Dec. 22, 2006
Box Score | Photo Gallery 
TEMPE, Ariz. - The Ohio men's basketball squad suffered an 83-74 setback in the first game of the ASU Sleep America Classic when it fell to Davidson late Thursday night.
The Bobcats (6-3) were paced by Jerome Tillman's (Beavercreek, Ohio) third double-double in the last five games as he netted a team-high 19 points and 12 rebounds. Tillman led four Ohio players in double-figure scoring as Whitney Davis (Ann Arbor, Mich.) and Bubba Walther (Cincinnati, Ohio) each netted 18 while Leon Williams (Baltimore, Md.) finished with 12.
Stephen Curry led four Davidson (10-3) players in double figures with 19 points as the Wildcats earned their sixth win in a row.
With opening tip coming after 9:30 p.m., local time, the both teams struggled early to get shots to fall. Davidson knocked down two three-pointers to jump out to a 6-0 lead before Ohio got its first bucket of the night on a rebound dunk from Tillman 4:40 into the contest.
Davidson continued to control the tempo throughout most of the first half and led by as many as 13 points with six minutes left in the frame. But, thanks to 12 points in the half by Davis, the Bobcats were able to keep Davidson within striking distance as they headed into the break down 41-32.
The Bobcats mounted a number of runs in the second half to challenge for the lead, but Davidson held its ground. Ohio went on a 16-7 run from 15:15 to 6:38 to draw within two points at 62-60, but it could crawl no closer and the Wildcats held on for the 83-74 victory.
Ohio will now play North Carolina A&T, a 71-66 loser to tournament host Arizona State in the first game of the night - on Friday at approximately 4:30 p.m., MT.
Game Notes: The Bobcats shot a season-low 37.1-percent (26-of-70) from the floor in the game ... Ohio forced a season-high 19 turnovers ... Ohio's Bubba Walther scored in double figures for fifth time in six games as a Bobcat ... Ohio career steals leader Sonny Troutman passed 200 swipes for his career ... Davidson made 14 threes on the night, tying for the most that Ohio has allowed this year.
