Jan. 14, 2003

Final Stats

ATHENS,Ohio-It took an overtime period and 29 points from senior guard Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo), but Miami's women's basketball team rebounded to 2-1 in the MAC with a hard-fought 80-78 overtime win over Ohio University Tuesday night in The Convo.

In a game that took on a physical tone from the beginning, baskets were at a premium in the early going. Ohio pulled out to a 10-5 lead three minutes into the game but was held without a basket for the next six minutes as the RedHawks rallied behind the play of Kim Smith (Gary, Ind./West Side) to stake a 14-10 lead.

Miami would maintain a razor-thin edge for much of the first half, but could never provide itself with any more than a four-point cushion. Trailing 29-26 after a Nicki Motto (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood) 3-pointer, Ohio finished with a flurry, outscoring Miami 14-5 and seizing a 40-34 halftime edge. Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind/Kokomo) led the Red and White in a wild first half in which the teams combined for 26 turnovers, tallying 11 points.

Ohio scored the first four points of the half to secure a 10-point lead by the 18:32 mark, but the RedHawks, sparked by a long Cusick trey as the shot clock expired, came storming back with a 14-2 run that staked them to a 48-46 lead with 14:05 to play. From there the back and forth battle continued.

Tied at 62-62 with less than six minutes to play, Ohio scored five unanswered points over the next two minutes, but Miami responded with a 5-0 run of its own to knot the score again at 67-67. After Ohio regained the lead with an offensive board and put back by Latreece Bagley, Miami went inside to Jana Butler (Findlay, Ohio/Liberty-Benton), who netted her first field goal of the game to eventually send the game into overtime at 69-69.

It was more of the same in overtime, as Miami grabbed a four point lead but Ohio rattled off a 6-0 run of its own. With 1:58 to play, Ohio held a 76-74 lead, but Colleen Day (Independence, Ohio/Holy Name) hit a jumper to once again knot the score. After a defensive stop, Melanie Kozlowski (Parma, Ohio/Holy Name) was fouled going for an offensive rebound and drained two free throws to put the Red and White back in front. Two Cusick free throws with 18 seconds remaining increased Miami's lead to four and stood as the eventual difference in the game.

Cusick's 29 points were the second-highest point total of the senior's career and were further bolstered by six assists and three steals. Kim Lancaster was the only other RedHawk in double figures, netting 13. Kozlowski, who did not score until 1:15 remaining in regulation, tallied six of Miami's final 14 points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.

The RedHawks, who have played their last two games on the road, return home Saturday to host the University of Toledo. Miami, which has lost 13 straight to the Rockets, is looking for its first defeat of Toledo since the 1994-95 season.

Printer-friendly format	Email this article