Sports
Ohio Women’s Basketball: Bobcats beat Purdue for second straight year; stay undefeated
By: Tee Willis
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The Ohio women’s basketball team put on their best performance of the season as they welcomed the Purdue Boilermakers to the Convocation Center. After coming off an upset win over Miami, The Boilermakers (6-3) tried to avenge last year’s home loss against Ohio (7-0), but the green and white came out on top Wednesday night 80-73.
Ohio didn’t see much of Amani Burke in the first half. The junior guard had three fouls before the end of the first quarter. The current Mid-American Conference Player of the Week finished with only five points and three rebounds.
Despite her absence, Ohio put together perhaps its best quarter of basketball this season.
The Bobcats found their groove in the second quarter as they went on a 15 -3 run in the first five minutes. The Bobcats racked up 26 points in the quarter and only allowed nine points, leading 41 to 26 at halftime.
Purdue came out of the half trying to overcome a 15-point deficit. Dominque Oden and Ae’Rianna Harris carried the load for the Boilermakers on offense. Oden had a team-high 16 points and Harris complimented her with 14. Harris’s four fouls through the first three quarters limited both her playing time and effectiveness for the Boilermakers.
Purdue came within eight points in the fourth quarter, but Ohio didn’t take its foot off the gas. The Bobcats forced 20 turnovers and converted them into 23 points.
CeCe Hooks powered the Bobcats on both ends of the floor. Hooks had a career-high 31 points and led Ohio in rebounds (7), assists (5) and steals (5).
“She played under control tonight,” Ohio head coach Bob Bolden said. “[CeCe Hooks] did a lot of her own thing tonight, but it didn’t feel like it was just the CeCe Hooks show. She scored a lot of points within the framework of what we do.”
In addition to Hooks’ 31 points, Ohio showed its depth in scoring. With Dominique Doseck’s 14, Gabby Burris’s 11 and Erica Johnson’s 11, this was the second game in a row that the Bobcats have had four players in double figures.
“Everybody that got in the game tonight helped us win,” Bolden said. “They’re a very unselfish group.”
The undefeated Bobcats have a quick turnaround before their next match-up. Ohio will be back in the Convocation Center to take on the Coppin State Eagles Saturday at 1 p.m.