By Stretch Jenkinson

1 19 2024

OHIO GAME NOTES

https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2024/1/18/12024_Ohio_EMU_Notes.pdf

EMU GAME NOTES

https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2024/1/18/18_EMU_Notes_at_Ohio_pg_1-45.pdf

FOLLOW OHIO MEN’S BASKETBALL: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

ATHENS, Ohio –– The Ohio men’s basketball team (8-9, 2-3 MAC) is back in action on Saturday, Jan. 20 when Ohio hosts Eastern Michigan (8-9, 1-4 MAC). 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 Marty Bannister, Dave Cecutti and Sam Hyman will have the call.

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 83rd all-time meeting between Ohio and Eastern Michigan.
• Ohio leads the all-time series, 55-27.
• The Bobcats and EMU met once last season with Ohio falling, 90-79 in Ypsilanti.
• Ohio is 12-6 against EMU since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 5-1 against EMU under Jeff Boals.
• Ohio is ranked 199th in the latest NET Ranking as of Jan. 18.
• Ohio has registered an impressive 560-182 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.
• Ohio finished 14-1 in the Convo this season.
• This season Ohio 6-3 in the Convo.
• Ohio is 55-14 in the Convo under Boals in the last five seasons.
• Ohio is ranked 20th in the nation in turnover margin and are 51st in assist/turnover ratio and 73rd in turnovers forced per game.
• The Bobcats are also 79th in the country in scoring offense.
• Individually, AJ Clayton is 48th in the NCAA in blocks per game and 49th in blocks.
• Jaylin Hunter ranks 65th in assists per game and 67th in total assists.
• Fifth year guard Miles Brown has a season-high 17 points against CMU on Jan. 16.

SCOUTING EASTERN MICHIGAN
Eastern Michigan is 8-9 and 1-4 in MAC play after falling to  Ball State on Tuesday.

Overall, EMU averages 67.5 points a game, while shooting .443 from the field, .311 from three and .691 from the line. EMU also averages 33.7 rebounds a game, 11.0 assists and 5.7 steals a game. EMU also forces 10.8 turnovers a game.

Meanwhile, Opponents average 74.4 points and 35.0 rebounds a game. Opponents also shoot .462 from the field, .338 from three and .704 from the line. Opponents also dish out 13.5 assists and grab 6.9 steals a game, while also forcing 12.2 turnovers a game.

Individually, Tyson Acuff averages 21.8 points a game, while shooting .452 from the field and .275 from three. Orlando Lovejoy adds 10.5 points a game and 3.2 rebounds, while shooting .485 from the field, while Yusuf Jihad adds 7.8 points a game, while shooting .481 from the field and .462 from three.

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with EMU with a 8-9 overall record and a 2-3 mark in MAC play after defeating Eastern Michigan on Tuesday in Athens.

Overall, Ohio is averaging 78.6 points per game, while shooting .455 from the field, .341 from three and 70.8 percent from the line. The Bobcats also add 36.2 rebounds, 13.9 assists and 6.5 steals per game, while forcing opponents to turn the ball over 13.9 times a game.

Meanwhile, Opponents are averaging 71.8 points a game, while shooting .431 from the field, .332 from three and .694 from the line. They also average 36.1 rebounds, 11.1 assists, 5.1 steals and force the Bobcats to turn the ball over an average of 9.8 times a game.

Individually, Jaylin Hunter leads Ohio with 13.5 points and 4.7 assists a game, while shooting .390 from the field, .259 from three and .767 from the line. Shereef Mitchell adds 13.3 points a game, while shooting .491 from the field, while Elmore James adds 12.3 points and 6.1 boards a game.

ALL TIME VS. EASTERN MICHIGAN
This is the 83rd all-time meeting between Ohio and Eastern Michigan.

Ohio leads the all-time series, 55-27.

The Bobcats and EMU met once last season with Ohio falling, 90-79 in Ypsilanti.

Ohio is 12-6 against EMU since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 5-1 against EMU under Jeff Boals.

LAST TIME VS. EASTERN MICHIGAN
The Bobcats and Central Michigan  last met on Jan. 31, 2023 in Ypsilanti, with Ohio falling, 90-79.

Overall, Ohio shot 44.8 percent from the field, 32.3 percent from three and 45 percent from the line, while Eastern Michigan shot 57.7 percent from the field, 54.2 from three and 81.0 percent from the line. Ohio out-rebounded EMU, 37-28, while the Eagles dished out 16 assists to Ohio’s nine. Both teams turned the ball over 12 times, however, EMU scored 17 points off them.

Individually, Ohio was led by Dwight Wilson III with 23 points and 12 rebounds, while Jaylin Hunter added 22 points, six rebounds, three assists and hit five threes. AJ Clayton added 13 points, and Elmore James contributed 10 points for the Bobcats.

For Eastern Michigan, Tyson Acuff led with 29 points and six assists, while Emoni Bates scored 19 points.

PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Ohio has registered an impressive 560-182 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.

Ohio finished 14-1 in the Convo this season.

This season Ohio is 6-3 in the Convo.

Ohio is 54-14 in the Convo under Boals in the last five 3easons.

OHIO IN NET
Ohio is ranked 199th in the latest NET Ranking as of Jan. 18.

OHIO IN NCAA
Ohio is ranked 20th in the nation in turnover margin and are 51st in assist/turnover ratio and 73rd in turnovers forced per game.

The Bobcats are also 79th in the country in scoring offense.

Individually, AJ Clayton is 48th in the NCAA in blocks per game and 49th in blocks.

Jaylin Hunter ranks 65th in assists per game and 67th in total assists.

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

AJ Clayton is first in the MAC in blocks and second in blocks per game.

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.

Hunter rebounded from a rough couple games on Jan. 16 when he led the Bobcats with 19 points in their win over CMU. Hunter also dished out eight assists and grabbed five rebounds in the win.

Overall, this season Hunter is averaging 13.5 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.

Mitchell had a solid game on Jan. 9 at Bowling Green, scoring 17 points, recording two blocks and grabbing four rebounds.

On Jan. 16 against CMU, Mitchell scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds in the win.

So far this season, Mitchell is leading the Bobcats in scoring with 13.3 points and 3.8 rebounds a game, while shooting .491 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.

Hadaway added another solid performance on his resume on Jan. 16 in Ohio’s win over CMU, scoring 11 points and grabbing five rebounds.

As Hadaway continues to see more minutes on the floor, he currently averages 6.1 points and 4.1 rebounds a game.

ONE LAST TRIP FOR MILES
Fifth year guard Miles Brown is looking to make the most of his final season in the Green and White.

Brown was steady in his season debut, adding nine points, a steal and a block in Ohio’s win over Troy.

After missing a month, Brown made is return to the lineup on Dec. 18 against Defiance, scoring 12 points in 12 minutes on the court.

On Dec. 30 against Davidson, Brown nearly recorded a double double, with nine points and nine rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench.

Brown had his best game of the season on Jan. 16 against CMU, scoring 17 points in the win.

As Brown sees his minutes increase in MAC play, he currently averages 7.8 points and 3.0 rebounds a game.

UP NEXT
Up next, the Bobcats are back on the road starting on Tuesday, Jan. 23 when Ohio heads to Akron to take on the Zips. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.

#OUohyeah 

OHIO ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS