Ohio Men’s Basketball Set for Matchup with Kent State Tonight

By Lamont Burroughs

2 14 2025

 

OHIO BOBCATS GAME NOTES

https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2025/2/13/021425_Ohio_KentState_Notes.pdf

 

KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES GAME NOTES

https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2025/2/13/KSUMBB_24-25_Game_25_vs._Ohio_Notes.pdf

 

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ATHENS, Ohio — The Ohio men’s basketball team (13-11, 7-4 MAC) is back in action on Friday, Feb. 14 when the Bobcats head to Kent, Ohio to take on Kent State (16-8, 6-5 MAC) for the second time in six game. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET inside the M.A.C. Center. The game can be seen nationally on CBS Sports Network where Alex Del Barrio and Pete Gillen will be on 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 159th all-time meeting between Ohio and Kent State.
• Ohio leads the all-time series, 100-58.
• Ohio is 15-19 against Kent State since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 6-6 against the Flashes under Jeff Boals.
• Ohio and Kent State met on Jan. 24 in Athens, with Ohio winning 61-59.
• Ohio win over Kent State on Jan. 24 is the third-straight wins for the Bobcats over the Flashes. It is the first time since Jan. 26, 2013-Jan. 8, 2014 that Ohio has won three-straight over Kent State.
• The Bobcats and Kent State met twice last season, with Ohio winning both matchups.
• Junior guard Jackson Paveletzke is 82 points away from 1,000 in his career.
• 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 175th in the Feb. 10 NET Rankings.

SCOUTING KENT STATE
Kent State enters the matchup against Ohio with a 16-8 record and a 6-5 mark in MAC play after defeating Central Michigan on Tuesday at home.

Kent State averages 71.1 points a game, while shooting .422 from the field, .305 from three and .752 from the line, while opponents are averaging 65.6 points per game, while shooting .410 from the field, .306 from three and .738 from the line.

Kent State averages 36.1 rebounds, 12.8 assists, 7.7 steals and 3.5 blocks a game, while forcing 13.6 turnovers a game. Meanwhile, Kent State opponents average 32.6 rebounds, 12.7 assists, 6.4 steals and 3.2 blocks a game, while forcing the Flashes to turn the ball over an average of 11.5 times a contest.

Individually, VonCameron Davis leads Kent State with 15.6 points a game, while shooting .446 from the field and averaging 3.9 rebounds a game. Jalen Sullinger adds 13.5 points a game, while shooting .408 from the field and .336 from three, while Morgan Safford adds 10.6 points and 6.1 rebounds a game.

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio is currently 13-11 overall and 7-4 in MAC play after defeating Bowling Green, 86-81 Tuesday night in Bowling Green.

Ohio is averaging 79.9 points per game, while shooting .471 from the field, .352 from three and .771 from the line, while opponents are averaging 75.3 points per game, while shooting .450 from the field, .378 from three and .673 from the line.

Ohio is averaging 34.0 rebounds, 14.3 assists, 3.3 blocks and 7.3 steals per game, while forcing 13.2 turnovers a contest. Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 35.3 rebounds, 13.5 assists, 3.0 blocks and 6.9 steals per game, while forcing Ohio to turn the ball over 11.5 times a game.

Individually, AJ Clayton averages 15.0 points and 5.9 rebounds a game, while shooting .473 from the field, .375 from three and .817 from the line. AJ Brown averages 13.1 points a game, while shooting .472 from the field, .364 from three and .871 from the line, while Jackson Paveletzke adds 12.9 points, 5.0 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game. Shereef Mitchell adds 11.9 points, while shooting .475 from the field, while Elmore James averages 7.5 points, while shooting .857 from the line.

ALL TIME VS. KENT STATE
This is the 159th all-time meeting between Ohio and Kent State.

Ohio leads the all-time series, 100-58.

Ohio is 15-19 against Kent State since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 6-6 against the Flashes under Jeff Boals.

Ohio and Kent State met on Jan. 24 in Athens, with Ohio winning 61-59.

Ohio win over Kent State on Jan. 24 is the third-straight wins for the Bobcats over the Flashes. It is the first time since Jan. 26, 2013-Jan. 8, 2014 that Ohio has won three-straight over Kent State.

The Bobcats and Kent State met twice last season, with Ohio winning both matchups.

ANOTHER HUNTS FOR 1,000
Junior guard Jackson Paveletzke is currently 82 points away from 1,000 for his career, sitting at 918 entering Friday’s matchup.

OHIO IN NET
The Bobcats currently rank 172nd in the Feb. 13 NET Rankings.

Ohio is the fourth-highest MAC team behind Kent State, Akron, and Miami.

OHIO IN NCAA
Currently Ohio ranks 95th in the nation in forced turnovers per game. The Bobcats are also 8th in fastbreak points and 64th in field goal percentage.

Ohio also ranks 63rd in effective field goal percentage, 50th in scoring offense, 28th in free throw percentage and 82nd in free throws made per game.

Ohio also ranks 94th in turnover margin.

Meanwhile, Jackson Paveletzke ranks 54th in assists per game and 51st in assists.

AJ Brown ranks 52nd in free throws percentage.

AJ Clayton ranks 79th in blocks and 43rd in blocks per game.

BOBCATS IN THE MAC
Jackson Paveletzke is third in assists and second in assist/turnover ratio.

AJ Brown ranks fourth in free throw percentage.

AJ Clayton is first in blocks, fourth in three-point field goals per game and 11th in scoring.

UP NEXT
Ohio heads back to Athens on Tuesday, Feb. 18 when they host Central Michigan. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET inside the Convocation Center and can be seen on ESPN+.

#OUohyeah 

 

COURTESY OHIO ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

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