March 1, 2011
Final Stats | Quotes | Ohio vs. Akron Photo Gallery - Green Fever/Senior Night 
ATHENS, Ohio - In front of a rabid home crowd, Ohio did not disappoint on Green Fever Night as it triumphed over Akron, 80-55. The Bobcats honored four seniors, Adetunji Adedipe, Tommy Freeman, Asown Sayles and DeVaughn Washington, prior to the game and then went out and played one of their most complete games of the season.
Ohio put together an outstanding performance in the third annual Green Fever game, halting Akron's seven-game winning streak. With the win, Ohio has now won nine of its last eleven games en route to arriving at a 17-13 record (9-6 Mid-American Conference). The Zips are now 19-11 (9-6 MAC). Ohio clinched at least a MAC Tournament First Round home game with its win tonight, while also jumping up to third in the MAC East division.
D.J. Cooper had what might have been his best offensive performance of the season. The sophomore was an efficient 8-of-13 from the field and connected on a career-high seven three-pointers on only 10 attempts. The Chicago native narrowly missed his first career triple-double with nine assists and eight rebounds. He also broke his own school record for assists in a single season that he set last year with 218. He has 226 assists this season and is also six points away from another milestone, 1,000 career points.
Ivo Baltic added 17 points and six rebounds with Washington reaching double-figures yet again with 11 for the Bobcats.Playing in his final home regular-season game, Freeman hit a three-pointer but more importantly, finished with seven rebounds for the Green & White.
The Zips scored the first two buckets of the game but Ohio sophomore Ivo Baltic answered back in a big way, scoring a contested lay-in despite being fouled, then converting the ensuing free throw for an old-fashioned three-point play. When Akron pushed the lead to 7-3, the Bobcats unleashed a three-point barrage during a 9-2 run to claim a three-point lead.
Tied at 18, Ohio outscored Akron 20-2 over a 16:17 stretch in the first half. Ricardo Johnson's jumper capped the spurt that saw the Bobcats go 9-of-11 from the field, while holding Akron to 1-of-10 shooting.
Consecutive layups from Sayles, including one at the first-half buzzer, pushed the score to 44-22 at intermission. Reggie Keely scored all eight of his points in the first half while Cooper, who led all scorers with 14, set-up Adedipe for a pair of crowd-pleasing buckets underneath. Ohio dominated the glass in the first half, snagging 24 rebounds to Akron's 10, and shot 56 percent as opposed to the Zips' 33 percent.
Allowing 22 first-half points was the second-lowest point total allowed this season by the Bobcats. The lowest--21--also came against Akron in the January 12 contest.
The Bobcats kept up their torrid pace to start the second half, beginning the period on a 10-2 run. The lead was eventually stretched to 30 points when Cooper hit a three-pointer at the 11:01 mark to make the score, 65-35, in favor of the home team.
Ohio finished the game by out-rebounding the Zips 40-21. This differential led to 19 second-chance points and 31 points in the paint for the Bobcats.
Ohio closes the regular season on Friday night at Miami. The game at Millett Hall will tip-off at 7 p.m.
