GAME NOTES

https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2023/1/27/12823_Ohio_Akron_Notes.pdf

LISTEN

https://thevarsitynetwork.com/audioapplink/source/oas-1965/content/ohiouni:allaccess-Live-135

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ATHENS, Ohio — The Ohio men’s basketball team (11-9, 3-4 MAC) is back in action on Saturday, Jan. 28 when the Bobcats head to Akron (14-6, 6-1 MAC). tip-off is set for 2 p.m. inside James A. Rhodes Arena. The Bobcats matchup will be seen on ESPN3.

The Bobcats’ matchup can also be heard on the Ohio Sports Network from Learfield. Russ Eisenstein returns for his 15th 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
• Ohio is coming off an 88-76 victory over Western Michigan on Tuesday night inside the Convocation Center. 
• This is the 89th all-time meeting between Ohio and Western Michigan.
• Akron leads the all-time series, 46-42. 
• The Bobcats and Akron met twice last season, with the two teams splitting the series. 
•The Bobcats took the first game, 69-63 at Akron, before following to the Zips, 91-83 in the Convo.  
• Ohio is 12-16 against Akron since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 2-4 against The Zips under Jeff Boals. 
• Ohio is ranked 141st in the latest NET Rankings, with Akron ranked 121.
• In the NCAA, Ohio ranks 31st in total rebounds per game, 58th in defensive rebounds per game and 53rd in offensive rebounds per game.
• Ohio also ranks 58th in three point percentage, 59th in three pointers made and 50th in scoring offense. The Bobcats also rank 38th in bench points per game. 
• Dwight Wilson III is 18th in the NCAA in field goal percentage and 16th in offensive rebounds per game and 18th in rebounds per game. He also ranks 29th in double doubles and 36th in total rebounds. 
• Dwight Wilson III is coming off a monster day against WMU, where he scored a career-high 31 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the win. 
• Miles Brown added another stellar highlight to his career on Jan. 21 against CMU, scoring a career-high 27 points and hitting six three pointers. 
• The Bobcats hit a season high 15 three pointers against CMU on Jan. 21. 
• Elmore James put together a career-high 21 point performance in Jan. 17 at Toledo, going 8-of-10 from the field, 2-of-3 from three and 3-of-4 from the line. 
• Jaylin Hunter had a career-high 23-point performance against Ball State on Jan. 10. 

SCOUTING AKRON
Akron enters the matchup with Ohio with a 14-6 record and a 6-1 mark in MAC play and is coming off an 73-68 win over Miami on Tuesday. 

Overall, Akron averages 71.2 points a game, while shooting .421 from the field, .330 from three and .722 from the line. Akron also averages 36.9 rebounds a game, 13.0 assists and 6.5 steals a game. Akron also forces 10.0 turnovers a game. 

Meanwhile, Opponents average 62.3 points and 33.4 rebounds a game. Opponents also shoot .413 from the field, .333 from three and .705 from the line. Opponents also dish out 11.3 assists and grab 5.7 steals a game, while also forcing 11.1 turnovers a game. 

Individually, Xavier Castaneda averages 20.6 points a game, while grabbing 4.5 rebounds. He also shoots .409 from the field, .383 from three and .818 from the line. Enrique Freeman adds 14.2 points and 10.6 rebounds, while shooting .580 from the field an d.644 from the line. 

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with Akron with an 11-9 record and a 3-4 mark in MAC play after defeating WMU, 88-76 on Tuesday night.

As a team, Ohio is averaging 77.9 points and 38.9 rebounds a game, while opponents average 72.5 points and 35.5 rebounds a game. The Bobcats are also shooting .458 from the field, .366 from three and .726 from the line. Ohio also adds 13.6 assists, 6.5 steals and force 12.2 turnovers a game. 

Opponents are shooting .431 from the field, .349 from three and .660 from the line, while dishing out 13.1 assists, 6.7 steals and 11.8 turnovers a game. 

Individually, Dwight Wilson III leads Ohio with 15.5 points a game, while shooting .621 from the field, while also averaging 9.9 rebounds a game. Miles Brown adds 10.6 points a game, while Jaylin Hunter averages 10.2 points and 4.3 assists per game. AJ Brown adds 10.4 points a game. 

ALL TIME VS. AKRON
This is the 89th all-time meeting between Ohio and Western Michigan.

Akron leads the all-time series, 46-42. 

The Bobcats and Akron met twice last season, with the two teams splitting the series. 

The Bobcats took the first game, 69-63 at Akron, before following to the Zips, 91-83 in the Convo.  

Ohio is 12-16 against Akron since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 2-4 against The Zips under Jeff Boals.

LAST TIME AGAINST AKRON
The Bobcats and Akron last meet on Feb. 25, 2022 with Akron winning, 91-83 in the Convo. 

Overall, Ohio shot 48 percent from the field, 42 percent from three and went 8-of-13 from the line, while Akron shot 63 percent from the field, 27 percent from three and were 27-of-35 from the line. Akron outrebounded Ohio, 33-23, while Ohio dished out 15 assists to Akron’s 11. Ohio also forced 11 Akron turnovers. 

Individually, Mark Sears led Ohio with 20 points, going 4-for-7 from three, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out seven assists. Ben Vander Plas scored 17 points and grabbed four rebounds, while Jason Carter added 17 points and four rebounds. Tommy Schmock scored 14 points, while Miles Brown added 11 points and hit three threes for the Bobcats.

For Akron, Ali Ali scored 22 points, Greg Tribble added 17 points and Enrique Freeman scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds. 

LAST TIME OUT
Dwight Wilson III secured his new career high of 31 points going 13-of-16 from the field and 5-of-7 from the free throw line. Wilson III also grabbed 11 rebounds; five offensive and six defensive. AJ Brown, was another key player for the Bobcats securing 16 points. Brown went 6-of-10 from the field, 1-of-3 from the three, and 3-of-4 from the free throw line.    

Overall, Ohio shot 50 percent from the field, went 9-of-26 from three and was 13-of-18 from the line, while WMU shot 46  percent from the field, 29 percent from three and was 17-of-27 from the line. Ohio out-rebounded WMU 41-33,  had 12 assists to their 10, and forced eight Bronco turnovers.

For Western Michigan, Lamar Norman Jr. led with 20 points, followed by Wright with 16 points and five rebounds.

OHIO IN NET
Ohio is ranked 141st in the latest NET Rankings, with Akron ranked 121.

OHIO IN NCAA
In the NCAA, Ohio ranks 31st in total rebounds per game, 58th in defensive rebounds per game and 53rd in offensive rebounds per game.

Ohio also ranks 58th in three point percentage, 59th in three pointers made and 50th in scoring offense. The Bobcats also rank 38th in bench points per game. 

Dwight Wilson III is 18th in the NCAA in field goal percentage and 16th in offensive rebounds per game and 18th in rebounds per game. He also ranks 29th in double doubles and 36th in total rebounds. 

DJ BACK AT IT
Dwight Wilson III continued to build on his career year on Tuesday, setting anew career-high with 31 points, while grabbing 11 rebounds. Wilson III went 13-of-16 from the field and 5-of-7 from the line in the victory. 

MILES WITH ANOTHER CAREER NIGHT
Senior guard Miles Brown hit another career night on Jan. 21 against CMU, scoring 27 points and hitting six three pointers in Ohio’s win. 

Brown previously set his career high on Jan. 3 with 24 points at Buffalo. 

EJ IV WITH THE CAREER NIGHT
Elmore James put together a career-high 21 point performance in Jan. 17 at Toledo, going 8-of-10 from the field, 2-of-3 from three and 3-of-4 from the line. 

UP NEXT
Up next, Ohio stays on the road when they head to Ypsilanti, Mich. on Tuesday, Jan. 31 when the Bobcats take on Eastern Michigan. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.

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