By Bert Leeson

2 27 2024

OHIO GAME NOTES

https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2024/2/26/22724_Ohio_Akron_Notes.pdf

AKRON GAME NOTES

https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2024/2/26/AKRON_MBB_2023-24_at_Ohio.pdf

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ATHENS, Ohio — The Ohio men’s basketball team (15-12, 9-5 MAC) are back in Athens for the final two home games of the regular season starting on Tuesday, Feb. 27 when the Bobcats host MAC-leading Akron (20-7, 12-2 MAC). Tip-off is set for 7 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 be on the call.  WXTQ (Power 105) in Athens returns as the 11-station network’s flagship.

STORYLINES
• This is the 92nd all-time meeting between Ohio and Akron.
• Akron leads the all-time series, 48-43.
• Ohio and Akron met on Jan. 13 in Akron, with the Bobcats falling, 63-58.
• The Bobcats and Akron met twice last season, with the two teams splitting the season series.
• Akron took the first game in Akron, 83-77, while Ohio took the game in Athens, 90-81.
• Ohio is 13-18 against Akron since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 3-6 against The Zips under Jeff Boals.
• Ohio is ranked 155th in the latest NET Ranking as of Feb. 26.
• Ohio has registered an impressive 564-182 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.
• Ohio finished 14-1 in the Convo this season.
• This season Ohio 10-3 in the Convo.
• Ohio is 59-14 in the Convo under Boals in the last five seasons.
• Ohio is ranked 42nd in the NCAA in assist/turnover ratio and 27th in turnover margin.
• The Bobcats are also 64th in the country in scoring offense and 40th in three-pointers per game and 51st in 3pt field goal percentage.
• Ohio is 58th in effective field goal percentage and 83rd in scoring margin.
• Individually, AJ Clayton is 61st in blocks and 57th in blocks per game.
• Jaylin Hunter ranks 49th in assists per game, 55th in total assists and 84th in assist/TO ratio.
• Miles Brown and Aidan Hadaway both scored 17 points in Ohio’s win at NIU on Feb. 24.

SCOUTING AKRON
Akron is 20-7 and 12-2 in MAC play and are coming off a win over Kent State on Friday.

Overall, Akron averages 75.0 points a game, while shooting .458 from the field, .337 from three and .729 from the line. Akron also averages 37.0 rebounds a game, 13.4 assists and 6.0 steals a game. Akron also forces 12.1 turnovers a game.

Meanwhile, Opponents average 65.0 points and 31.9 rebounds a game. Opponents also shoot .426 from the field, .305 from three and .677 from the line. Opponents also dish out 11.9 assists and grab 6.2 steals a game, while also forcing 11.2 turnovers a game.

Individually, Enrique Freeman leads Akron with 18.3 points and 13.0 rebounds a game, while shooting .585 from the field, .378 from three and .725 from the line. Ali Ali adds 15.5 points and 3.8 rebounds a game, while shooting .472 from the field. Greg Tribble adds 10.8 points a game, while shooting .483 from the field.

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with Akron with a 15-12 overall record and a 9-5 mark in MAC play and are coming off an 80-59 win at NIU  on Feb. 24 in DeKalb.

Overall, Ohio is averaging 78.4 points per game, while shooting .462 from the field, .365 from three and 72.4 percent from the line. The Bobcats also add 35.2 rebounds, 14.1 assists and 6.7 steals per game, while forcing opponents to turn the ball over 13.0 times a game.

Meanwhile, Opponents are averaging 71.8 points a game, while shooting .430 from the field, .332 from three and .710 from the line. They also average 35.9 rebounds, 11.1 assists, 4.9 steals and force the Bobcats to turn the ball over an average of 9.7 times a game.

Individually, Jaylin Hunter leads Ohio with 14.4 points per game, while shooting .436 from the field and averaging 4.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. Shereef Mitchell adds 12.8 points a game, while shooting 46.7 percent from the field, while AJ Clayton averages 12.0 points and 4.6 rebounds a game, while shooting .516 from the field and .414 from three.

ALL TIME VS. AKRON
This is the 92nd all-time meeting between Ohio and Akron.

Akron leads the all-time series, 48-43.

Ohio and Akron met on Jan. 13 in Akron, with the Bobcats falling, 63-58.

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

Akron took the first game in Akron, 83-77, while Ohio took the game in Athens, 90-81.

Ohio is 13-18 against Akron since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 3-6 against The Zips under Jeff Boals.

LAST TIME VS. AKRON
Ohio and Akron last met on Jan. 23, 2024 in Akron, with the Zips winning, 67-58.

Overall, Ohio shot 38.9 percent from the field, 28.6 percent from three and were 10-of-13 from the line, while Akron shot 41.9 percent from the field, 44.4 percent from three and were 23-of-29 from the line. Ohio outrebounded the Zips, 32-31 and forced 14 turnovers and dished out seven assists.

Individually, Shereef Mitchell led the Bobcats with 14 points, seven rebounds and three steals, followed by Jaylin Hunter with 11 points, six rebounds and three assists. AJ Clayton scored 10 points, while Miles Brown added nine points and five rebounds.

For Akron, Enrique Freeman led with 19 points and 14 rebounds, followed by Greg Tribble and Shammah Scott with 10 points each.

PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Ohio has registered an impressive 564-182 (.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 10-3 in the Convo.

Ohio is 59-14 in the Convo under Boals in the last five seasons.

OHIO IN NET
Ohio is ranked 155th in the latest NET Ranking as of Feb. 26.

OHIO IN NCAA
Ohio is ranked 42nd in the NCAA in assist/turnover ratio and 27th in turnover margin.

The Bobcats are also 64th in the country in scoring offense and 40th in three-pointers per game and 51st in 3pt field goal percentage.

Ohio is 58th in effective field goal percentage and 83rd in scoring margin.

Individually, AJ Clayton is 61st in blocks and 57th in blocks per game.

Jaylin Hunter ranks 49th in assists per game, 55th in total assists and 84th 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 second in the MAC in total blocks and second in blocks per game. He is also sixth in field goal percentage and fifth in 3-point field goal percentage.

Aidan Hadaway is currently fifth in FG%.

Ajay Sheldon is first in the MAC in three-point shooting percentage.

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.

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

He then added another 20-point performance on Feb. 10 at Arkansas State and was named the MAC Co-Player of the Week on Feb. 12.

Hunter added 16 points against Toledo on Feb. 16, hitting four threes, while also grabbing five rebounds and dishing out six assists.

Overall, this season Hunter is averaging 14.4 points, 5.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds a 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.

Mitchell recorded a career-high nine rebounds against Kent State on Feb. 20.

So far this season, Mitchell is second on the Bobcats in scoring with 12.8 points and 4.2 rebounds a game, while shooting .467 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.

Hadway had a stellar game at NIU on feb. 24, scoring 17 points, while going 6-of-6 from the field, 1-of-1 from three and 4-of-4 from the line.

As Hadaway continues to see more minutes on the floor, he currently averages 7.8 points and 4.4 rebounds, while shooting 51.9 percent from the field.

ONE LAST TRIP FOR MILES
Fifth year guard Miles Brown is looking to make the most of his final season in the Green and White.

Brown was steady in his season debut, adding nine points, a steal and a block in Ohio’s win over Troy.

After missing a month, Brown made is return to the lineup on Dec. 18 against Defiance, scoring 12 points in 12 minutes on the court.

On Dec. 30 against Davidson, Brown nearly recorded a double double, with nine points and nine rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench.

Brown had his best game of the season on Jan. 16 against CMU, scoring 17 points in the win.

Brown was back in action on Jan. 20, scoring seven points, while grabbing nine rebounds and dishes out five assists.

Brown had a solid game at Toledo on Feb. 16, scoring 12 points, recorded two steals and went 7-of-9 from the line.

Brown tied his season high with 17 points at NIU on Feb. 24, going 6-of-8 from the field, 3-of-4 from three and had three steals.

As Brown sees his minutes increase in MAC play, he currently averages 8.9 points and 3.9 rebounds a game.

UP NEXT
Up next, the concludes the 2023-24 home slate on Friday, March 1 when Ohio hosts Bowling Green. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. inside the Convocation Center and can be seen on CBS Sports Network. Prior to the game, Ohio will honors seniors Jaylin Hunter and Miles Brown.

#OUohyeah 

COURTESY OHIO ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS