Ohio’s first loss of the season came against a top Southeastern Conference visitor playing its fifth straight strong defensive game. The Ohio women’s basketball team fell 75-55 to Georgia on Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Convocation Center in Athens, according to Ohio University Athletics’ recap of the game.
The Bobcats (2-1) stayed with the Bulldogs early. Monica Williams opened Ohio’s scoring with a three-pointer for a 6-3 lead, Bailey Tabeling’s jumper put Ohio ahead 8-7, and the first quarter ended tied 15-15, Ohio Athletics reported. Georgia (5-0) took control in the second quarter, building a 27-18 lead during an Ohio scoring drought of nearly four minutes, and led 35-27 at halftime.
Tabeling, a senior, led Ohio with a season-high 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting, including 4-of-8 from three-point range, and added a team-high three assists, according to Ohio Athletics. Junior Gigi Bower scored 11 points, senior Antonicia Moultrie grabbed a team-high seven rebounds, and freshman Kamie Ellis recorded a career-high six steals.
Ohio’s defense had its moments: the Bobcats forced 18 Georgia turnovers and scored 16 points off them, and finished with 10 steals, Ohio Athletics reported. But Georgia’s size told over 40 minutes — the Bulldogs outrebounded Ohio 41-21 and held a 42-14 advantage in points in the paint, according to Georgia Athletics, and led by as many as 27 points.
Back-to-back Bower three-pointers late in the third quarter cut Georgia’s lead to 50-41, and Ohio trailed 52-42 entering the fourth, Ohio Athletics reported. Georgia closed the game out with a 23-13 fourth quarter, including 14 points in the paint, to hand the Bobcats their first defeat after opening wins that included a 68-44 victory over Otterbein on Nov. 9.
Ohio shot 36.73% from the field and 34.48% from three-point range for the game, with 21 rebounds, 13 assists and two blocks, according to Ohio Athletics. Georgia’s defense, meanwhile, forced 20 or more turnovers for the fifth straight game, according to Georgia Athletics, which noted the win was the Bulldogs’ first road victory of the season and that Georgia led for 33 minutes with only six lead changes all afternoon.
What happens next sends the Bobcats on the road: Ohio plays at Howard on Wednesday, Nov. 18, with tip-off set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+, Ohio Athletics said.