Dec. 3, 2008
Final Stats | Notes | Photo Gallery 
ATHENS, Ohio - Four players scored in double figures and the Ohio University men's basketball team scored 39 points in the last 13:25 of regulation on Wednesday night to down Tulsa, 75-63, and extend its non-conference home winning streak to 23 games.
The Bobcats (3-1) made 20 of their last 22 free throws on the night, including 8-of-10 in the final five minutes, and finished 20-of-24 (.833) as a team from the charity stripe. On the season, Ohio is now 26-of-32 (.813) from the free throw line in the final five minutes of games.
"I really challenged our guys to execute and play our style tonight, and we did that across the board," Ohio head coach John Groce said. "We had several guys step up in different key situations, whether it be taking a charge, hitting a tough shot or grabbing a tough rebound. Two things I'm most proud of tonight are the ways we defended and took care of the basketball, and I think that translated into some really good things for us."
Ohio turned the ball over a season-low seven times, including just three in the first half, while dishing out 14 assists on the night. The Green & White forced Tulsa into 17 miscues on the evening, and won the points-off-turnovers battle, 13-3. Ohio also held TU to 37.5 percent shooting from the floor on Wednesday, including a season single-half low 31.3 percent in the second period.
Senior forward Jerome Tillman (Beavercreek, Ohio) scored a game-high 21 points to lead a quartet of Bobcats with double-digit point totals, marking his second-straight 20-point performance, and the 13th of his career. The Mid-American Conference's leading scorer sank 9-of-10 attempts from the free throw line on the night, while also finishing with six rebounds.
Senior forward Justin Orr (Cincinnati, Ohio) fell just two points shy of his career best with a season-high 18 on the night, sinking a career-best four three-point field goals as part of a 7-for-12 shooting night from the field. He was also active on the glass against the Golden Hurricane, ripping down a personal-best eight boards to go along with two steals and an assist.
Senior guard Michael Allen (Detroit, Mich.) scored 13 of his career-high 15 points in the second half, while also tallying a career-best four steals and dishing out five assists without committing a turnover. Freshman backcourt mate Steven Coleman (Melbourne, Fla.) was also a dual threat on Wednesday, dealing out a career-best eight assists compared to just one turnover, while scoring a dozen points. Coleman also added seven rebounds and two steals to his line versus TU.
Tillman sank a pair of free throws at the 13:25 mark of the second period to key a 13-2 Ohio run that spanned a Tulsa timeout and culminated when Allen drove the lane for a reverse layup that edged the Bobcats out in front by a 48-46 margin. A Tillman three-point play put the Green & White up, 56-48, with 7:20 left in regulation before the Golden Hurricane mounted a comeback that saw them pull within two points. Allen hit a jumper at the elbow with 4:23 on the clock to increase Ohio's margin to 60-56 before Coleman found a streaking Orr for a layup to force Tulsa into a timeout with 3:50 on the clock and the Bobcats holding a 62-56 advantage.
Ohio would clinch the victory from the free throw line in the final 2:25 of play, sinking 8-of-10 shots from the charity stripe and opening up a lead that grew to as many as 16 points before the horn sounded.
Ohio took its first lead of the night at the 3:59 mark of the first half when Tillman completed a three-point play to cap a personal 7-0 run and push the Bobcats out in front by a score of 25-24. Coleman and Tillman were both able to penetrate for jumpers in the paint before the half, helping Ohio head into the locker room down by just a point, 30-29.
Tillman led all players with 13 first-half points, while Orr chipped in with seven on 3-of-6 shooting and Coleman had five. The Bobcats scored seven points off of nine Tulsa turnovers in the first 20 minutes, while giving the ball away just three times.
"We're going to enjoy this win tonight, but we'll get back to business tomorrow when we sit down as a team to watch this film," Groce said. "We've got a stretch coming up in which we'll play a lot of games in a short period of time, and the most important thing we can do is try to get one percent better each day."
The Bobcats will now begin preparations for the University of Louisville's Marques Maybin Classic, where they will meet Lamar, Louisville and Indiana State in succession from Saturday-Monday. Tip-off for Saturday's opener against Lamar is slated for 4:30 p.m. ET. Live stats will be available at ohiobobcats.com.
