Sports
Women’s Basketball: Ohio Takes Road Struggles To Michigan
By: Kyrstin Ratliff
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The Ohio University women’s basketball team heads to Central Michigan on Wednesday in hopes of redeeming an 0-5 record on the road, but it won’t be an easy feat.
The Chippewas (11-9, 3-3 MAC) are the best rebounding team and the second-highest scoring offense in the MAC.
“They are a very, very, very good basketball team,” Ohio head coach Semeka Randall said. “They have the one of the most extraordinary freshman in the conference in Crystal Bradford.”
Bradford averages 14.6 points per game, with her team averaging 72.2 points per game overall. The Bobcats average 60.2 points per game and their leading scorer, senior guard Tenishia Benson, averages 14.2 points per game.
In order to secure a win, the Bobcats need to contain Bradford, rebound and hit their shots. But according to Randall, “The biggest thing for us from an offensive standpoint is that we’ve got to be able to control tempo.”
Fans, friends, and a familiar routine all contribute to the advantage of playing at home and, as Benson said, “There’s no place like home.” However she adds that is not an excuse for not winning on the road. Benson explained that preparations for an away game are not very different than a home game.
“You just gotta stay focused,” she said.
According to Benson, the most important part of being successful on the road is “being able to get used to a different environment and learning how to be successful in a different setting.”
The Bobcats suffered a tough loss at home to Toledo on Sunday, while the Chippewas are coming off of a 67-64 loss at Kent State. A victory for the Bobcats would not only give them their first win on the road, it would break a four-game losing streak to Central Michigan and give them 10 wins for the first time since the 2008-2009 season.
If they play strong for all 40 minutes of the game, Randall and Benson remain optimistic that the Bobcats can pull off a win on the road.
“It’s gonna be a really, really tough game, but we’ve played tough teams before—tougher than this team,” Benson said.
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