March 15, 2008

Box Score |  Notes

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Ohio women's basketball team lost to Miami in the MAC Tournament Championship, 67-56, on Saturday afternoon at Quicken Loans Arena.

The Bobcats (20-13) were paced by Lauren Hmiel's (York, Pa.) 12 points and the duo of Lauren Kohn (Adrian, Mich) and Jenny Poff (St. Johns, Mich.) who each scored 10 points. Kohn owned the glass for Ohio as well, pulling down eight boards. Miami (23-10) was the led by Amanda Jackson's and Jenna Shone's 19 points each and Laura Markwood's and Stephanie Ford's 11 rebounds each.

The Bobcats' 20 wins this season is the third-most in Bobcats history and the first 20-win season since 1994-95.

After hitting five of their first ten shots in the second half, the Bobcats fell cold from the field, finishing with a 36.4 shooting percentage. While Miami shot just 23-of-60 from the field (38.3 percent), including 4-of-13 from beyond the three-point line, the RedHawks made 10-of-24 shots (41.7 percent) in the second-half.

The biggest difference in the contest was Miami's ability to get the ball down to the block, where the RedHawks scored 26 points in the paint. Ohio scored just 12 points in the painted area. Miami was also able to turn 16 Ohio turnovers into 21 points. On the glass, Ohio snatched 36 rebounds while Miami grabbed 44 boards.

After scoring zero points in Ohio's thrilling double-overtime win against Bowling Green in the semifinals, Kohn came out hot in the first half against the RedHawks, making her first three shots. By the end of the first half, the senior connected on 4-of-6 shots from the floor for 10 points.

At halftime, both teams were shooting under 40 percent from the field. Ohio made 11-of-29 shots while Miami hit 13-of-36 attempts but Ohio had a slight edge from beyond the arc, making four of their 11 attempts while Miami could only get two of its nine attempts from downtown to fall. On the glass, the teams each pulled down 22 rebounds in the opening half.

When the teams opened the second half, the Bobcats pushed the ball aggressively into the post, forcing the RedHawks into three quick fouls in the first three minutes and getting Kamille Buckner (Chicago, Ill.) back-to-back baskets on the block.

With the score tied at 41 and 11:42 left on the clock in the second half, the RedHawks used an 11-0 run during the next four minutes to take a 52-41 lead. The Bobcats ended the Miami run when Jenny Poff found Buckner under the basket for an open lay-up.

But the RedHawks would put together another run and hold off the Bobcats' late rally to win the MAC Tournament Championship 67-56.

Poff and Hmiel were selected to the MAC All-Tournament Team along with Miami's Jenna Schone while the RedHawks' Amanda Jackson was named MAC Tournament MVP. Toledo's Ta'Yani Clark was also named to the all-tourney team.

The Bobcats' 2007-08 season proved to be one for the record books as head coach Sylvia Crawley's squad pulled down more rebounds, scored more points and knocked down more 3-pointers than any other Ohio team in history.

The `Cats scored 2,331 points this season, eclipsing the 1985-86 Bobcats for first season scoring list. The 85-86 `Cats were also the last Ohio women's basketball team to play in the MAC Tournament Championship game. Ohio broke the record when they reached 24 total points in the first half of the contest when Jennifer Bushby (Gahanna, Ohio) hit a 3-pointer.

The Bobcats also took first place on the season rebounds list with 1,359 rebounds - 155 more than 1990-91 team which held the previous best mark. Ohio's 234 made three-point field goals is the highest in Bobcat history for a single season, eclipsing the mark of 189 set by the 2001-02 Bobcats.

Kohn finished with 997 points in her two-year career. Simone Redd (Warrensville Heights, Ohio) scored four points and Quintana Ward (Forrest Park, Ill.) added six points in the two seniors' final game in a Bobcat uniform.

2008 MAC All-Tournament Team:

Bowling Green - Tara Breske

Toledo - Ta'Yani Clark

Ohio - Jenny Poff

Ohio - Lauren Hmiel

Miami - Jenna Schone

Miami - Amanda Jackson

2008 MAC Tournament MVP:

Miami - Amanda Jackson