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The Ohio Women’s basketball team talking in a huddle during a timeout in their game against Cental Michigan on Jan. 9th, 2012 |Thomas Garverick WOUB|

Ohio Women’s Basketball: Bobcats suffer first loss of season to Central Michigan

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ATHENS, OHIO — All things come to an end.

Ohio’s (12-1, 1-1 MAC) 12-game winning streak came to an end Wednesday night with an 88-70 loss to reigning MAC champion Central Michigan (11-3, 2-0 MAC).  The Chippewas came into the game with previous wins against Central Florida, Vanderbilt, and ranked Miami (FL).

“They got good players and they made shots,” Ohio head coach Bob Boldon said.  “We tried to take some things away from them and could take nothing away from them.  They countered for everything we tried.  They’re just good.”

The Bobcats scored the first two points of the game, but that was the only time they led in the entire game.  The Chippewas were 8-of-16 from the field in the first quarter, while Ohio was only 5-of-17 and one-of-seven from beyond the arc.  Central Michigan had the 20-14 lead after one quarter.

The Chippewas opened the second quarter on a 9-0 scoring run.  The Bobcats did not score until the 7:06 mark.  CMU was paced by Reyna Frost in the second quarter – she has nine points and had three of the team’s four three-pointers.  The Chippewas had a 45-27 lead at the half and shot 51.6 percent from the field.

CeCe Hooks led Ohio with 11 points, but the team only shot 10-of-34 (29.4 percent) in the first half, including 3-of-15 on three-point attempts.

In the second half, the Bobcats were unable to overcome a double-digit deficit and the Central Michigan offense – the Chippewas shot 51.6 percent from the field.  Presley Hudson and Frost were the leading scorers with 24 points and 23 points, respectively.

Erica Johnson and Gabby Burris paced Ohio in the second half with 14 points and 13 points, respectively.  The Bobcats shot better in the second half – 46.9 percent and 5-of-15 from three-point range.

Johnson – the leading scorer for the Bobcats – finished with 19 points.  Hooks (15 points), Burris (13 points) and Amani Burke (11 points) also reached double-figure point totals.  Ohio only shot 37.9 percent in the game and were 8-of-30 from three.  Additionally, they were out-rebounded 51 to 22.

“This is the second game in a row that our shot selection has not been good and that’s concerning because it’s conference play and it’s January,” Boldon said.  “If we’re taking bad shots in November, you can live with it.  Taking bad shots in January is concerning.”

The Bobcats look to get back on track when they travel to Ball State on Saturday.  Tip-off is at 2 p.m.