Dec. 8, 2008
Final Stats
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Three Ohio University men's basketball players scored in double figures and senior forward Jerome Tillman recorded his fourth double-double of the season on Monday, as the Bobcats capped the Marques Maybin Classic with a 62-50 win over Indiana State.
Holding a slim 27-25 lead at the half, the Bobcats (4-3) responded with a 35-25 second-half outburst that saw them shoot 46.7 percent (14-of-30) from the floor in the last 20 minutes. Ohio also held a 20-16 rebounding advantage and turned the ball over just six times after the break.
The 50 points yielded by the Ohio defense were its fewest since allowing just 48 to Bowling Green in a home victory on Feb. 19, 2008, and its lowest opponent point total away from Athens since defeating Bucknell, 53-47, on Jan. 2, 2008. The Bobcats limited ISU to just 34.0 percent shooting (16-of-47), including a 34.8-percent mark (8-of-23) from long distance.
The victory also snapped a four-game Ohio losing skid in neutral-site games.
"Our ability put pressure on the ball was a major key in the game today," Ohio head coach John Groce said. "We were consumed with playing as hard as we absolutely could, and that translated into some good things on both ends of the court. We were able to create disruption in their offense, and our pressure on the ball really had an effect on their field goal percentage."
The leading scorer in the Mid-American Conference, Tillman (Beavercreek, Ohio) netted 18 points to pace the Bobcats and surpass Ohio Athletics Hall of Fame member Jerry Jackson for sole possession of 20th place on the program's career scoring chart. He knocked down 5-of-10 shots from the floor and finished a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line en route to reaching double figures for the sixth time in as many outings this season.
Tillman also propelled Ohio to a 35-30 advantage on the glass with a game-high 16 boards, matching his season high and falling just one shy of equaling his personal best, to secure the 22nd double-double of his career. He also accounted for one of the Bobcats' two blocked shots on the afternoon.
Freshman guard Steven Coleman (Melbourne, Fla.) was also active on both ends of the court on Monday, turning in his fourth-career double-figure scoring performance with 16 points and swiping a career-best five steals in the victory. Coleman, who also chipped in with a pair of assists, connected on seven of a career-high 13 field goal attempts in 34 minutes of action.
The Bobcats' double-digit scoring trio was rounded out by senior forward Justin Orr (Cincinnati, Ohio), who tallied double-figures for the third time in the last four games with 15 points on 7-of-14 shooting.
Freshman guard Frankie Dobbs (Lakewood, Ohio) played 28 minutes off the bench on Monday, directing the Ohio offense to the tune of a career-best seven assists, while committing just two turnovers. He also scored four points, including a key first-half bucket, and contributed four rebounds.
Sophomore guard Tommy Freeman (Muncie, Ind.) helped the Bobcats to a 10-4 advantage in bench points with a half dozen in a reserve role, while sophomore forwards DeVaughn Washington (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Adetunji Adedipe (Orange Village, Ohio) combined to record five rebounds.
"I love to see how we responded today after having two tough games to open this tournament," Groce said. "I challenged our guys this morning to really plant our feet and make a statement about who we are. I couldn't be more thrilled with how hard we played across the board."
Dobbs hit a foul-line jumper with just over six minutes left in the first half to spark a 7-0 Ohio run that culminated with a trifecta from Coleman to give the Bobcats a 20-16 advantage. Dobbs scored again and Tillman added the final two of his team-high 12 first-half points down the stretch to help the Green & White take a 27-25 lead into the break.
Freeman drained back-to-back shots from beyond the arc and Tillman hit four free throws to fuel a 12-0 Bobcat run in the early portion of the second half, pushing Ohio out to a 39-28 lead while the Green & White held ISU without a point for more than six minutes of clock time. After the Sycamores narrowed the gap to just six at 47-41, Coleman reeled off seven-straight points to steal momentum back for Ohio and propel the Bobcats to a 54-41 edge. The Sycamores drew within as many as eight down the stretch before a Tillman layup at the 4:47 mark gave Ohio a lead that would not dip below double figures for the remainder of the contest.
Ohio will wrap up its four-game road swing on Wednesday night, when it ventures to the Cintas Center for a date with No. 10/9 Xavier in the first meeting between the two schools since the 1995-96 campaign. The action, which is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. ET tip-off, will be televised live on FSN Ohio with Brad Johansen and Steve Wolf on the call. The Citizens Bank Ohio ISP Sports Network will begin its coverage at 7 p.m. ET.
