If we are being honest with ourselves...could you have whistled Hooks for a travel on that game winner? Seemed like a lot of movement with the ball in her hands...
The CMU & Buffalo showings were once again more than respectful in the NCAA. It has been an impressive couple years of ladies basketball in the MAC.
The officiating was pretty poor on both ends. Again. MTSU coaches wanted a foul on the final in bounds play. There was some contact, for sure. Not enough for a whistle, IMO, but there was contact. They let far more egregious contact go all day. And with .3 or .4 on the clock, I don't think there was a chance that MTSU's final play could have worked. Long in bounds pass, caught, quick pass to a team mate...I don't think there was nearly enough ticks left to allow a shot to get off with that play. Dom Doseck got clobbered several times, took what should have been charges that were no calls. Erica Johnson should have been called for a late foul on a slap in the 4th. When I can hear the smack from the stands, I think there was a foul. I thought both teams got away with extra steps several times. Earlier in the game, a deflected ball was going out of bounds off MTSU and the ball contacted a ref, staying in, MTSU got the ball and cost Ohio a possession. A tipped ball out of bounds clearly off MTSU was called off Ohio by a ref completely out of position that in no way could have made the call, but the ref IN POSITION threw up the "I dunno" hands. I won't lie, in NO WAY do I want their job. But they are being paid to do their job, and when it's done as poorly as it has been lately it's hard not to say something.
Bower had some pretty big plays in this game, with a critical three, a made free throw, and a crunch time shot block near the rim. Missed free throws nearly sunk this game. 16/26 from the line left a lot of free points off the board. MTSU's guard #1 was killing us off penetration and I thought we made a mistake not trying to get her out of the game after she picked up her 4th foul early in the 4th quarter. I thought Deesh Beck had some good minutes, too. 4 points and 3 boards and added some physicality off the bench. We survived not playing our best game. The ladies are due for a strong performance on Thursday. Let's march this thing onward.