TIFFIN, Ohio—The Heidelberg University women’s basketball team will host Muskingum University on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. in an Ohio Athletic Conference match-up at Seiberling Gymnasium in Tiffin, Ohio. The game is the first of an OAC men’s and women’s doubleheader benefitting the Susan G. Komen Shoot for the Cure and Coaches vs. Cancer organizations. In addition, the women’s basketball program will hold its annual Alumni Game at noon.
Live stats for the contest will be available at http://www.heidelberg.edu/statcrew/wbb/xlive.htm.
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The game will feature the top-two scorers in the OAC in sophomore guard Kathleen Phillips (Sandusky/St. Mary’s) of Heidelberg and Hannah Nelson of Muskingum.
Heidelberg (4-14, 1-10 OAC) looks to snap a five-game losing streak before going on a two-game road swing. In its last game, a 67-48 loss Wednesday to Baldwin-Wallace College, Phillips poured in a game-high 18 points and freshman guard Paige Ricketts (Mineral City/Tusky Valley) added eight points. Junior forward Molly Schriber (Sidney) led the Berg with six rebounds. B-W was led by Jessica Lairson with 15 points and seven rebounds while Lexi Rohrbach tallied 11 markers and seven caroms of her own.
Fourth-year head coach Marcie Alberts will likely run a five-guard set with senior Jazmine Shaw (Columbus/Hamilton Township), junior Jordan Ickes (Wooster/Triway) and sophomores Megan Miller (Tiffin/Columbian), Emily Giel (Burton/Burkshire) and Phillips. Phillips leads the OAC in scoring at 17.4 points per game, is third in the conference with an 82.1 (78-of-95) free throw percentage, is seventh with 37 steals and averages 3.5 rebounds per game. Miller averages 8.2 ppg. and leads the team with 4.6 rpg. Giel scores 7.6 rpg., leads the team with 31 assists, is fourth in the league with 32 three-pointers and ninth with a 43.4 (32-of-93) three point shooting percentage. Ickes scores 6.3 ppg. and is second in the team with 25 assists. Shaw averages 2.3 ppg. and 2.6 rpg.
The Berg scores 60.1 ppg., shoots 33.9 percent from the field and grabs 36.4 rpg. Heidelberg is third in the OAC with 102 three pointers and fourth with 58 blocks and 176 steals.
Muskingum (7-11, 2-9 OAC) comes to Tiffin following an 80-63 triumph Wednesday at Marietta College, a win that snapped a seven-game losing skid. Carissa Bosch scored 23 points and tallied three assists and three steals against the Pioneers, while Nelson added 19 points and four blocks and Tori Jarrett had 14 points.
Seventh-year coach Beth Fox expects to start Susan Nichols, Bosch and Jarrett in the backcourt and Amanda Dobbins and Nelson on the blocks. Nelson scores 15.8 ppg., grabs 5.9 rpg., is second in the OAC with a 55.4 (102-of-184) field goal percentage and is seventh with a 77.3 (75-of-97) free throw percentage. Dobbins scores 10.4 ppg., is tied for second in the OAC with 8.8 rpg. and is third with 45 steals. Bosch averages 9.7 ppg., is eight in the conference with a 34.5 (40-of-166) shooting percentage from long range and second with 40 triples, and is second with 46 steals. Nichols scores 5.6 ppg. and is sixth in the OAC with 52 assists. Jarrett tallies 4.8 ppg. and 1.9 rpg.
The Fighting Muskies score an average of 61.2 ppg., shoot 37.1 percent collectively and pull down 34.6 rpg, but are second in the OAC with 11.3 steals per game and third with a plus-2.6 turnover margin.
Muskingum holds a 7-3 lead in the series’ previous 10 meetings, including the last three straight. In the last meeting between the two teams, an 84-53 Fighting Muskie victory on Dec. 10, 2011 in New Concord, freshman forward Abbey Geraghty (Rossford) was a perfect three-of-three from the field and six-of-six from the charity stripe and matched Phillips for a team-high 12 points. Geraghty also grabbed a game-high six rebounds and Miller added 11 markers of her own. Four Fighting Muskies scored in double figures, led by Nichols with 15 points, a 12-point and 10-rebound double-double from Dobbins, 12 points from Bosch and 10 from Gabbi Davis, as Muskingum shot 45.0 (27-of-60) from the field. Heidelberg is 2-3 against Muskingum in Tiffin and the home team in the series is 6-4 since 2007.
Following Wednesday’s contest, the Berg will face John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio on Wednesday, Feb. 1.
Muskingum (7-11, 2-9 OAC)
Name—GP-GS—Key Stats
Carissa Bosch—18-16—9.7 ppg., 34.5 3FG%, 46 stl.
Tori Jarrett—18-1—4.8 ppg., 1.9 rpg.
Hannah Nelson—18-17—15.8 ppg., 5.9 rpg., 55.4 FG%, 77.3 FT%
Suzanne Nichols—16-10—5.6 ppg., 3.0 rpg., 83.3 FT%, 52 ast.
Amanda Dobbins—18-15—10.4 ppg., 8.8 rpg. 39.2 FG%, 45 stl.
Heidelberg (4-14, 1-10 OAC)
Name—GP-GS—Key Stats
Jordan Ickes—18-18—6.3 ppg., 37.2 FG%, 25 ast.
Emily Girl—18-18—7.6 ppg., 34.4 3FG%, 31 ast.
Kathleen Phillips—17-16—17.4 ppg., 3.5 rpg., 36.1 FG%, 82.1 FT%
Jazmine Shaw—18-8—2.3 ppg., 2.6 rpg.
Megan Miller—18-18—8.2 rpg., 4.6 rpg.