By Stretch Jenkinson
1/23/2024
OHIO BOBCATS NOTES
https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2024/1/22/12324_Ohio_Akron_Notes.pdf
AKRON ZIPS NOTES
https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2024/1/22/AKRON_MBB_2023-24_vs_Ohio.pdf
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ATHENS, Ohio — The Ohio men’s basketball team (9-9, 3-3 MAC) is back on the road this week starting on Tuesday, Jan. 23 when they head to Akron to take on the Zips (14-4, 6-0 MAC). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside James A. Rhodes Arena. The game can be seen on ESPN+ where Michael Reghi and Jeff Phelps 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 91st all-time meeting between Ohio and Akron.
• Akron leads the all-time series, 47-43.
• The Bobcats and Akron met twice last season, with the two teams splitting the season series.
• Akron took the first game in Akron, 83-77, while Ohio took the game in Athens, 90-81.
• Ohio is 13-17 against Akron since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 3-5 against The Zips under Jeff Boals.
• Ohio is ranked 194th in the latest NET Ranking as of Jan. 22.
• Ohio has registered an impressive 561-182 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.
• Ohio finished 14-1 in the Convo this season.
• This season Ohio 7-3 in the Convo.
• Ohio is 56-14 in the Convo under Boals in the last five seasons.
• Ohio is ranked 26th in the nation in turnover margin and are 47th in assist/turnover ratio and 79th in turnovers forced per game.
• The Bobcats are also 73rd in the country in scoring offense and 93rd in three-pointers per game.
• Individually, AJ Clayton is 57th in the NCAA in blocks per game and 60th in blocks.
• Jaylin Hunter ranks 63rd in assists per game and 69th in total assists.
• The MAC and Sun Belt announced the second matchups for the MAC-SBC Challenge on Jan. 22, with Ohio heading to Jonesboro, Ark. on Saturday, Feb. 10 to take on Arkansas State.
• Sophomore Aidan Hadaway scored a career-high 20 points on Jan. 20 against EMU.
• Fifth year guard Miles Brown has a season-high 17 points against CMU on Jan. 16.
SCOUTING AKRON
Akron is 14-4 and 6-0 in MAC play and are coming off a six-point win at Kent State on Friday.
Overall, Akron averages 77.1 points a game, while shooting .474 from the field, .354 from three and .721 from the line. Akron also averages 36.5 rebounds a game, 14.4 assists and 6.4 steals a game. Akron also forces 12.9 turnovers a game.
Meanwhile, Opponents average 65.9 points and 31.8 rebounds a game. Opponents also shoot .428 from the field, .321 from three and .664 from the line. Opponents also dish out 12.1 assists and grab 6.6 steals a game, while also forcing 11.5 turnovers a game.
Individually, Enrique Freeman leads Akron with 18.6 points and 12.9 rebounds a game, while shooting .597 from the field, .348 from three and .692 from the line. Ali Ali adds 16.5 points and 3.3 rebounds a game, while shooting .500 from the field.
SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with Akron with a 9-9 overall record and a 3-3 mark in MAC play after defeating Eastern Michigan on Saturday in Athens.
Overall, Ohio is averaging 79.0 points per game, while shooting .460 from the field, .348 from three and 70.2 percent from the line. The Bobcats also add 36.3 rebounds, 14.1 assists and 6.4 steals per game, while forcing opponents to turn the ball over 13.7 times a game.
Meanwhile, Opponents are averaging 71.6 points a game, while shooting .430 from the field, .329 from three and .695 from the line. They also average 35.9 rebounds, 10.7 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 13.6 points and 4.7 assists a game, while shooting .402 from the field, .253 from three and .773 from the line. Shereef Mitchell adds 13.3 points a game, while shooting .500 from the field, while Elmore James adds 12.3 points and 6.1 boards a game and AJ Clayton contributes 11.6 points while shooting .549 from the field.
ALL TIME VS. AKRON
This is the 91st all-time meeting between Ohio and Akron.
Akron leads the all-time series, 47-43.
The Bobcats and Akron met twice last season, with the two teams splitting the season series.
Akron took the first game in Akron, 83-77, while Ohio took the game in Athens, 90-81.
Ohio is 13-17 against Akron since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 3-5 against The Zips under Jeff Boals.
LAST TIME VS. AKRON
The Bobcats and Akron last met on Feb. 10 in Akron, with Ohio winning, 90-81.
Overall, Ohio shot 48.4 percent from the field, 62.5 percent from three and were 20-of-23 from the line, while Akron shot 50.8 percent from the field, 47.8 percent from three and were 10-of-18 from the line. Ohio out-rebounded Akron, 33-32, while the Bobcats dished out 13 assists to Akron’s 11. Ohio also forced 13 turnovers, grabbed seven steals and scored 17 points off the turnovers.
Individually, Jaylin Hunter led with a career-high 25 points, going 7-of-14 from the field, 4-of-7 from three and 7-of-9 from the line, while Dwight Wilson III added 16 points and eight rebounds, while going 6-of-12 from the field and 4-of-4 from the line. Miles Brown added 12 points, followed by DeVon Baker and Elmore James with 11 points each. Gabe Wiznitzer added four points and seven rebounds for the Bobcats
For Akron, Xavier Castaneda scored 34 points, followed by Enrique Freeman with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
OHIO IN NET
Ohio is ranked 194th in the latest NET Ranking as of Jan. 22.
OHIO IN NCAA
Ohio is ranked 26th in the nation in turnover margin and are 47th in assist/turnover ratio and 79th in turnovers forced per game.
The Bobcats are also 73rd in the country in scoring offense and 93rd in three-pointers per game.
Individually, AJ Clayton is 57th in the NCAA in blocks per game and 60th in blocks.
Jaylin Hunter ranks 63rd in assists per game and 69th in total assists.
OHIO IN THE MAC
Jaylin Hunter is first in the MAC in assists, second in assist/TO ratio and eighth in steals.
AJ Clayton is first in the MAC in blocks and third in blocks per game. He is also fifth in field goal percentage.
Ajay Sheldon is second in the MAC in three-point shooting percentage.
MAC-SBC CHALLENGE ROUND TWO
The MAC and Sun Belt announced the second matchups for the MAC-SBC Challenge on Jan. 22, with Ohio heading to Jonesboro, Ark. on Saturday, Feb. 10 to take on Arkansas State.
CAREER DAY FOR HADAWAY
Hadaway had a career night on Jan. 20 in Ohio’s win over EMU. Hadaway scored a career-high 20 points, while going 3-for-3 from three and 8-of-10 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.
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.
Hunter followed by that performance with a 14-point performance in Ohio’s win over EMU, where he also added five rebounds and dished out five assists.
Overall, this season Hunter is averaging 13.56points 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.
He followed that up on Jan. 20 with a 14-point performance, going 6-of-9 from the field and grabbed five rebounds in Ohio’s win over EMU.
So far this season, Mitchell is second on the Bobcats in scoring with 13.3 points and 3.9 rebounds a game, while shooting .500 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.
Hadaway had a career night on Jan. 20 in Ohio’s win over EMU. Hadaway scored a career-high 20 points, while going 3-for-3 from three and 8-of-10 from the field.
As Hadaway continues to see more minutes on the floor, he currently averages 6.8 points and 3.9 rebounds a game.
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.
Clayton had a near double double on Jan. 16 against CMU, scoring seven points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
So far this season, Clayton averages 11.6 and 4.7 boards a game, while registering 1.7 blocks per game. He is also shooting 54.9 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from three.
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.
Brown was back in action on Jan. 20, scoring seven points, while grabbing nine rebounds and dishes out five assists.
As Brown sees his minutes increase in MAC play, he currently averages 7.7 points and 3.7 rebounds a game.
UP NEXT
Up next, the Bobcats remain on the road on Friday, Jan. 26 when they head to Kent, Ohio to take on Kent State. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. inside the M.A.C. Center and can be seen on CBS Sports Network.
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