BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Miami University women’s basketball nearly overcame a nightmarish first half with a 44-point effort in the second half, but Bowling Green was able to hold on to take a 66-53 victory on Saturday. The RedHawks fall to 3-15 overall and 0-7 in the Mid-American Conference. The Falcons improve to 9-9 overall and 2-5 in the MAC.
Junior forward Hannah McCue led Miami’s comeback attempt. She had 16 of her team-high 18 points in the second half. During the period the RedHawks were 16-for-32 from the field (50.0 percent) and 4-for-12 from behind the arc. It contrasted to a first half in which MU scored a season-low nine points and was 4-for-28 (14.3 percent) from the field.
Back-to-back jumpers from junior forward Jessica Rupright and McCue gave Miami a 4-0 lead to begin the game. After Bowling Green scored the next five points, a three-pointer from freshman guard Kayla Brown made it 7-5 in favor of the RedHawks with 13:54 remaining in the half. Miami would score only one more basket the rest of the period when freshman guard Jazz Smith hit a layup at the 2:17 mark. The Falcons used the scoring drought to build a 31-9 lead going into the halftime break.
The RedHawks came out the break looking to pound the ball down low, and they were able to find some success. Freshman forward Molly McDonagh hit a pair of layups, while McCue also scored inside. A three-pointer from Smith cut the deficit to 19 at 39-20 with 15:47 to go.
Miami picked up its defensive intensity, allowing it to pull closer to the Falcons. With the score 41-20, a 9-0 run was started by a jumper from freshman guard Baleigh Reid and capped by a three-pointer from McCue made it 41-29 with 12:21 left. Bowling Green drained a three-pointer, but a jumper from Brown, a free throw from McDonagh and a three-pointer by McCue completed the 16-3 run that pulled the ‘Hawks the closest they would get in the second half at 44-36 at the 8:53 mark.
The Falcons answered with a 7-0 run to push the advantage back to 15, but back-to-back three-pointers from McCue made it 51-42 with 4:26 to go. Reid went on to hit a pair of layups, but BGSU hit its free throws down the stretch to take a 66-53 win.
In addition to McCue’s 18 points, Reid finished with eight and Smith had seven for Miami. Bowling Green was led by Kennedy Kirkpatrick with 18 points.
The RedHawks return to action on Wednesday when they host Ball State for a 7 p.m. contest. It is the third Dollar Days game of the season and all tickets are only $1. In addition, select concession items are only $2.
