Victories for the Ohio women's basketball team have not come as easily as the team would have liked this season. But one of the Bobcats' victories was against the team they play tonight at 7 p.m. in Huntington, W.Va. - Marshall.

Coming off a 78-52 loss to Kent Saturday, the Thundering Herd (4-17 overall, 1-11 in the Mid-American Conference) has not fared much better than Ohio since the two teams last met. While Ohio (3-19, 1-11) has lost nine straight games, Marshall has gone 1-8 in that same stretch.

Marshall committed 34 turnovers in the loss Saturday. The Thundering Herd is led by forward Kristina Behnfeldt. Behnfeldt led the Herd with 14 points and eight rebounds on Saturday. She has led Marshall in scoring and rebounding in 16 games this season.

A second Ohio victory over Marshall this season would move the Bobcats out of last place in the MAC East Division.

Ohio beat the Herd 83-73 at The Convo Jan. 6. In that game, center Amber Bunce posted a double-double with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Guards Cathy Szall and Heather Laughlin added 19 points and 17 points, respectively.

The name of that game was rebounding, as the Bobcats dominated the boards against the Herd. In addition to Bunce's 15 rebounds, Laughlin pitched in seven, and Szall and forward Lisa Hindenlang grabbed six each.

Ohio is coming off of a 73-71 loss to Buffalo Saturday, its closest game of the year. Against the Bulls, Bunce scored a season-high and game-high 24 points and added 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals. Hindenlang and Szall also scored in double figures, including two key three-pointers by Szall which gave the Bobcats a shot at the victory.

In the first game against Marshall, Ohio led at the half, 37-34 and managed to maintain the lead, outscoring the Herd by seven points in the second half. It also remained competitive in the second half against Buffalo. Although the Bobcats went into halftime trailing the Bulls by nine points, Ohio outscored Buffalo in the second half.

Despite Saturday's loss to Buffalo, Bunce said the team is starting to play as a unit.

"At the beginning of the year, we could play together," Bunce said. "We lost that in our losing streak, and with the loss (Saturday), we all realized that we can play together. Against Marshall, there's no question that we'll be in the game."

- Rob Peirce