By Sanderson “Snuffy” Smith

2 10 2024

OHIO GAME NOTES

https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2024/2/8/21024_Ohio_ArkState_Notes.pdf

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ATHENS, Ohio — The Ohio men’s basketball team (13-10) is back in action on Saturday, Feb. 10 when they head to Jonesboro, Ark. to take on Arkansas State (10-14). Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. EST inside First National Bank Arena. The game can be seen on ESPN+ where Graham Doty and CJ Pepper 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 Cornelius, 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
• 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.
• This is the second all-time meeting between Ohio and Arkansas State.
• Ohio leads the all-time series, 1-0.
• Ohio defeated Arkansas State, 69-54, in the only other matchups on Nov. 20, 2011 in Athens.
• This is the first trip to Jonesboro, Ark. for Ohio.
• Ohio is ranked 161st in the latest NET Ranking as of Feb. 8.
• Ohio is ranked 24th in the nation in turnover margin and are 46th in assist/turnover ratio and 80th in turnovers forced per game.
• The Bobcats are also 75th in the country in scoring offense and 66th in three-pointers per game.
• Individually, AJ Clayton is 58th in the NCAA in blocks per game and 50th in total blocks.
• Jaylin Hunter ranks 57th in assists per game, 47th in total assists and 95th in assist/TO ratio.
• Jaylin Hunter recorded a career-high 32 points in Ohio’s 84-79 overtime win at Ball State on Tuesday.
• Aidan Hadaway recorded his first career double double on Feb. 6 at Ball State, scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

SCOUTING ARKANSAS STATE
Arkansas State is 10-14 overall and 6-6 in the Sun Belt after falling to James Madison on Wednesday in Jonesboro.

Overall, Arkansas State averages 78.8 points a game, while shooting .434 from the field, .350 from three and .703 from the line. Arkansas State also averages 37.8 rebounds a game, 15.0 assists and 5.3 steals a game. Arkansas State also forces 9.9 turnovers a game.

Meanwhile, Opponents average 78.5 points and 36.8 rebounds a game. Opponents also shoot .451 from the field, .340 from three and .756 from the line. Opponents also dish out 11.6 assists and grab 7.8 steals a game, while also forcing 12.1 turnovers a game.

Individually, Caleb Field averages 13.1 points and 5.8 assists per game, while shooting .467 from the field and .345 from three. Dyondre Dominquez adds 12.3 points and 7.5 rebounds a game, while Taryn Todd adds 11.8 points a contest.

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with Arkansas State with a 13-10 overall record and a 7-4 mark in MAC play after defeating Ball State, 84-79 in overtime, Tuesday in Muncie.

Overall, Ohio is averaging 78.4 points per game, while shooting .460 from the field, .355 from three and 71.5 percent from the line. The Bobcats also add 36.1 rebounds, 14.1 assists and 6.7 steals per game, while forcing opponents to turn the ball over 13.3 times a game.

Meanwhile, Opponents are averaging 71.2 points a game, while shooting .424 from the field, .327 from three and .701 from the line. They also average 36.3 rebounds, 11.0 assists, 4.9 steals and force the Bobcats to turn the ball over an average of 9.8 times a game.

Individually, Jaylin Hunter leads Ohio with 14.6 points per game, while shooting .432 from the field and averaging 4.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. Shereef Mitchell adds 13.3 points a game, while shooting 49.4 percent from the field, while AJ Clayton averages 11.7 points and 4.5 rebounds a game, while shooting .525 from the field and .421 from three.

ALL TIME VS. ARKANSAS STATE
This is the second all-time meeting between Ohio and Arkansas State.

Ohio leads the all-time series, 1-0.

Ohio defeated Arkansas State, 69-54, in the only other matchups on Nov. 20, 2011 in Athens.

This is the first trip to Jonesboro, Ark. for Ohio.

LAST TIME VS. ARKANSAS STATE
Ohio defeated Arkansas State, 69-54, in the only other matchups on Nov. 20, 2011 in Athens.

OHIO IN NET
Ohio is ranked 161st in the latest NET Ranking as of Feb. 8.

OHIO IN NCAA
Ohio is ranked 24th in the nation in turnover margin and are 46th in assist/turnover ratio and 80th in turnovers forced per game.

The Bobcats are also 75th in the country in scoring offense and 66th in three-pointers per game.

Individually, AJ Clayton is 58th in the NCAA in blocks per game and 50th in total blocks.

Jaylin Hunter ranks 57th in assists per game, 47th in total assists and 95th in assist/TO ratio.

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 first in the MAC in total blocks and second in blocks per game. He is also fifth in field goal percentage and fifth in 3-point 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.

ANOTHER CAREER NIGHT FOR HUNTER
Jaylin Hunter scored a career-high 32 points on Feb. 6, in Ohio’s 84-79 thrilling overtime win over Ball State in Muncie.

Hunter went 10-of-17 from the field, 10-of-12 from the line and grabbed five rebounds and dished out five assists.

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 DAYS 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.

Hadaway recorded his first career double double on Feb. 6 at Ball State, scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in the win.

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.

Hunter was stellar on Feb. 3 against Miami, scoring a game-high 22 points, while grabbing three rebounds, dishing out eight assists and hitting four threes.

Jaylin Hunter scored a career-high 32 points on Feb. 6, in Ohio’s 84-79 thrilling overtime win over Ball State in Muncie.

Overall, this season Hunter is averaging 14.6 points a game and 4.9 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.

Mitchell put together a 16-point performance on Feb. 3 against Miami, while also grabbing six rebounds, dishing out four assists and going 3-for-3 from three.

So far this season, Mitchell is second on the Bobcats in scoring with 13.6 points and 4.0 rebounds a game, while shooting .494 from the field.

SOPHOMORE YEAR (ELMORE’S VERSION)
Sophomore guard Elmore James is looking to make a name for himself this season.

That plan started out on the right track on Nov. 8 against Troy, with James scoring 20 points, going 7-of-13 from the field, grabbing six rebounds, snagging two steals and going perfect from the line in Ohio’s 88-70 victory over Troy.

James was solid at the Nassau Championship Nov. 24-26. On Nov. 24 in a double OT loss to GW, James gabbed a career-high nine rebounds. The on Nov. 26 against Brown, James scored 18 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out four assists in the win.

James tied his career-high in points on Dec. 2 against Delaware, scoring 21 points and grabbing five rebounds in the victory.

James was named the MAC Co-Player of the Week on Dec. 4.

James recorded his first career double double on Dec. 6 against Youngstown State, scoring 13 points and grabbing a career-high 10 rebounds.

James put together a solid performance on Jan. 6 against NIU, scoring 11 points and grabbing seven boards in the victory.

James continued his hot start to MAC play, scoring a team-high 19 points on Jan. 9 at BGSU.

So far this season, James is averaging 9.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and is shooting 46.3 percent 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.

Hadaway recorded his first career double double on Feb. 6 at Ball State, scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in the win.

As Hadaway continues to see more minutes on the floor, he currently averages 7.2 points and 4.3 rebounds, while shooting 51.1 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.

Clayton tied his career-high with five made threes on Feb. 3 against Miami, scoring 15 points in the win.

So far this season, Clayton averages 11.7 and 4.5 boards a game, while registering 1.7 blocks per game. He is also shooting 52.5 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from three.

UP NEXT
Up next, the Bobcats will have six days off before returning to action on Friday, Feb. 16 when they head to Toledo, Ohio to take on Toledo. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. inside Savage Arena and can be seen nationally on ESPNU.

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COURTESY OHIO ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS