By Marisol Nicholson

2 3 2024

OHIO GAME NOTES

https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2024/2/2/20324_Ohio_Miami_Notes.pdf

MIAMI GAME NOTES

https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2024/2/2/2023-24_mbk_Ohio.pdf

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ATHENS, Ohio — The Ohio men’s basketball team (11-10, 5-4 MAC) is back in Athens for a Sibs Weekend ‘Battle of the Bricks’ on Saturday, Feb. 3 when the Bobcats host Miami (11-10, 5-4 MAC). Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. 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 213th all-time meeting between Ohio and Miami.
• Ohio leads the all-time series, 117-95.
• The Bobcats and Miami met twice last season, with the teams splitting the two matchups.
• The Bobcats took the first game, in Athens, before falling to the RedHawks on the road.
• Ohio is 23-7 against Miami since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 6-1 against the RedHawks under Jeff Boals.
• Ohio has won 12-straight at home against Miami.
• Ohio is ranked 170th in the latest NET Ranking as of Feb. 1.
• Ohio has registered an impressive 562-182 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.
• Ohio finished 14-1 in the Convo this season.
• This season Ohio 8-3 in the Convo.
• Ohio is 57-14 in the Convo under Boals in the last five seasons.
• Ohio is ranked 19th in the nation in turnover margin and are 50th in assist/turnover ratio and 74th in turnovers forced per game.
• The Bobcats are also 80th in the country in scoring offense.
• Individually, AJ Clayton is 80th in the NCAA in blocks per game and 72nd in blocks.
• Jaylin Hunter ranks 63rd in assists per game and 53rd in total assists.
• Sophomore Ajay Sheldon scored a career-high 15 points on Jan. 30 against Buffalo.
• 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.
• Ohio is coming off a 91-70 win against Buffalo on Tuesday.

SCOUTING MIAMI

Miami is 11-10 and 5-4 in MAC play after defeating to Kent State, 71-67, on Tuesday at Kent State.

Overall, Miami averages 73.8 points a game, while shooting .470 from the field, .372 from three and .701 from the line. Miami also averages 32.6 rebounds a game, 15.1 assists and 5.9 steals a game. Miami also forces 12.1 turnovers a game.

Meanwhile, Opponents average 71.1 points and 35.0 rebounds a game. Opponents also shoot .430 from the field, .296 from three and .730 from the line. Opponents also dish out 11.6 assists and grab 6.3 steals a game, while also forcing 12.3 turnovers a game.

Individually, Anderson Mirambeaux leads the RedHawks with 13.8 points a game, while shooting .512 from the field. Darweshi Hunter adds 13.0 points a game, while grabbing 4.3 rebounds and Bryce Bultman averages 8.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists a game.

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with Miami with an 11-10 overall record and a 5-4 mark in MAC play after defeating Buffalo, 91-70, Tuesday in the Convo.

Overall, Ohio is averaging 78.2 points per game, while shooting .456 from the field, .350 from three and 71.1 percent from the line. The Bobcats also add 36.4 rebounds, 13.9 assists and 6.8 steals per game, while forcing opponents to turn the ball over 13.7 times a game.

Meanwhile, Opponents are averaging 70.9 points a game, while shooting .426 from the field, .328 from three and .697 from the line. They also average 36.0 rebounds, 10.7 assists, 5.0 steals and force the Bobcats to turn the ball over an average of 9.8 times a game.

Individually, Shereef Mitchell leads Ohio with 13.6 points per game, while shooting .484 from the field and adding 4.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Jaylin Hunter adds 13.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game, while AJ Clayton averages 11.7 points and is shooting 53.4 percent from the field and 80.0 percent from the line. Elmore James leads Ohio with 5.2 rebounds a game, while Ajay Sheldon shoots .557 from the field and .538 from three.

ALL TIME VS. MIAMI
This is the 213th all-time meeting between Ohio and Miami.

Ohio leads the all-time series, 117-95.

The Bobcats and Miami met twice last season, with the teams splitting the two matchups.

The Bobcats took the first game, in Athens, before falling to the RedHawks on the road.

Ohio is 23-7 against Miami since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 6-1 against the RedHawks under Jeff Boals.

Ohio has won 12-straight at home against Miami.

LAST TIME VS. MIAMI
The Bobcats and Miami last met on Feb. 25, 2023 in Oxford, with the RedHawks winning, 85-68.

Overall, Ohio shot 38.1 percent from the field, 35 percent from three and 61.9 percent from the line, while Miami shot 60.8 percent from the field, 52.6 percent from three and 81.3 percent from the line. Miami out-rebounded Ohio 36-25 and dished out 14 assists to Ohio’s nine. Ohio forced 21 Miami turnovers, but only scored 18 points off them.

Individually, Ohio was led by Dwight Wilson III with 19 points and eight rebounds, while Jaylin Hunter added 19 points, three rebounds and three assists. Miles Brown added nine points and Ben Roderick added seven points and three rebounds.

For Miami, Mekhi Lairy scored 26 points, followed by Morgan Safford with 24.

PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Ohio has registered an impressive 562-182 (.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 8-3 in the Convo.

Ohio is 57-14 in the Convo under Boals in the last five seasons.

OHIO IN NET
Ohio is ranked 170th in the latest NET Ranking as of Feb. 1.

OHIO IN NCAA
Ohio is ranked 19th in the nation in turnover margin and are 50th in assist/turnover ratio and 74th in turnovers forced per game.

The Bobcats are also 80th in the country in scoring offense.

Individually, AJ Clayton is 80th in the NCAA in blocks per game and 72nd in blocks.

Jaylin Hunter ranks 63rd in assists per game and 53rd in total assists.

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

AJ Clayton is second in the MAC in blocks and in blocks per game. He is also fifth in field goal percentage.

Ajay Sheldon is first 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.

SHELLY HAS A DAY
Sophomore Ajay Sheldon had a career day on Jan. 30 against Buffalo, scoring a career-high 15 points. Sheldon went 4-of-6 from the field, 2-of-4 from three and 5-of-5 from the line.

CAREER DAY FOR HADAWAY
Sophomore Aidan 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.

In Ohio’s win at Kent State on Jan. 26, Hunter scored a team-high 17 points, while grabbing five rebounds and dishing out five assists.

Hunter had a near triple double on Jan. 30 against Buffalo, scoring 10 points, grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out six assists in the win.

Overall, this season Hunter is averaging 13.4 points a game and 4.8 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.

On Jan. 24 against Akron, Mitchell recorded a career-high seven rebounds. Mitchell followed that up with another solid game on Jan. 26 in the Bobcats’ win at Kent State, scoring 16 points, while grabbing four rebounds, dishing out five assists and grabbing four steals.

Mitchell added another strong game to his resume on Jan. 30 against Buffalo, scoring 15 points, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out three assists.

So far this season, Mitchell is first on the Bobcats in scoring with 13.6 points and 4.1 rebounds a game, while shooting .484 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 7.0 points and 4.1 rebounds, while shooting 50 percent from the field.

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.

Clayton had a monster day on Jan. 30 against Buffalo, scoring a team-high 16 points, going 6-of-11 from the field and grabbing three rebounds.

So far this season, Clayton averages 11.7 and 4.5 boards a game, while registering 1.6 blocks per game. He is also shooting 53.4 percent from the field and 42.4 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.

Sheldon scored a career-high 13 points against Toledo on Jan. 2, hitting a career-high four threes. He then added a 10-point performance on Jan. 9 at BGSU.

Sheldon put together a solid game at Kent State on Jan. 26, scoring 12 points and going 4-of-5 from three in 12 minutes on the court in Ohio’s win.

Sheldon had a career day on Jan. 30 against Buffalo, scoring a career-high 15 points. Sheldon went 4-of-6 from the field, 2-of-4 from three and 5-of-5 from the line.

This season as Sheldon gets more playing time, he is averaging 5.7 points a game, while shooting a team-high 55.7 percent from the field and 53.8 percent from three.

UP NEXT
Up next, the Bobcats are back on the road on Tuesday, Feb. 6 when the Bobcats head to Muncie, Ind. to take on Ball State. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside Worthen Arena and can be seen on ESPN+.

#OUohyeah 

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