ATHENS, Ohio – The American University women's basketball team (0-1) put four players in double-figures, including a pair of career-highs from sophomores Jade Edwards and Emily Fisher, but couldn't overcome the hot shooting of Ohio in the 81-69 loss.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Senior Kaitlyn Marenyi paced the Eagles with 16 points – a career-high for her in season openers.
• Sophomores Jade Edwards and Emily Fisher both followed with 15 points each, tying their career-highs from last season. Senior Morgan Bartner rounded out the double-figure scoring in her second career start with a dozen.
• Fisher also pitched in a career-high eight assists while Edwards led the team on the boards with seven rebounds.
• American closed shooting 48.2 percent (27-56) from the floor, 29.2 percent (7-24) from three-point range, and 61.5 percent (8-13) from the line.
• The Bobcats were led by a triple-double effort from returning-MAC Freshman of the Year, Erica Johnson. Johnson scored a game-high 24 points and added 13 rebounds and 11 assists.
• Preseason All-MAC selection Cece Hooks added 15 points, followed by 13 from Caitlyn Kroll and a dozen from Amani Burke.
• Ohio lit it up from three to start the game, shooting 71.4 percent (5-7), but ended with 37.5 percent (9-24) shooting from beyond the arc, and 52.6 percent (30-57) from the floor.
• The Eagles fell to an early 8-1 deficit after Ohio hit back-to-back treys to open the game. A quick three points from Edwards after she was fouled on a jumper cut the lead down to four, but the Bobcats hit a 12-3 run to take their biggest lead of the quarter at 23-10.
• Another jumper from Edwards and last-second three from Marenyi cut the gap back down to single-digits as the teams headed into the first break at 26-19.
• Both teams struggled from the floor in the second quarter, as the Eagles shot 35.7 percent (5-14) and the Bobcats hit 31.2 percent (5-16). But, American continued to chip away at Ohio's lead in the opening minutes, landing within one after a pair of baskets from Edwards and Fisher, but a late 8-0 run to close the half from Ohio brought them back up by nine as the team's entered the locker rooms at 42-33.
• The Eagles continued to keep the Bobcats within sight throughout the third quarter, as AU shot a game-high 63.6 percent from the field (7-11) behind nine points from Bartner to maintain the 10-point advantage heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
• Ohio held off the Eagles' advance in the final quarter, though, nearly matching basket-for-basket to close with the final 12-point spread at 81-69.

NEXT UP
American will open its home slate on Thursday, November 14, with a 7 p.m. tip against Villanova.
 
For the latest on American University Women's Basketball, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_WBasketball) and Instagram (@auwbasketball).

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SEASON TICKETS

• General admission season tickets are $80 for adults and $50 for youth (17 & below) / seniors (65+).
• Full exchange for games you cannot make – as well as discounts, and special benefits throughout the year. All season ticket holders receive priority ticketing for all non-Patriot League postseason tournament games.
• Purchase online at AUEagles.com/Tickets

GROUP TICKETS are available for purchase for groups of 10+ and 40+. Tickets start at just $2.

INDIVIDUAL GAME TICKETS are available for purchase now to all home games starting at $5 per ticket. Purchase online at AUEagles.com/Tickets

AU STUDENTS - Undergraduate, graduate, and Washington College of Law (WCL) students are admitted free of charge to all home basketball games with a valid AU ID.

For further inquiries on season ticket packages, mini-plans, group, or individual game tickets, call (202) 885-TIXX (8499) or e-mail clawed@american.edu. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Bender Arena Ticket Office from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For further updates, news, and to purchase tickets, visit AUEagles.com/Tickets.