By Stretch Jenkinson

OHIO GAME NOTES

https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2023/12/28/123023_Ohio_Davidson_Notes.pdf

DAVIDSON GAME NOTES

https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2023/12/29/Game_Notes_vs._Ohio.pdf

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ATHENS, Ohio — The Ohio men’s basketball team (6-5) wraps up 2023 and non conference play on Saturday, Dec. 30 when they head to Cleveland for  the 2023 Legends of Basketball Showcase. The Bobcats will take on Davidson (9-3) at 1:30 p.m. inside Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The game can be seen on ESPN+.

 The Bobcats’ matchup can also be heard on the Ohio Sports Network from Learfield. Russ Eisenstein returns for his 16th season as the “Voice of the Bobcats” and will be joined by Ohio alum Rob Cornlius, who has been a part of the broadcasts for two decades. WXTQ (Power 105) in Athens returns as the 11-station network’s flagship.

STORYLINES
•  his is the fourth all-time meeting between Ohio and Davidson.
• Davidson leads the all-time series, 3-0.
• The Bobcats and Davidson last met on Dec. 21, 2006 in the ASU Classic in Tempe, Ariz., with the Wildcats winning, 83-74.
• The Bobcats are 0-1 all-time on a neutral court against Davidson.
• Davidson enters the matchup with the Bobcats with a 9-3 record after defeating USC Upstate, 62-59 on Dec. 21.
• Ohio is coming off a 71-67 loss at Austin Peay on Dec. 22.
• Ohio is ranked 188 in the NCAA NET Rankings as of Dec. 28.
• Ohio will play in the Legends of Basketball Showcase on Dec. 30 against Davidson at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m. The Bobcats and Wildcats are the first game of the triple header, with St. Bonaventure and Akron (4 p.m.) and Ohio State and West Virginia at 7 p.m.
• Sophomore forward Aidan Hadaway scored a career-high 14 points against Youngstown State on Dec. 6. Hadaway then grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds and dished out a career-high five assists at Austin Peay on Dec. 22.
• Redshirt sophomore G/F Ike Cornish, sophomore G Quinn Corna and redshirt freshman guard Ben Estis all recorded career-highs in points against Defiance on Dec. 18.
• Ohio set a program record with assists in a game with 31 against Defiance on Dec. 18. They also hit 16 threes, which is fifth all-time in program history.
• Sophomore guard Elmore James tied his career high with 21 points Delaware on Dec. 2. He then recorded a career-high 10 rebounds on Dec. 6 and recorded his first career double double.
• Graduate student guard Shereef Mitchell recorded a career-high in points twice while in The Bahamas, scoring 23 points against GW on Nov. 24, before setting the new mark of 24 points on Nov. 26 against Brown.
• Junior forward AJ Clayton set a new career high in rebounds (12) and blocks (5) against GW on Nov. 24. He then matched that on Dec. 2 against Delaware and again on Dec. 9 against Marshall (5).

SCOUTING DAVIDSON
Davidson is 9-3 this season after defeating USC Upstate, 62-59 on Dec. 21.

Overall, Davidson averages 72.9 points a game, while shooting .452 from the field, .334 from three and .743 from the line. Davidson also averages 34.4 rebounds a game, 13.3 assists and 6.6 steals a game. Davidson also forces 11.3 turnovers a game.

Meanwhile, Opponents average 65.3 points and 32.7 rebounds a game. Opponents also shoot .426 from the field, .336 from three and .691 from the line. Opponents also dish out 13.2 assists and grab 5.3 steals a game, while also forcing 9.8 turnovers a game.

Individually, David Skogman averages 13.0 points a game to go along with 5.3 rebounds. He also shoots .578 from the field and .409 from three. Grant Huffman adds 11.7 points and 5.0 boards a game, while Connor Kochera adds 10.6 points and is shooting .538 from the field.

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with Davidson with a 6-5 record after falling to Austin Peay, 71-67, Dec. 22 in the Clarksville, Tenn.

Overall, Ohio is averaging 80.3 points per game, while shooting .454 from the field, .340 from three and 71.0 percent from the line. The Bobcats also add 37.0 rebounds, 13.6 assists and 7.2 steals per game, while forcing opponents to turn the ball over 15.3 times a game.

Meanwhile, Opponents are averaging 70.2 points a game, while shooting .420 from the field, .302 from three and .707 from the line. They also average 35.8 rebounds, 9.6 assists, 5.0 steals and force the Bobcats to turn the ball over an average of 9.7 times a game.

Individually, Jaylin Hunter leads with 14.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists a game, while shooting .379 from the field and .270 from three. Shereef Mitchell adds 13.6 points and is shooting .496 from the field, while Elmore James is averaging 12.3 points and 6.5 rebounds a game, while shooting .486 from the field. AJ Clayton adds 11.5 points a game and is shooting 59.7 percent from the field and 51.2 percent from three.

ALL TIME VS. DAVIDSON
This is the fourth all-time meeting between Ohio and Davidson.

Davidson leads the all-time series, 3-0.

The Bobcats and Davidson last met on Dec. 21, 2006 in the ASU Classic in Tempe, Ariz., with the Wildcats winning, 83-74.

The Bobcats are 0-1 all-time on a neutral court against Davidson.

LAST TIME VS. DAVIDSON
The Bobcats and Davidson last met on Dec. 21, 2006 in the ASU Classic in Tempe, Ariz., with the Wildcats winning, 83-74.

OHIO IN NET
Ohio is ranked 188 in the NCAA NET Rankings as of Dec. 28.

OHIO IN NCAA
The Bobcats are currently seventh in the country in turnover margin (+5.5) and are 21st in forced turnovers per game.

AJ Clayton is 47th in the NCAA in blocks per game, while Jaylin Hunter is 72nd in assists per game.

OHIO IN THE MAC
Jaylin Hunter is first in the MAC in assists, assists/TO ratio and fifth in steals.

AJ Clayton is second in the MAC in blocks and blocks per game and is fourth in 3PT FG percentage.

BOBCATS IN THE LAND
Ohio will play in the Legends of Basketball Showcase on Dec. 30 against Davidson at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m.

The Day will be a triple header basketball day in Cleveland, with St. Bonaventure/Akron to follow the Bobcats and with Ohio State and West Virginia to serve as the night cap.

UP NEXT
Up next, the Bobcats open 2024 and MAC play on Tuesday, Jan. 2 when Ohio hosts Toledo. Tip-off is set fro 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center and can be seen on ESPNU.

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