Nov. 23, 2009
Final Stats | Quotes
ATHENS, Ohio - The Ohio Bobcats men's basketball team withstood a scoring drought to open the game and pressuring defense from the visiting Lamar Cardinals to remain undefeated with a 71-46 win on Monday night at the Convo. Ohio improved to 4-0, while Lamar dropped to 2-2.
The win pushes the Bobcats' non-conference home winning streak to 30 games, dating back to the 2004-05 season. The Bobcats are now 64-8 (.889) at home since that season.
Ohio is 11-2 at the Convo under head coach John Groce, including a perfect 10-0 against non-conference teams.
Unlike their previous three wins this season, where the Bobcats jumped out to quick leads, Ohio was held scoreless through the first four minutes, four seconds of the contest, and didn't see a lead until the 4:36 mark of the first half, taking a 24-23 lead into the locker room at the half.
Ohio opened the second on a 12-4 run and picked up steam.
A three-point field goal from junior guard Tommy Freeman (Muncie, Ind.) at the 10:29 mark in the second half ignited the Convo crowd and pushed the Bobcats' lead to 11 points, an advantage from which the Bobcats' wouldn't look back.
Freshmen point guard D. J. Cooper (Chicago, Ill.) led the Bobcats with a career-high 16 points, while adding five rebounds and a team-high five assists.
Fellow freshmen Jay Kinney (Champaign, Ill.) and Reggie Keely (University Heights, Ohio) put in strong performances in the scoring column, putting in 12 points apiece.
Center Kenneth van Kempen (Weert, Netherlands) led the Bobcats on the boards, pulling down 11 to tie his career high. The senior, who played in his 101st game against the Cardinals on Monday night, has recorded double-figure rebounds in three of the Bobcats' four games so far this season.
Charlie Harper led Lamar with 11 points, while Justin Nabors collected nine rebounds.
Up next for the Bobcats is their first game away from the Convo. Ohio will face the Thundering Herd of Marshall on Saturday, Nov. 28 at the Charleston Civic Center in Charleston, WV.
