By Stretch Jenkinson

OHIO BOBCAT NOTES

https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2024/1/8/1824_Ohio_BGSU_Notes.pdf

BGSU GAME NOTES

https://bgsufalcons.com/documents/2024/1/8/2023-24_MBB_Game_Notes_Ohio.pdf

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ATHENS, Ohio –The Ohio men’s basketball team (7-7, 1-1 MAC) is back on the road this week starting on Tuesday, Jan. 9 when the Bobcats head to Bowling Green, Ohio to take on Bowling Green (10-4, 1-1 MAC). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside the Stroh Center. 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
• This is the 155th all-time meeting between Ohio and Bowling Green.
• Bowling Green leads the all-time series, 83-71.
• Ohio is 10-13 against Bowling Green since 2011-12, while the Bobcats are 2-5 against the Falcons under Jeff Boals.
• Ohio and BGSU met twice last season, with Ohio falling on the road before defeating the Falcons, 92-58 in Athens in the regular season finale.
• Ohio has not won at Bowling Green since Jan. 28, 2017.
• Ohio is ranked 208th in the latest NET Ranking as of Jan. 8.
• Ohio has registered an impressive 559-182 (.756) all-time record at the Co1vocation Center, which opened in 1968.
• Ohio finished 14-1 in the Convo this season.
• This season Ohio 5-3 in the Convo.
• Ohio is 54-14 in the Convo under Boals in the last five seasons.
• Ohio is ranked 19th in the nation in turnover margin and are 75th in assist/turnover ratio and 61st in turnovers forced per game.
• The Bobcats are also 77th in the country in scoring offense.
• Individually, AJ Clayton is 29th in the NCAA in blocks per game and 38th in block.
• Jaylin Hunter ranks 65th in assists and 80th in total assists.
• AJ Clayton tied his career-high in points on Jan. 6 against NIU, scoring 23, 19 of which came in the second half.
• Sophomore guard AJ Brown will miss the remainder of the season due to shoulder surgery.

SCOUTING BOWLING GREEN
Bowling Green is 10-4 and 1-1 in MAC play after falling to Akron, 83-67 on Friday night.

Overall, BGSU averages 74.8 points a game, while shooting .442 from the field, .304 from three and .663 from the line. BGSU also averages 38.4 rebounds a game, 11.2 assists and 6.4 steals a game. BGSU also forces 12.5 turnovers a game.

Meanwhile, Opponents average 68.1 points and 36.2 rebounds a game. Opponents also shoot .419 from the field, .329 from three and .652 from the line. Opponents also dish out 11.4 assists and grab 6.6 steals a game, while also forcing 11.7 turnovers a game.

Individually, Marcus Hill averages 20.4 points and 4.0 rebounds a game. He is shooting .457 from the field, .255 from three and .763 from the line. Trey Thomas adds 12.3 points and 3.4 boards a game, while shooting 38.4 percent from the field. Rashaun Agee adds 11.1 points and 8.1 rebounds, while shooting 64.2 percent from the field.

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with BGSU with a 7-7 overall record and a 1-1 mark in MAC play after defeating NIU on Saturday (Jan. 6).

Overall, Ohio is averaging 79.1 points per game, while shooting .453 from the field, .343 from three and 70.5 percent from the line. The Bobcats also add 37.0 rebounds, 13.9 assists and 6.7 steals per game, while forcing opponents to turn the ball over 14.4 times a game.

Meanwhile, Opponents are averaging 71.1 points a game, while shooting .426 from the field, .312 from three and .696 from the line. They also average 35.9 rebounds, 9.8 assists, 5.4 steals and force the Bobcats to turn the ball over an average of 10.2 times a game.

Individually, Jaylin Hunter leads with 14.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists a game, while shooting .391 from the field and .288 from three. Shereef Mitchell adds 13.1 points and is shooting .472 from the field, while Elmore James is averaging 12.3 points and 6.4 rebounds a game, while shooting .485 from the field. AJ Clayton adds 12.1 points a game and is shooting 58.8 percent from the field and 45.8 percent from three.

ALL TIME VS. BOWLING GREEN
This is the 155th all-time meeting between Ohio and Bowling Green.

Bowling Green leads the all-time series, 83-71.

Ohio is 10-13 against Bowling Green since 2011-12, while the Bobcats are 2-5 against the Falcons under Jeff Boals.

Ohio and BGSU met twice last season, with Ohio falling on the road before defeating the Falcons, 92-58 in Athens in the regular season finale.

Ohio has not won at Bowling Green since Jan. 28, 2017.

LAST TIME VS. BGSU
The Bobcats and Falcons last met on March 7, 2023 in Athens, with Ohio winning, 92-58.

Overall, Ohio shot 49.3 percent from the field, 31.3 percent from three and were 14-of-15 from the line, while Bowling Green shot 31.7 percent from the field, 19.2 percent from three and were 15-of-23 from the line, Ohio outrebounds BGSU, 40-36, while Ohio dished out 15 assists to the Falcons’ 10. Ohio also forced 14 turnovers and scored 19 points off them.

Individually, Dwight Wilson III led Ohio with 20 points and seven rebounds, going 8-of-10 from the field and 4-of-4 from the line. Elmore James scored 17 points, going 6-of-9 from the field and 5-of-5 from the line, while AJ Brown added 14 points with three made threes AJ Clayton added 12 points and went 4-of-9 from three, while Jaylin Hunter scored eight points, grabbed six boards and dished out five assists. Miles Brown dished out a career-high five assists in the victory.

For Bowling Green, Samari Curtis had 11 points and seven rebounds, while Leon Ayers III added 11 points,

OHIO IN NET
Ohio is ranked 208th in the NCAA NET Rankings as of Jan. 4.

OHIO IN NCAA
Ohio is ranked 19th in the nation in turnover margin and are 75th in assist/turnover ratio and 61st in turnovers forced per game.

The Bobcats are also 77th in the country in scoring offense.

Individually, AJ Clayton is 29th in the NCAA in blocks per game and 38th in block.

Jaylin Hunter ranks 65th in assists and 80th in total assists.

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

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

On Jan. 6 against NIU, Hunter scored 20 points, going 5-of-8 from the field, 2-of-2 from three and was a perfect 8-of-8 from the line. He also led Ohio with eight rebounds and six assists in the win.

Overall, this season Hunter is averaging 14.4 points a game and 4.7 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 13.1 points and 3.6 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 put together a solid performance on Jan. 6 against NIU, scoring 11 points and grabbing seven boards in the victory.

So far this season, James is averaging 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and is shooting 48.5 percent 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.

Hadaway made his first career start on Dec. 18 against Defiance, scoring 11 points and going 5-for-5 from the field.

In his second career start against Austin Peay on Dec. 22, Hadaway grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds and dished out a career-high five assists.

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. He added another five-block night against Marshall on Dec. 9.

Against Defiance, Clayton scored 17 points, going 7-for-7 from the field, 3-for-3 from three and grabbed five rebounds.

Clayton tied his career-high with 23 points in Ohio’s win against NIU on Jan 6. Clayton went 9-of-13 from the field, 3-of-6 from three and 2-of-2 from the line. 19 of his 23 points came in the second half.

So far this season, Clayton averages 12.1 and 5.9 boards a game, while registering 2.0 blocks per game. He is also shooting 58.8 percent from the field and 45.8 percent from three.

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 MSTU.

On Dec. 18 against Defiance, Sheldon scored seven points and dished out a career-high five rebounds in the win.

This season as Sheldon gets more playing time, he is averaging 4.6 points a game, while shooting a team-high 60.5 percent from the field and 55.2 percent from three.

UP NEXT
Up next, the Bobcats are back on the road on Saturday, Jan. 13 when Ohio heads to Kalamazoo, Mich. to take on Western Michigan. Tip-off is set for 12 p.m. inside University Arena and can be seen on ESPN+.

COURTESY OHIO ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS