Sports
Strong Offense Allows Ohio to Beat Miami
By: Joe Cooke
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Ohio once again came away victorious in the ‘Battle of the Bricks,’ topping Miami 77-63. Today’s win meant even more to Ohio than just beating its rival.
Ohio (19-8, 10-6) ended their three-game losing streak during a time of the season when wins and loses make a difference in their seeding for the Mid-American Conference tournament.
Coach Bob Boldon emphasized that making baskets will help his team get back on track following cold-shooting performances.
“The percentages are bound to go our way at some point, they just hadn’t in recent memory,” Boldon said. “We’ve worked on shooting pretty much every single day, it’s an important part of who we are and what we do moving forward.
This hard work would pay off today.
Countless drive-and-kicks gave Ohio numerous opportunities to score inside and outside of the perimeter. They took advantage of these looks, shooting 45.6% from the field and 42.3% on threes, overall.
The game was fast-paced throughout. The Bobcats jumped out to a 21-14 advantage at the end of the one. The next quarter is when they began to take control, seizing a double-digit lead into halftime.
Being down 42-31 at the beginning of the third quarter, the Miami RedHawks went on a series of small runs. Ohio was able to trade baskets which prevented their opponent from overcoming a double-digit deficit.
Being up 63-47 at the conclusion of the quarter, it looked as if Ohio’s victory was sealed.
The final ten minutes, however, were more back-and-forth and unpredictable. The teams had 11 combined turnovers and Ohio was scoreless in the final 2:42. The Bobcats built a big enough lead at that point to hold on, despite sloppy play in the final minutes.
Amani Burke and Quiera Lampkins had 21 points, apiece. Burke’s total were a career-high. Lauren Dickerson had a team-high 20 points for the RedHawks. Kendall McCoy and Leah Purvis had 11 and 10 points, apiece for Miami.
Burke’s solid outing satisfied the high expectations coach Bob Boldon has for her.
“I thought all-around, she had a nice game, she’s lived the life of a freshman with a few up and down games,” he said. “She was really aggressive tonight and has had a feel for our offense and where she fits in as the season’s gone on, and I thought defensively she did a nice job.
Burke said Ohio’s strong offense is a step in the right direction.
“It’s good that our shots are going in right now. Coming off these loses, we’ve had a lot of doubts go through our head,” she said. “This game really picked us back up and brought us together.”
The Bobcats remain in Athens to host Bowling Green this Wednesday. Tipoff is at 7:00 p.m.