Sports
Ohio Accepts Bid to WNIT, Will Play Penn State in First Round
By: Thomas Garverick
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Amani Burke had one last chance to send the Bobcats to the Mid-American Conference Semi-Finals. As the final seconds ticked away, trailing by two, Burke shot a three from the left wing, it rattled in and out and fell to the floor, ending the Bobcats hopes of getting to the NCAA tournament.
The Bobcats now have a chance to avenge blowing a 22-point lead to Northern Illinois after receiving an invitation to the Women’s National Invitational Tournament for the second straight year.
For the freshman Burke, it will be a second chance to redeem herself from her missed opportunities in Cleveland.
For the seniors, in particular Quiera Lampkins, it will be a chance for her to cement her legacy as one of the best players to ever suit up in green and white.
It’s also an opportunity for Lampkins to prove all the MAC doubters wrong—especially those who didn’t feel she was worthy enough of being selected to the First Team All-MAC.
Lampkins and Co. are one of five MAC teams that will be in the tournament, hoping to represent a conference that had one of the most tightly contested races going down the stretch.
But, the 22-9 Bobcats have a tall task ahead of them as they travel to Happy Valley to take on the 19-10 Penn State Nittany Lions out of the Big Ten this Friday at 7 p.m. The Nittany Lions are 14-1 in Happy Valley this season.
The Bobcats are more than capable of taking on a Big Ten foe as they are no stranger to the Power Five conference. The Bobcats split a pair of games against the conference this year, losing to Michigan in Ann Arbor and winning at home against the Illinois Fighting Illini, so they have shown they are capable of beating bigger schools.
Looking further ahead in the tournament, if these teams were to make a deep run in the tournament, the Bobcats could meet MAC rivals Central Michigan or Kent State in the regional final with a spot in the Final Four on the line.