The Man Behind the Scenes

Imagine being a player, if you can, and as your are sitting at Damon's Grille the day before the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament you see this video come up on the enormous flat screen above your table. It has been a season with more obstacles and struggles than in the past, you just got done traveling seven hours on a bus to Central Michigan and finals week is in the back of your mind, but one video can make you forget about all of the hard times. Nothing else is on your mind besides winning that championship that you have practiced three long hours a day, six days a week for. At least it has that effect on me, as well as the players, and it is all possible thanks to one member of the Bobcats crew that we haven't talked about yet, Daronce Daniels. 

Daniels is a video producer for sports marketing at Ohio University and is responsible for creating, along with Emmy-Award winning videographer Evan Shaw, the season highlight video above. A recent graduate of Elon University, Daronce says the best part about his job at Ohio University is when he gets to see the team's reaction to his work.  

"The best part is watching the players when the see the videos and seeing the look on their face. You know, making them excited or making them happy or whatever emotion you can bring out," said Daniels. 

At many universities the women's teams do not receive the same amount of coverage, or the same quality of coverage, due to lack of funding. At Ohio University, however, the video production team makes sure to cover all of the teams and the players couldn't be more thankful.

"I think that we do a great job of treating all of the sports equally and it is nice that people are trying to show that they support us," said senior Jennifer Bushby. 

Senior Jenny Poff, a transfer from Michigan State University, says she was used to a strong following and that the videos and articles on Ohiobobcats.com are important to maintaining a support system.

"When people and fans can't come out to the games all the time it is important for them to be able to keep up with the team somehow," Poff said. "The videos that Daronce and Evan work on help to show what's going on because sometimes just an article can't show that."  

When I asked the seniors about the highlight video in particular, they only had great things to say. 

"The video was phenomenal," Bushby added. "That was one of the best highlight videos I have seen since I have been here. The music is cool, the graphics are amazing and I was impressed. It had the effect it should have had."   

Senior Jenny Poff had a similar reaction.

"That was really good. That is what a highlight video is supposed to do," she said. "It is supposed to pump you up and get you excited to play. I was really impressed by the graphics and the effects. It definitely worked."

If Daniels was being honest when he said his favorite part of the job is making players excited to play, then mission accomplished. 

Fun Fact: The Men's basketball team is in the semi-finals today! 

Go Bobcats! 

Nike Shoes-Do They Just Do It?

The team is sponsored by Russell Athletics, but if you know anything about basketball shoes then you know that Russell kicks are not always the most ideal. To compensate, the team wears Russell clothing and is allowed to use a portion of the budget to purchase Nike shoes. The team gets to decide between two or three pairs depending on shoe size and budget. They can either pick a pair of Nike shocks or a pair of Nike Blue Chips. 

Throughout their entire basketball careers, each player had been able to purchase the shoe that is perfect for them. Coming to college and having to pick between just two pairs can be a big adjustment to make. No one is complaining because they are free, but not everyone is excited about the scarce selection. Now that the season is over, I can't just show up to practice and get the scoop so I sent out a mass text that said, "Hey guys, which Nike shoe did you pick this year and what did you think of them overall. Please be honest." Here is how they responded:  

Senior Jenny Poff says there is no competition between the two. "I wear the Nike shocks and everyone thinks that they are too heavy but I just like shocks in general so they are more comfortable for me. I never have problems with them and they are great," she said convincingly.

Junior guard Carolyn Barnett is in the same boat. "I really like them. I didn't have to break them in, they were good to go as soon as I put them on."

Freshman Symone Lyles, on the other hand, hasn't had the same experience. "They started off really good and I was happy. But then toward the end of the season they started to hurt the crap out of my feet," Lyles said. 

Are you sure it's the shoes...or is it the line runs and the suicides that take a toll on your feet? Last year I chose the Blue Chips and decided to give them a try. Like Poff said, a lot of girls think the shocks are too heavy and I am one of them. The Blue Chips were extremely light, they formed around my feet really well and they were cute! 

Lyles is right though. They started to kill towards the end of the season. Usually a player experiences the worst pain during the break-in process, but the Blue Chips continued to loosen until there was no support. With no support, my feet start start sliding forward and my toes were constantly jamming into the front of the shoe. Not a pretty site, or feeling. Luckily, the girls get two pairs of shoes so if they start to fall apart a fresh pair is waiting.  

Freshman Tina Fisher decided to choose one of each kind. She says as long as they are Nike she will be happy. "I really like all of them. I am a Nike girl and I have always worn Nike so I really like them. Nike is all you need!" she said.

All of the players go through two pairs a season. The Nike Shocks run around $110.00 and the Blue Chips run close to $85.00 so it's good thing for team discounts and scholarships. For now, it's time for the players to give their feet a rest until Spring Quarter begins. Then, believe it or not, they will be back to work already! 

Fun Fact: The team buys pink shoe laces for the breast cancer awareness game and most of the players finish out the season with their pink shoelaces in. I STILL have mine in!

Go Bobcats!

Tournament Game Break Down

If you are interested in MAC Tournament first round notes, you can find all of the info you need on the Ohio Bobcats website. 

Picture courtesy of cmuchippewas.com

Enjoy! 

Beyond the Game

As I was writing my last post about balancing academics and athletics, I started thinking about how basketball relates to life in general. I mentioned that a handful of professors would be pleased if athletics didn't exist at all, but the women on this team are confident that the skills they practice on the court are preparing them for the rest of their lives. 

"Basketball teaches you how to overcome diversity," freshman Symone Lyles said. "My teammates and I don't all look alike, as you can tell, and we are all from very different families and lifestyles. Throughout all adversity you just have to stick together to succeed and make it through. You can't have doubts, but just trust one another."

Along with learning how to communicate with teammates who are significantly different than you, freshman Ashley Fowler says basketball has improved her communication skills overall. 

"You have to be constantly communicating. You communicate with your teammates, coaches and the media in different ways," she said. "I would feel comfortable now having to approach someone I had never met before and working to get to know them. That is what happened this year when I had only a couple of months to get to know all of my teammates before season started."

Today is tournament day, as you know, and for most of the freshman it has been a long season full of learning. The freshman combined are averaging 12 minutes per game, a significant number for first-year members. Most of the time as a freshman you only get one chance to make a first impression or else the bench is waiting with your name all over it. Freshman Tina Fisher says instead of looking at this as pressure, she likes to think it helps her get in the mindset to play with no regrets and leave nothing behind.

"You have to always play like it is going to be your last game and that is how I try to live my life too. In basketball your time to make an impact is short. When you are applying for a job, isn't it the same?" Fisher said. "You never know when you will get a great opportunity in life, and you always have to live like it might be your last one."

For the Bobcats, tonight could be the last one. It is win and advance, or lose and go home but as long as the team shares Fisher's mentality, they should be ready for battle. Tip-off is tonight at 5 in Mount Pleasant, MI. I will be tweeting game up-dates. If you have any other thoughts on how athletics are important to developing life skills please feel free to comment! Can't wait to hear:)

Fun Fact: Ohio and Central Michigan will be meeting for the 53rd time in the all-time series. Ohio leads 14-11 when playing in Mt. Pleasant. 

Go Bobcats!

Balancing School and Travel-Not an Easy Task

Finals are approaching and so is tournament time! This is the point in the season when student-athletes are faced with the stressful challenge of juggling the most important part of the quarter with the most important part of the season; but, the players are referred to as "student-athletes" for a reason. The student is placed in front of the athlete intentionally. While the players have been recruited and are getting paid to play basketball, academics always come first. 

"Being in season requires constant communication with professors with both the student athletes and myself," said Academic Services and CHAMPS/Skills Coordinator Amy King. "What is difficult about traveling is that the students don't always have internet access and it is my job to be in touch with their instructors so I can text them updates and make sure they are taking advantage of office hours once a week and study halls while they are on the road," she added. 

King has weekly meetings with each student athlete as well as the coaching staff. Each student is assigned an academic coach that they report to each week. The coaches then meet with King to collaborate and share the progress being made or any concerns they have with certain players. 

"It is important for me to have input because the players open up to me differently than they do with their coaches. Based on what they tell me, I send out an email once a week to professors just to touch base," she said.

The communication with instructors is especially important when traveling on the road. Long bus trips, no internet access and being mentally focused on the game are all challenges to staying on top of school work. 

"Study hall on the road is extremely difficult. We back down in season and they take 12 credit hours instead of 16. Then they take a summer class to make up for the 12 so they are still averaging 16 a quarter," King noted. 

When scheduling, King and the athletes adjust what days they take class in season so they miss as little as possible. Most of the games landed on Wednesdays and Saturdays which means players try to schedule on Mondays and Thursdays, for example. 

"Even with the adjustments we make, athletes miss anywhere from 5-10 classes throughout the season which is why communication is so important," King said. 

So, the athletes are missing 5-10 classes, practicing for three hours per day along with a minimum 12 class hours, making up homework on long bus trips, meeting once a week with an academic instructor, meeting once a week with an academic coach and are required to clock in a specific number of study table hours at Peden Stadium. Do you think they are earning their scholarships?

Not everyone thinks so. In several cases there has been tension between professors and student-athletes. There are several professors that refuse to honor the university approved official travel letters because they do not believe academics should ever take a back seat to athletics. This puts athletes in a difficult situation especially when they are required to take a class for their major with a professor that will not accept absences. To me this is absurd. It is one thing to not accept absences from a student-athlete who is struggling in the class and needs the extra focus on academics, but to blatantly categorize all student-athletes as too irresponsible to manage missing a few classes is insulting. Having played for two years I know that it is possible to maintain a balance. With the study hours and academic meetings I was able to maintain a 3.9 over the course of those two years on the team. Most student-athletes want to excel in the classroom for multiple reasons: the school is paying their tuition, they will not be playing basketball forever and plan on getting a job after college, the majority are naturally driven human beings, and the better you do in school the fewer study table hours are required.

"Students are assigned study table hours depending on their GPA. Right now, all of the sophomores and some of the juniors have meetings with me once a week, but there are members of each team that work extremely hard. Some don't have to come at all and others only have to put in a few hours a week," King said. 

If anything, athletics helps student-athletes do better in school. These women are constantly competing on the court and their competitive mindset transfers to the classroom. By playing a sport, athletes are forced to practice better time management and communication skills to keep a positive relationship with their professors and balance school work. Are there negatives to missing class? Yes, but I am arguing that the positives significantly outweigh the negatives. What are your thoughts?

Fun Fact: The Bobcats have only won ONE road game this year. Central Michigan will be a difficult task! (That is more upsetting than fun but still an interesting stat!)

Go Bobcats!  

2010 MAC Tournament Bracket

Ohio finished the season as the 11th seed and will take on the 6th seed Central Michigan Sunday night at 5. 

Mac-sports.com has the updated bracket here: 2010 Tournament Bracket

Around the Country and Back

The women's basketball team has gotten to travel all across the country this year to compete against schools that Coach Randall and the Ohio Athletic Department believe will make them better. This includes trips to Utah and Florida to name two. Traveling to different parts of the country means playing in different environments. The players have to quickly adjust to a variety of arenas, fan bases and altitudes. Most players have a favorite gym or two that they can't wait to travel to. Do you have one? This map takes you to all of the facilities the women have played in and includes pictures, descriptions and a few fun links!

View Basketball Arenas 2009-2010 Season in a larger map

A Fairytale Ending Looks a Little Something Like This

"No Matter How Down You Are, You Have to Keep Pushing"

Senior night is approaching ahhhh! Saturday the seniors will step on the hard court for their last career game as a Bobcat. I can only imagine what it would feel like, so I sat down with senior Jenny Poff to see what is stirring in her mind with the big night only three days away. She walks us through everything from emotion and family to life lessons she will take away from this sport. 

Q: First, congratulations on such a successful career at Ohio University. What is going through your head as the season approaches its final few games?

A: It's crazy to think that I have been playing basketball for 20 years of my life and it's all just coming to an end. I think senior night is going to be a wreck for me. All of my emotions are going to come at me all at the same time. 

Q: Having spent so much of your time practicing and playing in the Convocation Center, will you feel overwhelmed with emotion knowing Saturday will be the last time you step foot on the floor for a game?

A: I definately think it will be emotional with my family being there and with everything I have gone through with the transfer and all of the coaches I have had. The good times and bad times, it's all going to come to mind all at once. 

Q: You obviously had a senior night in high school, what was that like and do you expect your college senior night experience to be similar?

A: It was not as big of a deal because I knew I was going on. I knew I was playing in college and so I could think about all that was still to come. I was excited about moving on to the next level.

Q: You mention family, what will the Poff crew be like?

A: My mom is going to be emotional and my grandparents. Everybody seeing it come to an end will be emotional. The only person that won't be there is my grandpa who passed away 7-8 years ago. There will be at least 17 of my family members there so it will be powerful. 

Q: Looking back, what is your favorite memory at Ohio University? One that just stands out above the rest.

A: Beating Bowling Green in double-overtime in the semi-finals game in Cleveland. It felt like the MAC Championship game. Seeing our senior Quintana Ward hit the game winning shot was awesome. I had fouled out before the second overtime so I got to see it all happen from the bench. Everyone rushed the floor and it was really awesome. 

Q: Basketball has been such an integral part of your life. What is the most important life lesson you will take away from this game?

A: I just think that sports can teach you so many life lessons. The biggest thing I have taken away is no matter how many times you fail, you always need to get back up and try again. Always. Especially playing a team sport, even if you are low you have all of your teammates to help you and get you back up. No matter how down you are, you have to keep pushing yourself for your teammates even if you don't want to or don't feel like it that day. 

Jenny Poff thank you for taking the time to help us understand what a big moment this will be for you. Good luck!

Fun Fact: Poff has been playing basketball for 20 years. She is 23 years old and, believe it or not, started playing at the age of three!

Go Bobcats!

MAC Standings, Tournament and More

As tournament time approaches you may be wondering what the standings are looking like, how you can get tournament tickets, how to find hotel information or what fun activities will be going on for fans. For the latest information, check out the Mid-American Conference Website below.

MAC Women's Basketball Site

Go Bobcats!

The Sweet Taste of Victory, Finally.

The Bobcats are no longer winless at home in February after snapping a five game losing streak with a 69-56 win against rivalry Miami last night. The "Battle of the Bricks" was an intense battle between two teams struggling to make a turnaround. The 8-19 Redhawks have been facing the same difficulties as the 7-20 Bobcats in terms of finding consistency and overcoming adversity, but last night's contest game down to three key moments and statistics.

1. REBOUNDING! In the loss to Miami earlier this season, Ohio lost on the boards by one rebound. Last night however, the story was completely different. Ohio out-rebounded the Redhawks 45-31!

2. Miami's best player Courtney Osborn was injured in the first half and Ohio took advantage of her time on the bench by busting out a 13-2 run to chip away at the deficit.

3. Everyone played their individual role. Kamille Buckner stayed out of foul trouble and earned her third career double-double, Thia Gholson scored eight and tallied 12 rebounds, Jennifer Bushby added 15 points, Carolyn Barnett chipped in with 14 off the bench, Tina Fisher played solid defense and was a physical presence inside, Jenny Poff struggled to score early but managed to contribute with assists and rebounds, and Symone Lyles played consistent off the bench and added a free-throw.

Isn't that what life is all about though? We are thrown in different situations and different environments as we embark on new opportunities in our lives. Different environments mean new teammates or co-workers and certainly new roles. It is our job to adjust and figure out the best way we can contribute. Sometimes we will be hero, other times we will have to give the hero the assist. Either way, teamwork is what makes success possible and teamwork starts with the individual.

Before the game, Assistant Coach Ryan Bragdon said, "We have been in every single position possible. It is just whether or not we can make plays down the stretch."

The Bobcats have been in close games where they are leading and close games where they are trailing, but in almost every close game the team has made bad decisions late in the game. What Coach Bragdon was saying is, it all depends on whether or not they will learn from the past. Each moment in our lives prepares us for an even bigger moment. Whether or not we are ready for that bigger moment depends on what we have learned from the past and how we have prepared for the future. Ohio finally learned from its mistakes and were able to seal off the Redhawks for the sixth straight time at the Convocation Center.

What shall they prepare for next? Ohio will take on Buffalo at 2:00 for the last home game of the season. Don't miss it!

Fun Fact: Senior night at the Convo Saturday! Come honor Jennifer Bushby and Jenny Poff for their successful career as a Bobcat.

Go Bobcats!

More than Your Average Mother Daughter Duo

Senior Gaurd Jennifer Bushby gives us an inside scoop on her relationship with her best friend, her mother.

Barnett Leaves Mark on MAC

If there has been one thing Ohio has struggled with all season it's scoring. But for one Bobcat, scoring is the least of her problems. Junior guard Carolyn Barnett averaged 21.5 points per game last week against Northern Illinois and Bowling Green combined and her work has certainly been rewarded. Barnett has been named Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week, her first career weekly award.

"Wow," she said. "I didn't know they even saw me. I didn't even know that people noticed me. I was just surprised and it feels great to know that my hard work has paid off."

Well, it is hard NOT to notice a career high 29 points against the Huskies, shooting 11-of-19 from the field with five rebounds and two steals, to spark an offense for Ohio. Then, against Bowling Green, the lights out shooting only continued. Her 60 percent from the field was good for 14 points in just 19 minutes of play.

What is most exciting about Barnett's honor is seeing how far she has come. Last year, Barnett averaged two points and a little over one rebound per game in just six minutes overall for the year. Now, she is arguably one of the most important offensive players on the team.

"It feels so good and I have always thought of myself as a scorer. That is what I am really good at," she added. "Offense is my main key I just had to get a feel of it my first two years. Now I have a better feel of it and I continue to."

Her teammates and coaches have always described her as a a boost of energy, but the way she sees it that is how everyone should be coming off the bench.

"Anyone that is coming off the bench should want to be that spark for the team. I want them to think of me when they think of a spark and I think I am. You have to prove that you deserve to be on the court and if you are coming off the bench, your time to do that is limited," she said.

This Chicago native may have started with limited time, but her impact only continues to increase and with tournament time approaching the Bobcats will take all of the scoring it can get.

Carolyn Barnett

Fun Fact: Barnett is a Health Service Administration Major

Go Bobcats!

No Valentines Day Love this Year

Happy Valentines Day! I hope you are getting all of the love you deserve. Unfortunately, Bowling Green had no love for Ohio. A 73-57 loss to the Falcons was no holiday gift but it is significantly better than the 77-42 beating from Bowling Green at the Convo earlier this season. What was a two possession game going in to the half, before BG hit a jaw dropping half court shot to go up 9, turned into more of a challenge when Bowling Green's school leader in 3 pointers hit four out of five to stretch the lead.

My play-by-play partner and I decided the team needed some love so we made Dora the Explorer valentines for each player to read on the bus ride home:) They either said "You're Sweet," "You're Awesome," or something similar and we wrote specialized notes based on each players individual strengths. For example, Danielle Woodmore (extremely quick guard who started her first game yesterday) got a valentine that said "You're Sweet" and then we added "At Driving to the Basket." Ha ha ha. Anyways, we thought it was clever.

It was clear from the game yesterday that the Bobcats continue to get better as the season progresses. They no longer have a chance to host a home tournament game but no one is throwing away hopes of a successful tournament run despite the devastating seven win season.

Ohio will finally have the week off to relax, catch up on school and rehab before next Saturday's matchup against Kent State. The next three games are all home and against beatable teams. If there is a time to gain some momentum, it's now!

Fun Fact: Senior Jenny Poff has now hit a three-pointer in 17 games straight!

Go Bobcats!

Tweet Tweet

Alrighty I am finally joining the Twitter train. I will have my tweets on the blog so I can update you on scores throughout the games and other fun traveling stories:) Enjoy!

Over the River and Through the Snow to Northern Illinois We Go!

What a trip!! Wow. Ohio traveled to Northern Illinois for a Wednesday night game and here is how the trip was supposed to go: Meet at the Convocation Center in Athens at 5:00 Tuesday night, drive to the charter plane and fly to Northern Illinois, wake up the next morning to beat the Huskies and fly back Wednesday night. Simple right?

Here is how the trip went: Huge snow storm, meet at 9:00 in the morning Tuesday and start the drive to Northern, stop in Indianapolis because the weather was too dangerous, wake up the next morning and finish driving, lose to the Huskies (who were only 2-8 in the MAC), another bus ride to Indianapolis through the night, crash at the hotel for a few hours and arrive in Athens at 2:30 in the afternoon Thursday. Ahh!!

Not only did these players and coaches lose one of the most "winable" games of the season, but they also missed roughly 5-8 classes and are fueled by approximately four hours of sleep. To add to hectic travel schedule, the lady Bobcats are already on the way to Bowling Green to face off against the best team in the MAC. And who said being a college athlete was easy?

So how exactly do the girls deal with all of the missed classes and down time on the bus?

"Each player is required to fulfill a specific number of study table hours based on academic performance. We recognize that the classroom is the first priority and that is why we are called student-athletes. The bus trips are a great way to get a few hours of studying in and we make sure the team gets those hours in," said Assistant Coach Karen Hewitt.

But having traveled with the team, I know how hard it is to focus on school work on a bus especially when there is no internet and your laptop only lasts as long as its battery. So, to help ease the pain of the trip, most of the parents send the girls home from games with more baked goods than you could ever imagine! The bus ride home consists of a snack every hour, at least. The first hour this trip we had famous cupcakes from a hometown bakery on Northern Illinois' campus. The second hour we devoured Tina Fisher's chocolate chip cookies that her mother baked. The third hour was heart-shaped brownies and the fourth hour was homemade sugar cookies! See the tips aren't all that bad!

Anyways, off to Bowling Green we go. The Bobcats fell to the Falcons earlier this season 77-42 in Athens and tomorrow's matchup will not be an easy one. Cross your fingers for an Ohio upset.

Fun Fact: Two years ago, Ohio upset Bowling Green in double-overtime during the MAC Tournament to advance to the MAC Championship in Cleveland. It has been done before.

Go Bobcats!

Bushby Makes History in Loss to the Rockets

Jennifer Bushby is now the 13th player in Ohio history to reach 1,000 career points after leading all scorers with 16 points in the 76-54 loss to Toledo. It was a pair of three-pointers to open up scoring and a mid-range jumper at the top of the key to hit the 1000-point plateau. Lou, the man behind the mic, made an announcement to the fans and everyone stood up to recognize this rare accomplishment. What really makes this moment special is the type of person Bushby is. She is a kind of player that would pass to an open teammate before taking a shot anytime. Her teammates are her first priority and that is what made it even more exciting when she hit 1,000.

Her mother is even more important to her and unfortunately the snow storm kept "Momma Bushby" stuck in Columbus. The broadcasting team made sure to give her a shout-out on the radio but I am sure it was killing her not to be there! Jennifer grew up living with just her mother in Gahanna, Ohio and the two are inseparable. Before the game I ran up to Jennifer and picked her up off the ground, swung her around and asked her if she was ready to get that 1,000th point. She responded, "I have been playing basketball my whole life. This is just another basket to me. This is only exciting because I know how happy and proud my mother is going to be. Make sure you watch out for my hand signal that I do when I make the shot." We found out later was a +1 hand motion to show that her mom is with her in spirit.

Ohio was decked out in all pink jerseys to support breast cancer and the first 500 fans, as promised, received pink t-shirts! The Convo had a great fan showing despite a snow covered Athens. Toledo was the better team and while Ohio tried to hang on, the Rockets just had too many scoring threats. It didn't help that Ohio is second in the MAC in 3-point field goal percentage and Toledo is first in 3-point field goal defense. Ha! Everyone knew it would be a tough game to win for the Bobcats, but anything can happen in the MAC so you can never have doubt. Next up is Northern Illinois and lets up this snow goes away before the team hits the road Tuesday!

Fun Fact: Coach Randall wore pink and white Nike sneakers with her dress pants. Haha it was great!

Also, here are some photos from the pink filled Convo and the trip to Western Michigan!



Go Bobcats!

18 Hours on a Bus, Two Days of Missed Classes, Four Point Loss

A nine hour bus ride one way all for a four point loss. Ouch. The Bobcats have only won two games in a row once this season and if there was ever going to be a time to do it again it should have been against the Western Michigan Broncos. The Bobcats handed the Broncos its FIRST conference win and first win in nine games, 51-47. It was the same story last year when Western came to the Convo to upset Ohio for only one of three conference wins on the season.

So what exactly was the problem for Ohio? The Bobcats held its fourth straight opponent under 60 points, forced 23 turnovers and out-rebounded the Broncos 35-30 dominating the offensive glass with 15. That all sounds on track for a W doesn't it? Here is the problem: scoring! Ohio only scored 4 points in five minutes down the stretch from the 10:30 mark until there was 5:30 left on the clock. It wasn't that Western was scoring a lot during that time either but they managed to put enough on the board to slowing chip away at a slim Ohio lead.

I must give credit to the atmosphere that Western created. Their gym is called the "Zoo" for a reason. The band was obnoxious, the dance team was always kicking, the fans joined the band in counting down the shot clock a few seconds early to trick Ohio into forcing up quick shots and the fact that the Broncos were even close to getting its first win in nine games only accelerated the excitement.

Luckily the Bobcats are back at home for the next battle. It is going to take a serious comeback to play with Toledo Saturday afternoon for a 2:00 tip off.

Fun Fact: The matchup against Toledo is the called the "Pink Zone" game and will feature all pink jerseys and free give prizes to support breast cancer awareness! The first 500 fans will receive free pink t-shirts so don't be late!

Go Bobcats!

The Beauty of Teamwork, Bobcats Capture W Against Cardinals

The saying goes, "There is no 'I' in team" but people often joke by saying, "There is a 'me' though." While I have never really given this statement much thought beyond a quick laugh, after the Bobcats match-up against Ball State Saturday I realized it is so true!! The way I see it is everyone has an individual role on a team and each player is responsible for focusing in on that role. At the same time, each player is responsible for a role only because she is one piece of a larger puzzle that all comes together to produce the best product. If everyone buys into their roles, or their pieces of the puzzle, then the end goal will be accomplished.

Ohio did exactly that to capture a big W against the Cardinals. Da'Keisha Mann is still not playing because of a violation of team policy and Thia Gholson, one of Ohio's most powerful rebounders, missed the contest due to a back injury. It was time for the younger players to show that they were ready to step in and fill the gaps and wow did they execute! All but one player that stepped on to the floor scored a basket. The one that did not score, Lyles, was an absolute spark off the bench and caused significant havoc on defense. Bench players Maxine Ohakim, Carolyn Barnett and Danielle Woodmore were outstanding. Ohakim used her great size and strength to keep Ball State off the boards, Barnett once again was good for a few quick scores and steals and Woodmore used her unprecedented quickness to penetrate the gaps and open up shots for her seniors.

Speaking of the seniors...wow. Jennifer Bushby made the defense look silly. She played like she was straight from the "And1" commercials putting up a season high 23 points and seven rebounds. Her fellow senior Jenny Poff added 14. This was no easy win either. The ball game was tied six times and the lead changed nine times. Other than against Akron, this is the only time Ohio was able to finish down the stretch.

Remember when I got excited about 22 turnovers? How about 15 against Ball State!! Wahoo! Now, we can't get too excited because it was a game of two half court zone defenses so 15 isn't actually that great but hey we will take it! Next up is Western Michigan in Kalamazoo. Game starts Wednesday night at 7:00. You can tune in by visiting ohiobobcats.com. Until then, so long!

Fun Fact: Jennifer Bushby is only 14 points away from 1,000 at OU!

Go Bobcats!

Close Doesn't Cut It!

It is Friday afternoon and I am STILL thinking about Wednesday night's devastating loss to Eastern Michigan. The Eagles came in posting a 14-4 record and a win was not looking promising for a 5-14 Ohio. However, the Bobcats surprised everyone. Ohio NEVER trailed until Eastern's very last possession of the game when Huntley hit a crucial three-pointer to clinch the win.

If you can imagine winning for close to an entire game until the last few seconds, the only seconds that truly matter, and then losing to a team who is number one in Mid-American Conference defense and number two in scoring. AHHH!!! It was certainly frustrating for everyone who was rooting for the home team. Lets check out the positives of the situation though:

1. In the beginning of the season this most likely would have been a blow out game with Ohio on the losing end. 

2. Ohio was shooting nearly 50 percent from downtown with 2:00 left to play against a tenacious Eagle defense.

3. Ohio only had 22 turnovers!! (For those of you who have not been following the team very closely you are probably wondering why I am getting excited about 22 TOs. Well let's just say this ball club turned it over 39 times against Florida. Now do you get it?)

4. The Bobcats have now held it's last two opponents under 60 points. Both Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan, teams who are averaging over 70, could not break the 60 mark against an all around team effort defense from Ohio.  

5. With Da'Keisha Mann out for violating team policy, this game was a great opportunity for young faces to step up and Symone Lyles did just that. She was a spark defensively and was reliable on offense. I think we will see more of her from now on. 

There are always positives to take away from even the most devastating games. This group of girls is continuing to improve. Luckily, after the game, the players had to come back out immediately to sign autographs for the elementary school kids so they had no chance to pout. The only thing they had time to do was just throw a big smile on and put the game in the past. It's time to prepare for the Ball State Cardinals who are coming to A-town for a 2:00 tip Saturday! Come support! 

Also, every post I will have a "Fun Fact" at the end. Just a little something to look forward to:)

Fun Fact from the Eastern game: Ohio's own Jenny Poff sang the national anthem. She has mentioned trying out for the next season of American Idol once her basketball career is finished. She also promised she would sing a little tune to post on the blog! For now, here is a clip of the National Anthem: Poff National Anthem

Go Bobcats! 

What's My Blog All About?

Hello my friends,

We are up and running! Scoop on Hoops is all you need to know about Ohio University Women's Basketball. Men's basketball is exciting, and I have nothing against the boys, but it is time that the women's fans have more to read about and a place to interact! On my blog I will have game recaps, season highs and lows, discussions about individual players who have unique talents, stories from the long buss trips and hotels and much more as the season unfolds. These girls work their butts off every single day and we are going to have fun following the team's journey!