By Stretch Jenkinson
OHIO BOBCATS GAME NOTES
https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2024/1/4/1624_Ohio_NIU_Notes.pdf
NIU HUSKIES
https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2024/1/5/Game_14_-_Ohio.pdf
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ATHENS, Ohio — The Ohio men’s basketball team (6-7, 0-1 MAC) returns to action Saturday afternoon when they host Northern Illinois (6-7, 0-1 MAC). Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. The game can be seen on ESPN+ where Russ Eisenstein, Dave Cecutti and Sam Hyman
The Bobcats’ matchup can also be heard on the Ohio Sports Network from Learfield, where Marty Bannister and Rob Cornelius will have the call. WXTQ (Power 105) in Athens returns as the 11-station network’s flagship.
STORYLINES
• This is the 63rd all-time meeting between Ohio and NIU.
• Ohio leads the all-time series, 39-23.
• The Bobcats and NIU met twice last season, with the Bobcats taking both matchups
• The Bobcats took the first game, 82-76 in DeKalb, before taking the second matchup two weeks later, 77-68, in Athens.
• Ohio is 13-7 against NIU since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 7-2 against the Huskies under Jeff Boals.
• Ohio is ranked 218th in the latest NET Ranking as of Jan. 4.
• Ohio has registered an impressive 558-182 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.
• Ohio finished 14-1 in the Convo this season.
• This season Ohio 4-3 in the Convo.
• Ohio is 53-14 in the Convo under Boals in the last five seasons.
• Ohio is ranked 15th in the nation in turnover margin and are 94th in assist/turnover ratio and 55th in turnovers forced per game.
• The Bobcats are also 81st in the country in scoring offense, and 66th in three-point percentage defense.
• Individually, AJ Clayton is 34th in the NCAA in blocks per game.
• Sophomore guard AJ Brown will miss the remainder of the season due to shoulder surgery.
• Sophomore guard Ajay Sheldon scored a career-high 13 points and hit a career-high four three-pointers on Jan. 2 against Toledo.
SCOUTING NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Northern Illinois is 6-7 and 0-1 in MAC play after falling to Akron, 73-51 on Tuesday night.
Overall, NIU averages 77.7 points a game, while shooting .466 from the field, .337 from three and .657 from the line. NIU also averages 36.8 rebounds a game, 11.0 assists and 6.3 steals a game. NIU also forces 11.4 turnovers a game.
Meanwhile, Opponents average 78.0 points and 38.3 rebounds a game. Opponents also shoot .433 from the field, .347 from three and .713 from the line. Opponents also dish out 14.8 assists and grab 7.0 steals a game, while also forcing 13.2 turnovers a game.
Individually, David Coit averages 18.2 points a game, while shooting .450 from the field and .880 from the line. Zarique Nutter adds 15.2 points and 5.2 rebounds a game, while shooting .514 from the field. Xavier Amos averages 10.6 points and 5.5 rebounds a game.
SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with NIU with a 6-7 overall record and a 0-1 mark in MAC play after falling to Toledo on Tuesday (Jan. 2).
Overall, Ohio is averaging 79.2 points per game, while shooting .450 from the field, .339 from three and 69.8 percent from the line. The Bobcats also add 37.2 rebounds, 13.5 assists and 6.8 steals per game, while forcing opponents to turn the ball over 14.8 times a game.
Meanwhile, Opponents are averaging 71.5 points a game, while shooting .429 from the field, .300 from three and .699 from the line. They also average 36.2 rebounds, 9.8 assists, 5.5 steals and force the Bobcats to turn the ball over an average of 10.4 times a game.
Individually, Jaylin Hunter leads with 14.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists a game, while shooting .379 from the field and .268 from three. Shereef Mitchell adds 13.6 points and is shooting .485 from the field, while Elmore James is averaging 12.4 points and 6.3 rebounds a game, while shooting .484 from the field. AJ Clayton adds 11.2 points a game and is shooting 57.3 percent from the field and 45.3 percent from three.
ALL TIME VS. NORTHERN ILLINOIS
This is the 63rd all-time meeting between Ohio and NIU.
Ohio leads the all-time series, 39-23.
The Bobcats and NIU met twice last season, with the Bobcats taking both matchups
The Bobcats took the first game, 82-76 in DeKalb, before taking the second matchup two weeks later, 77-68, in Athens.
Ohio is 13-7 against NIU since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 7-2 against the Huskies under Jeff Boals.
LAST TIME VS. NIU
The Bobcats and Huskies last met on Feb 21, 2023 in Athens, with Ohio winning, 77-68.
Overall, Ohio shot 42.6 percent from the field, 32.1 percent from three and were 10-of-14 from the line, while NIU shot 56.6 percent from the field, were 1-of-19 from three and were 9-of-19 from the line Ohio outrebounded the Huskies, 41-38, while Ohio dished out 14 assists to their 13. Ohio also forced 12 turnovers and scored 16 points off them.
Individually, Dwight Wilson III led Ohio with 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Jaylin Hunter added 16 points, four rebounds and seven assists. Elmore James added 10 points and six rebounds, while Miles Brown added nine points and two blocks
PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Ohio has registered an impressive 558-182 (.756) all-time record at the Co1vocation Center, which opened in 1968.
Ohio finished 14-1 in the Convo this season.
This season Ohio is 4-3 in the Convo.
Ohio is 52-14 in the Convo under Boals in the last five 3easons.
OHIO IN NET
Ohio is ranked 218th in the NCAA NET Rankings as of Jan. 4.
OHIO IN NCAA
Ohio is ranked 15th in the nation in turnover margin and are 94th in assist/turnover ratio and 55th in turnovers forced per game.
The Bobcats are also 81st in the country in scoring offense, and 66th in three-point percentage defense.
Individually, AJ Clayton is 34th in the NCAA in blocks per game.
Jaylin Hunter us 84th in assists and 71st in assists per game.
OHIO IN THE MAC
Jaylin Hunter is first in the MAC in assists, and in assist/TO ratio and sixth in steals.
AJ Clayton is second in the MAC in blocks and tied for first in blocks per game and is sixth in 3PT FG percentage.
JAYLIN ON THE HUNT
Senior guard Jaylin Hunter is looking to make the most out of his final season.
In the season opener, Hunter was effective with the ball, dishing out four assists and going a perfect 8-for-8 from the line.
He then had a 13-point performance at Cleveland State on Nov. 11.
Hunter recorded his 1,000th career point on Nov. 18 against Detroit Mercy.
Hunter also recorded his first career double double in the Detroit Mercy game with the help of a career-high 10 rebounds and 14 points.
Hunter had a stellar Nassau Championship Nov. 24-26. On Against GW, Hunter scored a season-high 25 points, going 9-of-22 from the field , while grabbing six rebounds and dishing out five assists.
He added a 19 point performance on Nov. 25 against MTSU, before closing out the tournament with 21 points and eight rebounds against Brown.
Hunter added a solid game against Delaware on Dec. 2, scoring 15 points, while grabbing six rebounds and dishing out three assists in the win.
He followed that up with a 19-point and five-assist night on Dec. 9 against Marshall.
Overall, this season Hunter is averaging 14.0 points a game and 4.6 assists per game.
REEF MAKES MOST OF NEW HOME
Graduate student guard Shereef Mitchell’s offensive power showed up at the Nassau Championship Nov. 24-26.
On Nov. 24 in a double OT loss to George Washington, Mitchell scored a career-high 23 points, going 8-of-15 form the field, 3-of7 from three and grabbed seven rebounds.
He then followed up that performance on Nov. 26 with a new career high against Brown, scoring 24 points, while going 7-of-9 from the field and 8-of-11 from the line in the victory.
Mitchell led Ohio on Dec. 6 against Youngstown State, scoring a team-high 17 points and dishing out a season-high four assists.
So far this season, Mitchell is second on the Bobcats in scoring with 13.6 points and 3.5 rebounds a game.
SOPHOMORE YEAR (ELMORE’S VERSION)
Sophomore guard Elmore James is looking to make a name for himself this season.
That plan started out on the right track on Nov. 8 against Troy, with James scoring 20 points, going 7-of-13 from the field, grabbing six rebounds, snagging two steals and going perfect from the line in Ohio’s 88-70 victory over Troy.
James was solid at the Nassau Championship Nov. 24-26. On Nov. 24 in a double OT loss to GW, James gabbed a career-high nine rebounds. The on Nov. 26 against Brown, James scored 18 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out four assists in the win.
James tied his career-high in points on Dec. 2 against Delaware, scoring 21 points and grabbing five rebounds in the victory.
James was named the MAC Co-Player of the Week on Dec. 4.
James recorded his first career double double on Dec. 6 against Youngstown State, scoring 13 points and grabbing a career-high 10 rebounds.
James had a solid game against Toledo on Jan. 2, scoring 17 points and grabbing eight boards.
So far this season, James is averaging 12.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and is shooting 48.4 percent from the field.
SHELLY GETTING MINUTES
Sophomore guard Ajay Sheldon is working to get more minutes in his second season in the Green and White.
Sheldon had a career-high seven points on Nov. 11 at Cleveland State, going 2-of-2 from three in 19 minutes.
Sheldon matched his career high on Nov. 25 against MTSU.
On Dec. 18 against Defiance, Sheldon scored seven points and dished out a career-high five rebounds in the win.
On Jan. 2 against Toledo, Sheldon had a career night, scoring a career-high 13 points, while hitting a career-high four made threes.
UP NEXT
Up next, the Bobcats hit the road on Tuesday, Jan. 9 when they head to Bowling Green to take on the Falcons. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN+.
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