By Bert Leeson
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OHIO GAME NOTES
https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2023/12/7/12923_Ohio_Marshall_Notes.pdf
MARSHALL GAME NOTES
ROSTER CARD
https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2023/12/7/Marshall_MBB_Roster_Card.pdf
ATHENS, Ohio — The Ohio men’s basketball team (5-3) is back in action on Saturday, Dec. 9 when the Bobcats host Marshall (2-6). Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. inside the Convocation Center and is the second game of a men’s and women’s basketball doubleheader. The game can be seen on ESPN+, where Russ Eisenstein, Rob Cornelius and Sam Hyman will have the call.
The Bobcats’ matchup can also be heard on the Ohio Sports Network from Learfield, where Marty Bannister and Dave Cecutti will have the call. WXTQ (Power 105) in Athens returns as the 11-station network’s flagship.
STORYLINES
• This is the 108th all-time meeting between Ohio and Marshall.
• Ohio leads the all-time series, 57-50.
• Ohio is 6-8 against The Herd in their last 14 meetings dating back to 2004-05.
• The Bobcats and Marshall last met in Athens on Dec. 15, 2021, with Ohio winning, 75-65.
• Ohio has not lost to Marshall inside the Convo since Dec. 4, 2010.
• Marshall enters the matchup with Ohio with a 2-6 record with wins over Lees-McRae College and Queens.
• Ohio is coming off a 78-72 loss against Youngstown State on Dec. 6.
• Ohio is ranked 138 in the NCAA NET Rankings as of Dec. 7.
• Ohio has registered an impressive 557-180 (.756) all-time record at the Co1vocation Center, which opened in 1968.
• Ohio finished 14-1 in the Convo this season.
• This season Ohio 3-1 in the Convo.
• Ohio is 52-12 in the Convo under Boals in the last five seasons.
• Sophomore forward Aidan Hadaway scored a career-high 14 points against Youngstown State on Dec. 6.
• Sophomore guard Elmore James tied his career high with 21 points Saturday afternoon against Delaware.
• James was named the MAC Co-Player of the Week for his performance.
• James recorded a career-high 10 rebounds on Dec. 6 and recorded his first career double double.
SCOUTING MARSHALL
Marshall is 2-6 entering the matchup with the Bobcats after falling to Duquesne, 71-72 on Dec. 6.
Overall, Marshall averages 73.8 points a game, while shooting .397 from the field, .255 from three and .716 from the line. Marshall also averages 41.1 rebounds a game, 13.6 assists and 6.5 steals a game. The Herd also forces 13.4 turnovers a game.
Meanwhile, Opponents average 81.4 points and 40.4 rebounds a game. Opponents also shoot .454 from the field, .365 from three and .669 from the line. Opponents also dish out 16.5 assists and grab 8.5 steals a game, while also forcing 13.3 turnovers a game.
Individually, Obinna Anochili-Killen leads Marshall with 14.0 points a game, while shooting .424 from the field, while adding 7.6 rebounds a game. Kevon Voyles adds 13.9 points a game, while Nate Martin averages 12.1 points and 9.8 rebounds a contest, while shooting .621 from the field and 83.3 percent from the line.
SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with Marshall with a 5-3 record after falling to Youngstown State, 78-72 Wednesday night in the Convo.
Overall, Ohio is averaging 79.9 points per game, while shooting .461 from the field, .339 from three and 69.0 percent from the line. The Bobcats also add 34.5 rebounds, 11.9 assists and 6.8 steals per game, while forcing opponents to turn the ball over 14.6 times a game.
Meanwhile, Opponents are averaging 74.9 points a game, while shooting .421 from the field, .297 from three and .753 from the line. They also average 38.0 rebounds, 10.6 assists, 4.6 steals and force the Bobcats to turn the ball over an average of 9.5 times a game.
Individually, Jaylin Hunter leads with 16.4 points and 4.6 rebounds a game, while shooting .393 from the field and .286 from three. Shereef Mitchell adds 14.4 points and is shooting .477 from the field, while Elmore James is averaging 13.4 points and 6.5 rebounds a game, while shooting .524 from the field. AJ Clayton adds 10.9 points a game and is shooting 55.8 percent from the field and 50 percent from three, while AJ Brown adds 9.3 points a game.
ALL TIME VS. MARSHALL
This is the 108th all-time meeting between Ohio and Marshall.
Ohio leads the all-time series, 57-50.
Ohio is 6-8 against The Herd in their last 14 meetings dating back to 2004-05.
The Bobcats and Marshall last met in Athens on Dec. 15, 2021, with Ohio winning, 75-65.
Ohio has not lost to Marshall inside the Convo since Dec. 4, 2010.
LAST TIME AGAINST MARSHALL
Ohio and Marshall last met on Dec. 3, 2022 in Huntington, with Marshall winning, 83-69 at the buzzer.
Overall, Ohio shot 43 percent from the field, 29 percent from three and were 4of-6 from the line, while Marshall shot 46 percent from the field, 30 percent from three and were 5-of-11 from the line. Marshall outrebounded the Bobcats, 44-40, while the Herd dished out 19 assists to Ohio’s 11 and recorded five blocks and nine steals, while Ohio recorded four steals on one block.
Individually, Ohio was led by Dwight Wilson III with 16 points and six rebounds, while Gabe Wiznitzer scored a career-high 15 points and grabbed three boards. AJ Brown added 11 points and three-made threes, while AJ Clayton added eight points and six boards. Guard Miles Brown added five and three assists.
For Marshall, Andrew Taylor had 19 points, while Taevion Kinsey added 18 points and nine rebounds. Obinna Anochili-Killen scored 16 points and had six rebounds.
PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Ohio has registered an impressive 557-180 (.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 3-1 in the Convo.
Ohio is 52-12 in the Convo under Boals in the last five seasons.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sophomore guard Elmore James was named the Mid-American Conference Co-Player of the Week for his performance the week of Nov. 27, the league announced today (Dec. 4).
James led the Ohio men’s basketball team to a comeback win Saturday afternoon against Delaware inside the Convocation Center. Overall, James tied his career-high with 21 points, going 9-of-14 from the field, while grabbing five rebounds, dishing out one assist and forcing two steals.
After finishing the first half with six points, James caught fire in the second, scoring 15 second half points and grabbing two rebounds, including a driving layup with 1:26 left in the game to cut the Ohio deficit one. Then with Ohio leading by one with six seconds to go, James grabbed the defensive rebound to help secure the 74-73 victory.
OHIO IN NET
Ohio is ranked 138 in the NCAA NET Rankings as of Dec. 7.
MARCH TO 1,000
Senior guard Jaylin Hunter scored his 1,000th career point on Nov. 18 against Detroit Mercy.
The points game on a breakaway dunk midway through the second half.
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 14.4 points and 3.4 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.
So far this season, James is averaging 13.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and is shooting 52.4 percent from the field.
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.
This season, Hunter is averaging 16.4 points and 4.6 rebounds, while shooting .393 from the field.
HADAWAY SEEING MORE TIME
Sophomore forward Aidan Hadaway has been seeing his minutes increase as the season has gone on.
On Nov. 25 against MTSU, Hadaway grabbed a season-high four rebounds in the win.
On Dec. 2 against Delaware, Hadaway put together 22 solid minutes on the court, scoring a season-high seven points, while grabbing a career-high seven rebounds in the win.
Hadaway continued his strong play on Dec. 6 against Delaware, scoring a career-high 14 points in 24 minutes.
CLAYTON TAKES THE NEXT STEP
Junior forward AJ Clayton has moved back into his starting roll with ease.
He has recorded double figure scoring numbers in three-straight games to open the season.
On Nov. 18 against Detroit Mercy, Clayton led Ohio with 18 points, while also grabbing six rebounds and tying his career-high with four made threes.
On Nov. 24 against George Washington, Clayton recorded a double double, scoring 13 points and grabbing a career-high 12 rebounds, while also recording a career-high five blocks.
On Nov. 25 against Middle Tennessee State, Clayton scored 15 points, while going 5-of-6 from three, setting a new career mark in three-pointers made in a game.
Clayton tied his career mark in blocks in a game on Dec. 2 against Delaware, recording five once again in the win.
So far this season, Clayton averages 10.9 and 4.9 boards a game.
UP NEXT
Up next, the Bobcats have a week off for finals, before returning to action on Monday, Dec. 18 when Ohio plays host to Defiance. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center.
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