Jan. 12, 2002

Stats

ATHENS, Ohio-Miami University's women's basketball team moved to 4-0 in the Mid-American Conference for the first time in five years Saturday, surging past the Ohio University Bobcats, 89-73, with a second-half surge.

In a very physical and hotly contested first half, Miami looked to its inside game to gain early control. After Ohio jumped out to an early 4-2 lead, Miami tallied three-point plays from Melanie Kozlowski (Parma, Ohio/Holy Name) and Jana Butler (Findlay, Ohio/Liberty-Benton) and led 14-8 by the 15:24 mark. Miami led by as many as eight in the first half, but Ohio shot itself back into the game with a pair of Cathy Szall 3-pointers and trailed 40-34 at the half.

Both teams shot well in the first half, with Miami hitting 53 percent from the floor and the Bobcats draining and even 50 percent of its shots. The Red and White took advantage of 13 Ohio turnovers and the interior play of Butler, Colleen Day (Independence, Ohio/Holy Name) and Kim Lancaster (Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton), who combined to shoot 11-of-11 from the field in the first half. Day, who hit 5-of-5 shots in the half, led Miami with 14 points, while Szall led all scorers with 15.

In the second half, Miami jumped out early and pressed its lead into double digits several times. Ohio was quick with an answer each time until a devastating 12-0 Miami run pushed the RedHawks' advantage to 71-51 by the eight-minute mark. An Andrea Gay 3-point field goal finally ended the Bobcat drought, but the damage was already done. Ohio could get no closer than 14 points the remainder of the game.

Miami finished the second half shooting a stellar 59 percent from the field and finished at 57 percent for the game. The Red and White also benefited from forcing 24 Ohio turnovers.

The RedHawks were led by five players in double-figures, including Day, who shot 11-of-13 from the field while tallying 28 points. Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) poured in 18 points and dished seven assists, while Butler added 13 points, Kim Smith (Gary, Ind./West Side) contributed 12 and Lancaster notched 11.

Miami, which has defeated 12 straight MAC East opponents, returns home next Tuesday for a key MAC battle with defending East Division champion Kent State University that tips off at 7 p.m.

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