Scalia led the long-range barrage with several key triples, while Amber Tretter added 14 points and 11 rebounds to record the 30th double-double of her career. Clara Gonzalez Planella scored 17 points and Ilse de Vries chipped in 11 as Miami placed four players in double figures.
Ohio fell to 18-13.
Fast start sparks RedHawks
Miami seized control early behind a flurry of perimeter shooting.
After Ohio briefly answered Miami’s opening basket, the RedHawks erupted on a 14-0 run late in the first quarter. Gonzalez Planella knocked down back-to-back three-pointers and Scalia added another from the left wing as Miami surged ahead 24-13 after one.
The RedHawks continued to stretch the lead in the second quarter. De Vries opened the period with a 3-pointer, and Miami’s defense helped fuel a decisive 19-2 run midway through the frame.
Scalia scored five quick points off feeds from Tretter, and Gonzalez Planella and Tamar Singer followed with corner 3-pointers to push the margin to 20. Tretter’s three-point play and another Scalia triple gave Miami its largest lead of the half before the RedHawks entered the locker room comfortably ahead 48-24.
Long-range shooting buries Ohio
Miami’s ball movement continued to shred Ohio’s zone defense after halftime.
Scalia knocked down a 3 from the right wing early in the third quarter, and Gonzalez Planella added a steal and uncontested layup to extend the lead to 53-28. The Bobcats never cut the deficit below 21 the rest of the way.
Tretter added a post basket before Scalia and Gonzalez Planella connected from deep again, stretching the advantage to 63-36. Miami led 66-39 heading into the fourth quarter.
With the outcome well in hand, the RedHawks continued to pile on late. Anna Hurst knocked down the first 3-pointer of her career midway through the fourth quarter, and Macie Taylor added a driving layup before Emily VanTimmeren capped the scoring in the final minute.
Historic season continues
The victory adds another milestone to what has already been a historic season for Miami.
The RedHawks captured their first MAC regular-season championship since 2004 and entered the tournament with a program-record 26 wins. Under third-year coach Glenn Box, Miami has steadily built one of the conference’s most balanced teams — ranking among the MAC leaders in scoring, defense and shooting efficiency.
Tretter, a first-team All-MAC selection, has been the centerpiece of the RedHawks’ success. The junior forward now owns 30 career double-doubles and is on pace to become just the second player in program history to reach 1,000 rebounds.
Miami’s offensive balance has also been key. Along with Tretter, Scalia, de Vries and Singer each average double figures as the RedHawks rank among the MAC’s most efficient offensive teams while allowing just 58.7 points per game.
The program’s surge has mirrored a banner year for Miami basketball overall. Combined with the men’s 31-1 season, the RedHawks’ men’s and women’s teams have produced 58 wins this year — one of the highest combined totals in the country.
Up next
Miami will play for the MAC Tournament championship Saturday morning in Cleveland, seeking its first conference tournament title in nearly two decades.
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