Feb. 19, 2011
Final Stats | Photo Gallery 
OXFORD, Ohio - The Miami women's basketball team had a balanced offense Saturday, but was unable to overcome a hot shooting Tracy Pontius in a 73-61 defeat to Bowling Green. The RedHawks fall to 10-16 overall and 2-11 in the Mid-American Conference. The Falcons improve to 22-4 and 10-3 in the MAC.
Jumpers by Lillian Pitts, Kirsten Olowinski and Courtney Osborn helped Miami to a 6-5 lead early in the contest. A 20-5 run by Bowling Green broke the game open as the Falcons went in front 25-11 at the 10:58 mark. Miami fought back as layups by Hannah Robertson and Haley Robertson would help the RedHawks spark a 16-10 answer that pulled them to within eight. BG would extend the advantage back to 10 at 39-29, but three straight layups from Erica Almady, Olowinski and Pitts made it 39-35 with 1:34 remaining in the half. Olowinski would hit another jumper, but the Falcons would answer with four free throws to take a 43-37 lead into the break.
Miami shot 42.9 percent (15-for-35) for the half, while holding Bowling Green to the same percentage (12-for-28). The difference was Pontius scoring 19 points, including three triples.
The offensive pace was much slower at the start of the second half. Pitts would score the first four points for the RedHawks, but the Falcons responded with baskets of their own each time to maintain the six-point advantage. In front 47-41, Bowling Green would go on a 10-4 run to push the lead back to 12 with 10:10 remaining in the game. But once again, Miami would not give up.
Osborn started the RedHawk rally with an old-fashioned three-point play followed by a made 15-foot jump shot. After a BG basket made it 59-50, two free throws by Olowinski and a three-pointer from Maggie Boyer would make it 59-55 with 8:56 to go. The teams traded baskets until a Boyer layup made it 63-59 with 6:52 to go. From there however, the RedHawk shot would go cold. Miami would hold Bowling Green to only 10 more points the rest of the way, but it was only able manage one more basket, a Kirsten Olowinski jumper at the 2:35 mark, as the Falcons came away with a 73-61 win.
Osborn and Olowinski led the RedHawks with 14 points apiece, while Pitts tied a career-high with 12 points of her own. Olowinski just missed a double-double with nine rebounds. Pontius finished with 29 points to lead BG.
The RedHawks return to action Wednesday when they travel to Buffalo for a 7 p.m. contest.
