OHIO GAME NOTES
https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2023/1/9/1102023_Ohio_BallState_Notes.pdf
BALL STATE GAME NOTES
https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2023/1/10/Game_Notes_14_at_Ohio.pdf
LISTEN
https://thevarsitynetwork.com/audioapplink/source/oas-1965/content/ohiouni:allaccess-Live-127
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ATHENS, Ohio — The Ohio men’s basketball team (8-7, 0-2 MAC) returns to action on Tuesday, Jan. 10 when Ohio hosts Ball State (11-4, 2-0 MAC). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. The Bobcats matchup will be seen on ESPN+ where Russ Eisenstein and Rob Cornlius will have the call.
The Bobcats’ matchup can also be heard on the Ohio Sports Network from Learfield, where Marty Bannister will be on the call. WXTQ (Power 105) in Athens returns as the 11-station network’s flagship.
STORYLINES
• Ohio is coming off an 88-79 loss at Bowling Green on Saturday.
• This is the 90th all-time meeting between Ohio and Ball State.
• Ohio leads the all-time series, 53-36.
• The Bobcats and Cardinals met twice last season, with Ohio winning all both matchups.
• The Bobcats won the first matchup last season in Athens, 87-63, before defeating them in the opening round of the 2022 MAC Tournament, 77-67.
• Ohio is 16-4 against Ball State since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 4-1 against the Cardinals under Jeff Boals.
• Ohio has not lost to Ball Stat in Athens since Jan. 9, 2018.
• Ohio is ranked 145 in the latest NET Rankings, with Ball State ranked 103.
• The Bobcats rank in the top-50 in the NCAA in offensive rebounds (48) and top-60 defensive rebounds (53) per game, and 27th in total rebounds per game.
• Dwight Wilson is 43rd in the NCAA in field goal percentage and 24th in offensive rebounds per game and 32nd in rebounds per game.
• Dwight Wilson III is coming off a stellar game at Bowling Green on Jan. 7, scoring 17 points and grabbing 17 rebounds – just one off his career high.
• Senior Miles Brown is coming off a career-high 24 points at Buffalo on Jan. 3. Brown went 7-of-16 from the field, 4-of-7 from three and was 6-of-6 from the line.
• Ohio has registered an impressive 546-178 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.
SCOUTING BALL STATE
Ball State enters the matchup with Ohio with an 11-4 record and a 2-0 mark in MAC play and is currently on a seven-game winning streak.
Overall, Ball State averages 76.9 points a game, while shooting .483 from the field, .382 from three and .690 from the line. The Cardinals also average 35.9 rebounds a game, 13.1 assists and 6.3 steals a game. Ball State also forces 12.6 turnovers a game.
Meanwhile, Opponents average 66.8 points and 31.9 rebounds a game. Opponents also shoot .418 from the field, .351 from three and .704 from the line. Opponents also dish out 8.8 assists and grab 6.0 steals a game, while also forcing 12.3 turnovers a game.
Individually, Jaylin Sellers averages 14.4 points a game, while shooting .508 from the field, .565 from three and .810 from the line. Jarron Coleman adds 14.3 points and 4.7 rebounds a game, while Payton Sparks adds 13.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and is shooting .616 from the field and .500 from three.
SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with Ball State with an 8-7 record after falling to Bowling Green, 88-79, Saturday night in Bowling Green.
As a team, Ohio is averaging 77.2 points and 39.8 rebounds a game, while opponents average 71.7 points and 35.9 rebounds a game. The Bobcats are also shooting .455 from the field, .365 from three and .717 from the line. Ohio also adds 14.0 assists, 6.2 steals and force 11.7 turnovers a game.
Opponents are shooting .420 from the field, .348 from three and .660 from the line, while dishing out 13.1 assists, 6.7 steals and 11.9 turnovers a game.
Individually, Dwight Wilson III leads Ohio with 13.3 points a game, while shooting .578 from the field, while also averaging 10.0 rebounds a game. AJ Brown adds 11.9 points and is shooting .469 from the field, while Miles Brown averages 10.7 points. Jaylin Hunter adds 9.3 points and 4.3 assists per game.
ALL TIME VS. BALL STATE
This is the 90th all-time meeting between Ohio and Ball State.
Ohio leads the all-time series, 53-36.
The Bobcats and Cardinals met twice last season, with Ohio winning all both matchups.
The Bobcats won the first matchup last season in Athens, 87-63, before defeating them in the opening round of the 2022 MAC Tournament, 77-67.
Ohio is 16-4 against Ball State since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 4-1 against the Cardinals under Jeff Boals.
Ohio has not lost to Ball Stat in Athens since Jan. 9, 2018.
LAST TIME AGAINST BALL STATE
The Bobcats and Cardinals last met on March 10, 2022 in the opening round of the 2022 MAC Tournament.
Overall, Ohio shot 43.5% from the field, 39.3% from beyond the arc, and went 12 of 16 from the charity stripe. The Bobcats’ defense was able to limit Ball State’s offense to just 35.3% shooting overall and 33.3% from three. Ohio outrebounded the Cardinals 48-38.
Jason Carter finished the game with a double-double, scoring 20 points to go along with his 18 boards. Mark Sears led the Bobcats in scoring with 24 points on 7- of -15 shooting from the field, and recorded Ohio’s second double-double of the game, finishing with 10 rebounds. Ben Vander Plas and Miles Brown joined the double-digit scoring party, finishing with 14 and 13 points, respectively.
Ball State was led by Payton Sparks, who finished with a double-double of his own, scoring 20 points and securing 14 rebounds. Tyler Cochran also scored in double figures, contributing 16 points.
LAST TIME OUT
Ohio is coming off an 88-79 loss at Bowling Green on Jan. 7.
Overall, Ohio shot 44.3 percent from the field, 47.6 percent from three and were 15-of-21 from the line, while Bowling Green shot 49.2 percent from the field, 43.5 percent from three and were 16-of-20 from the line. Ohio outrebounded the Falcons, 41-33, however the Bobcats turned the ball over 14 times, allowing BGSU to score 21 points off them.
Individually, graduate student forward Dwight Wilson III (Tallahassee, Fla.) led Ohio with 17 points and 17 rebounds, going 6-of-11 from the field and 5-of-7 from the line. Freshman guard AJ Brown (Orlando, Fla.) scored 17 points, going 6-of-16 from the field and 3-of-8 from three, Senior guard DeVon Baker (Dayton, Ohio) added 10 points, while senior guard Miles Brown (Rochester, N.Y.) scored nine points.
For Bowling Green, Kaden Metheny scored 25 points, going 5-of-9 from three, while Rashaun Agee scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds.
OHIO IN NET
Ohio is ranked 145 in the latest NET Rankings, with Ball State ranked 103.
OHIO IN NCAA
The Bobcats rank in the top-50 in the NCAA in offensive rebounds (48) and top-60 defensive rebounds (53) per game, and 27th in total rebounds per game.
Dwight Wilson is 43rd in the NCAA in field goal percentage and 24th in offensive rebounds per game and 32nd in rebounds per game.
DJ WITH THE BOARDS
Dwight Wilson III is coming off a stellar game at Bowling Green on Jan. 7, scoring 17 points and grabbing 17 rebounds – just one off his career high.
ANOTHER CAREER MILESTONE FOR MILES
Miles Brown set another career-high on Jan. 3 at Buffalo, scoring a personal best 24 points. Brown went 7-of-16 from the field, 4-of-7 from three and was 6-of-6 from the line.
AJ BROWN MAKES A STATEMENT
Freshman guard AJ Brown showed the type of talent Ohio could see over the next four years against UC Clermont, where he scored a game-high 18 points, went 7-of-11 from the field and dished out four assists in the victory.
As AJ Brown continues to see more minutes, he continues to get more comfortable, with a stellar game on Dec. 11 at Youngstown State where he scored 16 points, while going 6-of-8 from the field.
He was also stellar off the bench against Florida, scoring a team-high 14 points in 24 minutes.
Brown made his first career start on Dec. 17 against Stetson, scoring 13 points, grabbed four rebounds and drained three 3-pointers.
On Dec. 21 at Delaware, Brown was efficient, scoring 14 points, going 5-of-9 from the field, 2-of-2 from three and grabbed a career-high five boards.
So far this season, Brown is averaging 11.9 points a game and is shooting .469 from the field.
HUNTER FINDING A GROOVE
Junior guard Jaylin Hunter started to find his groove in the Green and White.
On Dec. 11 at Youngstown State, Hunter led the Bobcats with 17 points, five rebounds, seven assists and three steals in the victory.
Hunter led Ohio against Cleveland State, scoring 17 points, grabbing four rebounds and dishing out seven assists in the victory.
As of Jan. 9, Hunter averages 9.3 points and 4.3 assists a game.
BROWN SETTING UP FOR CAREER YEAR
Senior guard Miles Brown is already on pace to set new marks in his fourth season in the Green and White.
After a solid game at Belmont, Brown was clutch against Cleveland State, scoring 14 points and going a perfect 6-of-6 from the line in the victory.
Brown was also solid against No. 20 Michigan, scoring 11 points and grabbing a season-hight nine rebounds.
He was back in action during the Bobcat battle where he averaged 16.0 points and set and matched a career-high four made threes before being named the tournament MVP.
Brown set another career-high on Jan. 3 at Buffalo, scoring a personal best 24 points. Brown went 7-of-16 from the field, 4-of-7 from three and was 6-of-6 from the line.
Brown averages 10.7 points and 2.5 rebounds a game, while shooting .517 from three, .464 from the field and .824 from the line.
WELCOME BACK DJ
In his return to the court after missing all of last season due to a knee injury, Dwight Wilson III put on a show.
Wilson III finished the game with a game-high 20 points, going 8-of-10 from the field and 4of-4 from the line. He also grabbed eight rebounds in 24 minutes of action.
He then put on a show at No. 20 Michigan, scoring 21 points and grabbing nine boards.
Wilson III was the hero on Dec. 11 at YSU, hitting the buzzer beater to give Ohio the victory. In that game, he scored 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Wilson III recorded another 20-point performance on Dec. 17 against Stetson, scoring 20 points, while going 8-of-9 from the field and 4-of-6 from the line.
Wilson III was clutch in Ohio’s win at Delaware on Dec. 21, scoring 16 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Wilson III added another double double on Dec. 30, scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds against Chicago State.
Dwight Wilson III is coming off a stellar game at Bowling Green on Jan. 7, scoring 17 points and grabbing 17 rebounds – just one off his career high.
Wilson III has continued to dominate, averaging 13.3 points and 10.0 rebounds a game, while shooting .578 from the field.
BROD’S NEW ROLE
After starting every game last season, senior Ben Roderick is fitting in with his new role off the bench.
This season, Roderick averages 5.3 points, while shooting .379 from the field and .405 from three, while also recording a .875 shooting percentage from the line in just 16.3 minutes a game.
QUIET YET MIGHTY
Freshman guard Elmore James responded well in the Bobcats’ game against Cleveland State.
James scored eight points, while going 3-of-4 from the field and hitting both of his free throws. James also added one steal and drew a foul in his nine minutes of action.
James was stellar on Nov. 30 against UC Clermont, scoring 16 points and going 8-of-12 from the field and grabbed three rebounds in the win.
So far this season, James is averaging 4.5 points and is shooting .605 in 8.2 minutes off the bench.
PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Ohio has registered an impressive 546-178 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.
Last season Ohio finished 15-2 in the Convo.
UP NEXT
Up next, Ohio is back in Athens on Friday, Jan. 13 when they host MAC-leading Kent State. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. inside the Convocation Center and can be seen on CBS Sports Network.
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