By Lamont Burroughs
1 21 2025
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YPSILANTI, Mich. – The Ohio men’s basketball team (10-8, 4-2 MAC) returned to action on Tuesday (Jan. 21), falling to Eastern Michigan (9-9, 3-3 MAC), 94-87, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
Individually, Ohio was led by junior guard Jackson Paveletzke (Kimberly, Wis.) with career-high 28 points, going 11-of-14 from the field. He also grabbed six rebounds and dished out three assists. In his first start at Ohio, graduate student forward Vic Searls (Hilliard, Ohio) added 14 points and five boards, while graduate student guard Shereef Mitchell (Omaha, Neb.) and redshirt sophomore guard AJ Brown (Orlando, Fla.) both added 14 points as well. Freshman guard Elijah Elliott (Orlando, Fla.) rounded out the Ohio scoring with 10 points and five rebounds.
Overall, Ohio shot 53.2 percent from the field, 26.1 percent from three and were 15-of-22 from the line, while EMU shot 60.3 percent from the field, 58.8 percent from three and were 14-of-17 from the line. EMU outrebounded Ohio, 33-24, while EMU dished out 19 assists to the Bobcats 14. Ohio also scored 52 points in the paint, while also scoring 16 points off turnovers.
EMU won the tip, but Ohio got on the board first with a layup from Searls. After EMU tied it up, a three from Brown put Ohio up 5-2 early. As the two teams traded baskets over the next few minutes, EMU hit four-straight threes to help give the Eagles a seven-point lead, before a three from senior forward AJ Clayton (Roseville, Ohio) stopped the run to cut the deficit to 18-14 going into the first media timeout. Out of the break, a stop and a driving layup from Elliott cut the EMU lead to two with 11:50 to go in the half.
Out of the break, EMU when on an 18-6 run to take a 12-point lead, forcing Ohio to call a timeout with 6:50 to go in the first half. Out of the break, a three from Brown topped the run, but a 5-0 run from EMU put them up 13. Four-straight point from Elliott helped cut into the deficit, but a driving layup from the Eagles out them up 45-31 going into the final media timeout. Over the final few minutes, a three from Paveletzke cut into the deficit, sending the game to half with Ohio trailing 50-35.
At the half, Ohio shot 52 percent from the field, 33 percent from three and were 3-of-6 from the line, while EMU shot 61 percent from the field, 64 percent from three and were 3-of-5 from the line. EMU outrebounded Ohio 19-10 and dished out nine assists to Ohio’s six.
Ohio got the first basket of the second half, however, EMU continued to shoot efficiently from the paint, taking a 16-point lead into the first media timeout. A three-point play from junior guard Ajay Sheldon (Dublin, Ohio) halfway through the half helped cut into the Bobcats’ deficit, however, EMU matched it with a three of their own to stop the momentum. The Bobcats offense continued to push, capitalizing on free throws from Paveletzke and a dunk from Searls to cut the Ohio deficit to 10 with 5:20 to go in the game. However, a 6-0 run from EMU stopped the Ohio push, increasing the EMU lead with 4:17 left in the game.
However, the Ohio’s defense picked up the pressure, forcing EMU to turn the ball over in key possessions, allowing the Bobcats with layups from Paveletzke and a three from Mitchell to cut the deficit to five with 51 seconds to go in the game. However, there was not enough time remaining for the Bobcats to complete to comeback, with EMU capitalizing on their free throws down the stretch, with Ohio falling, 94-87.
For EMU, Da’Sean Nelson scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Christian Henry added 18 points and five boards.
Up next, the Bobcats return home on Friday, Jan. 24 when Ohio hosts Kent State. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center and can be seen on ESPNU.
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