexie Balwin, the Bobcats exploded in the second period outscoring the Blue Raiders 21-6 and never looked back. Baldwin and Black finished with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Quiera Lampkins added to the Bobcats total with 11 points of her own, giving Ohio three players in double digit scoring.
“We played very diverse today,” Ohio head coach Bob Boldon said, “We had multiple players score over 10 with a couple getting eight and nine.”
Ohio University made corrections after the first quarter and played phenomenal defense, holding Middle Tennessee State to only 32 percent from the court. After allowing 23 points in the first 10 minutes, the Bobcats only gave up 26 the rest of the night. Ohio was effective in transition as well as in the half court, as it shot 42 percent from the field.
Kiyanna Black is now only one 3-pointer away from tying the all-time school record for career 3-pointers and just two away from being first in school history.
A complete win ends non-conference play on a good note for the Bobcats. They resume play next year at 2 p.m. January 2 against Western Michigan.