Preview: Old Dominion Lady Monarchs at Ohio Bobcats

ATHENS, Ohio (Interstat) — Two teams riding the momentum of decisive midweek victories will meet Saturday when the Old Dominion Lady Monarchs visit the Ohio Bobcats in a non-conference women’s basketball matchup.

The game is set for Feb. 7, 2026, at the Convocation Center.

Old Dominion (14-10) arrives after a 72-61 road win at Louisiana-Lafayette on Wednesday. The Lady Monarchs have shown resilience, with four of their last six games decided by single digits or in overtime. Guard Simaru Fields has been a consistent offensive catalyst, averaging 14.6 points over her last eight contests. She is coming off a 26-point performance in a Jan. 30 overtime loss to Southern Mississippi and posted 12 points and four assists in the most recent victory.

Ohio (13-8) is looking to build on a dominant 76-37 home win over Western Michigan, also on Wednesday. The Bobcats’ season has been marked by streaks, including a three-game skid in late January snapped by the rout. Guard Bailey Tabeling provides a scoring punch, having tallied 20 points and five assists in a Jan. 21 win at Bowling Green and 13 points in limited minutes during the Wednesday triumph.

The matchup presents a contrast in paths. Old Dominion navigates a challenging stretch of its schedule, while Ohio seeks consistency at home, where they are 8-3 this season.

For the Lady Monarchs, support beyond Fields will be crucial. Riley Stack and Mariah Clayton, who combined for 21 points off the bench Wednesday, offer depth. Ohio will counter with its own balanced attack, as evidenced by Elli Garnett’s team-high 15 points in the last outing.

This contest serves as a final non-conference tune-up for both sides before resuming their respective league slates next week. Old Dominion returns to Sun Belt play hosting Coastal Carolina on Feb. 11. Ohio jumps back into Mid-American Conference action with a road test at Toledo on Feb. 10.

Saturday’s tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST.