Szall Tallies Career-High 28 as Ohio Upsets Buffalo
Bobcat Women Shoot Season-High 58.1 Percent in 82-70 Win
ATHENS, Ohio -- Junior Cathy Szall scored a career-high 28 points and the Bobcats shot a season-high 58.1 percent from the field to post an 82-70 victory over Buffalo in Mid-American Conference basketball action Saturday afternoon. With the win, Ohio snaps a six-game losing streak and picks up its first league win (4-11, 1-3). Buffalo falls to 11-4, 2-2 with the upset loss.
Ronita Whitfield tallied 16 points and Lori Moorman added 11 points and a team-high six rebounds. Jessica Kochendorfer led Buffalo with 15 points, while Virginia Jennings (13), Mari McClure (12) and Tara Perrier (11) also topped double figures.
Ohio started out with the game's first seven points, but an 8-2 run by the Bulls later in the period evened the score at 17 with 7:55 left in the period. The Bobcats tallied six straight points, but saw the Bulls retake the lead with seven in a row, 24-23 with 4:18 before intermission. The teams traded the lead twice before a three-pointer by Jennings at the first half-buzzer put Buffalo ahead 32-30 at the break.
The second half was tight for the first six minutes, until Buffalo moved ahead by seven points, 50-43, with 11:41 left following a 6-0 run. However, the Bobcats scored eight straight over the next 1:38 to take its first lead of the half. After a Buffalo score gave them a one-point advantage, the Bobcats ran off the next eight points and never relinquished the lead. Ohio continued to add to its margin, leading by 11 with 3:44 to play and by as many as 15 in the final minute.
Szall converted all 11 free throw attempts in the contest, including six in the final 1:10.
Buffalo's Tiffany Bell, a preseason All-MAC pick and the league's second-leading scorer at 17. 4 points per game, was limited to just six points in the contest, none in the opening half.
