By Lamont Burroughs
3 4 2025
OHIO GAME NOTES
https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2025/3/3/030425_Ohio_EMU_Notes.pdf
EASTERN MICHIGAN GAME NOTES
https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2025/3/3/30_-_EMU_MBB_Notes_at_Ohio_University.pdf
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ATHENS, Ohio — The Ohio men’s basketball team (16-13, 10-6 MAC) concludes the home portion of its schedule on Tuesday, March 4 when the Bobcats host Eastern Michigan (15-14, 8-8 MAC). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET inside the Convocation Center. It’s Senior Night for the Bobcats, with AJ Clayton, Shereef Mitchell and Vic Searls being honored prior to the start of the game. The game can be seen on ESPN+ where Marty Bannister, Dave Cecutti and Jillian Sanders will have the call.
The Bobcats’ matchup can also be heard on the Ohio Sports Network from Learfield, presented by Holzer Health System. Jason Toy begins his first season on the mic for the Bobcats, and will be joined by Ohio alum Rob Cornelius, who has been a part of the broadcasts for two decades. WXTQ (Power 105) in Athens returns as the 11-station net- work’s flagship.
STORYLINES
• This is the 85th all-time meeting between Ohio and Eastern Michigan.
• Ohio leads the all-time series, 56-28.
• Ohio and EMU met on Jan. 21 in Ypsilanti, with the Eagles winning 84-97.
• The Bobcats and EMU met once last season with Ohio defeating the Eagles, 85-67, in Athens.
• Ohio is 13-7 against EMU since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 6-2 against EMU under Jeff Boals.
• Ohio has registered an impressive 578-184 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.
• This season the Bobcats are 12-2 in the Convo.
• Ohio is 73-16 in the Convo under Boals in the last six seasons.
• Junior guard Jackson Paveletzke is 12 points away from 1,000 in his career.
• Graduate Student guard Shereef Mitchell is 34 points away from 1,000 for his career.
• Ohio’s win on Saturday helped move the Bobcats to third in the MAC standings with two games to go.
• The Bobcats win over Akron on Feb. 22 snapped the Zips 14-game winning streak, which at the time was the longest in the nation.
• On Feb. 18 against CMU, Jackson Paveletzke scored 22 points and had six rebounds, while AJ Brown added 20 points and seven rebounds, with Shereef Mitchell adding 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
• At Kent State on Feb. 14, graduate student guard Shereef Mitchell was stellar, leading the Bobcats with 25 points, going 9-of-14 from the field and hitting a career-high four three pointers.
• Against Toledo on Jan. 28, AJ Brown and Jackson Paveletzke both scored 22 points, with Brown recording a career-high with eight rebounds.
• Junior guard Jackson Paveletzke scored a career-high 28 points at EMU on Jan. 21.
• Graduate student guard Shereef Mitchell, in his first start since Nov. 9, scored a career-high 27 points on Jan. 17 at Akron.
• AJ Clayton scored his 1,000the career point on Jan. 11 against NIU.
• Senior forward AJ Clayton had a 31-point performance on Jan. 11 against NIU. Clayton hit a career-high nine threes in the victory.
• The Bobcats currently rank 161st in the March 3 NET Rankings.
SCOUTING EASTERN MICHIGAN
Eastern Michigan enters the matchup against Ohio with a 15-14 record and an 8-8 mark in MAC play after defeating Central Michigan on Saturday.
EMU averages 73.3 points a game, while shooting .459 from the field, .345 from three and .727 from the line, while opponents are averaging 76.3 points per game, while shooting .462 from the field, .364 from three and .747 from the line.
EMU averages 32.8 rebounds, 12.9 assists, 6.8 steals and 3.4 blocks a game, while forcing 12.3 turnovers a game. Meanwhile, EMU opponents average 33.6 rebounds, 13.0 assists, 7.4 steals and 3.0 blocks a game, while forcing the Eagles to turn the ball over an average of 13.0 times a contest.
Individually, Jalen Terry leads the Eagles with 17.0 points, 5-0 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, while shooting .458 from the field, 388 from three and .861 from the line. Da’Sean Nelson adds 16.4 points and 5.9 rebounds a game, while shooting .486 from the field, while Christian Henry averages 14.0 points and 3.5 assists a game, while shooting .416 from the field.
SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio is currently 16-13 overall and 10-6 in MAC play after defeating Miami, 75-66, in the Convo on Saturday.
Ohio is averaging 79.6 points per game, while shooting .470 from the field, .357 from three and .757 from the line, while opponents are averaging 75.2 points per game, while shooting .451 from the field, .373 from three and .684 from the line.
Ohio is averaging 33.4 rebounds, 14.4 assists, 3.1 blocks and 7.4 steals per game, while forcing 13.2 turnovers a contest. Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 35.8 rebounds, 13.1 assists, 2.9 blocks and 6.7 steals per game, while forcing Ohio to turn the ball over 11.0 times a game.
Individually, AJ Clayton averages 14.4 points and 5.4 rebounds a game, while shooting .465 from the field, .364 from three and .817 from the line. AJ Brown averages 13.2 points a game, while shooting .471 from the field, .388 from three and .820 from the line, while Jackson Paveletzke adds 13.1 points, 4.9 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game, while shooting .500 from the field. Shereef Mitchell adds 12.8 points, while shooting .466 from the field and .429 from three,while Elmore James averages 7.7 points, while shooting .393 from the field and .365 from three.
ALL TIME VS. EASTERN MICHIGAN
This is the 85th all-time meeting between Ohio and Eastern Michigan.
Ohio leads the all-time series, 56-28.
Ohio and EMU met on Jan. 21 in Ypsilanti, with the Eagles winning 84-97.
The Bobcats and EMU met once last season with Ohio defeating the Eagles, 85-67, in Athens.
Ohio is 13-7 against EMU since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 6-2 against EMU under Jeff Boals.
PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Ohio has registered an impressive 578-184 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.
Ohio finished 14-2 in the Convo last season.
Ohio is 73-16 in the Convo under Boals in the last six seasons.
Ohio is currently 12-2 in the Convo this season.
REEF AND PAV HUNT FOR 1,000
Junior guard Jackson Paveletzke is currently 12 points away from 1,000 for his career, sitting at 988 entering Tuesday’s matchup.
Graduate student guard Shereef Mitchell is currently 34 points away from 1,000, currently sitting at 966.
OHIO IN NET
The Bobcats currently rank 161st in the March 3 NET Rankings.
Ohio is the fourth-highest MAC team behind Kent State, Akron, and Miami.
OHIO IN NCAA
Currently Ohio ranks 87th in the nation in forced turnovers per game. The Bobcats are also 13th in fastbreak points and 65th in field goal percentage.
Ohio also ranks 60th in effective field goal percentage, 49th in scoring offense, 54th in free throw percentage and 113th in free throws made per game.
Ohio also ranks 58th in turnover margin, 75th in three-pointers per game and 81st in three-point percentage.
Meanwhile, Jackson Paveletzke ranks 59th in assists per game and 57th in assists.
Shereef Mitchell ranks 93rd in steals per game.
AJ Clayton ranks 102nd in blocks and 73rd in blocks per game.
BOBCATS IN THE MAC
Jackson Paveletzke is third in assists and second in assist/turnover ratio. He is also 10th in field goal percentage.
AJ Brown ranks eighth in free throw percentage.
Shereef Mitchell ranks sixth in free throw, third in three-point field goal percentage and fourth in steals.
AJ Clayton is first in blocks, sixth in three-point field goals per game and 14th in scoring and 10th in free throw percentage.
UP NEXT
Ohio closes out the regular season on Friday, March 7 when the Bobcats head to Toledo, Ohio to take on Toledo. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET inside Savage Arena and can be seen on ESPN+.
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