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Tuesday, Dec. 22 at Akron | 2 pm ET | Akron, Ohio | James A. Rhodes Arena | ESPN+ | TuneIn | Live Stats | Ohio Game Notes | Akron Game Notes | Digital Guide | @OhioMBasketball
ATHENS, Ohio -- The Ohio men's basketball team (4-2) opens Mid-American Conference play on the road this week when it heads to Akron, Ohio for a matchups with the Zips (2-1) on Tuesday, Dec. 22. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. inside James A. Rhodes Arena. Tuesday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
The game can be heard on the Ohio Sports Network from Learfield IMG College. Russ Eisenstein returns for his 13th season as the "Voice of the Bobcats," along with Ohio alum Rob Cornelius. WXTQ (Power 105) in Athens returns as the 11-station network's flagship. The broadcasts are also available online through TuneIn.com/OhioBobcats and on the TuneIn app.
STORYLINES
• The last time these two teams were set to square off was March 12, 2020 in the MAC Quarterfinals in Cleveland. However, both teams were pulled off the court during warm ups as the conference announced that the tournament would be cancelled due to COVID-19.
• This is the 85th all-time meeting between Ohio and Akron.
• Akron leads the all-time series, 44-40.
• The Bobcats and Akron last met on last met on March 6, 2020 when the Bobcats fell to Akron 74-67 in Akron. In the meeting before that, the Bobcats fell to the Zips, 88-86 inside the Convo on Jan. 25.
• This is the second of four-straight home games for the Bobcats. With Ohio's Dec. 18 home contest with Mississippi Valley State cancelled, the Bobcats will not play in the Convocation Center from Dec. 10 until Jan. 5.
SCOUTING AKRON
After a late start to the season, the Zips enter the matchup with Ohio with a 2-1 record after defeating Malone 93-83 on Dec. 19. Akron was suppose to play Kent State on Saturday, however, that game was postponed. Prior to that, the Zips defeated Cedarville to open the season, before falling to St. Bonaventure on Dec. 15.
As a team, Akron is averaging 88.0 points a game, while shooting 47 percent from the field, 27 percent from three and 84.7 percent from the free throw line. They are averaging 43.0 rebounds a game, while dishing out15.3 assists and grabbing seven steals a game. Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 71 points a game, while shooting 44 percent from the field, 21.7 percent from three and 65.2 percent from the free throw line. Opponents are averaging 33.7 rebounds and 13.3 assists per game.
Individually, Loren Cristian Jackson leads the Zips with 25.0 points per game. He is shooting 48.9 percent from the field, 31.8 percent from three-point range and 95.7 percent from the free throw line. He has also dished out 26 assists. Enrique Freeman adds 12.3 points and 10.3 assists per game, while Ali Ali averages 8.3 points a game.
SCOUTING OHIO
The Bobcats enter the matchup with Marshall with a 4-2 overall after falling to Marshall on Dec. 13.
Overall, the Bobcats are averaging 83.8 points per game, while shooting 50.4 percent from the field, 36.8 percent from three-point range and 63.6 percent from the free throw line. The Bobcats also average 36.7 rebounds an game to go along with 18.2 assists, 7.6 steals and 2.8 blocks per game.
Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 68.2 points per game, while shooting 40.7 percent from the field, 28.1 percent from three-point range and 74.8 percent from the free throw line. Opponents also average 32.5 rebounds, 12.0 assists, 6.6 steals and 2.3 blocks per game.
Individually, Jason Preston leads Ohio with 19.3 points per game, while shooting 58.8 percent from the field, 52.0 percent from three-point range and 60.0 percent from the free throw line. He also adds 6.20 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game.
Dwight Wilson III is next with 15.8 points and 10.0 rebounds a contest, while shooting 60.3 percent from the field. Ben Vander Plas is next, averaging 12.3 points per game, while shooting 42.1 percent from the field, 73.9 percent from the free throw line and adds 5.5 rebounds a game.
Lunden McDay also averages double figures, adding 10.0 points, while shooting 42.2 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from three.
ALL TIME VS. AKRON
This is the 85th all-time meeting between Ohio and Akron.
Akron leads the all-time series, 44-40.
The last time these two teams were set to square off was March 12, 2020 in the MAC Quarterfinals in Cleveland. However, both teams were pulled off the court during warmups, as the conference announced that the tournament would be cancelled due to COVID-19.
The Bobcats and Akron last played each other on March 6, 2020 when the Bobcats fell to Akron 74-67 in Akron. In the meeting before that, the Bobcats fell to the Zips, 88-86 inside the Convo on Jan. 25.
IN THE MAC
Currently, Jason Preston is fourth in the MAC in scoring, second in assists, third in assists/TO ratio and third in three-point field goal percentage.
Dwight Wilson III is second in rebounding.
As a team, Ohio is third in scoring margin (+15.7), third in total offense and third in total defense.
The Bobcats are also first in field goal percentage, and third in three-point field goal percentage.
Ohio is also first in assists.
PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Ohio has registered an impressive 521-172 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.
WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW
After his 31-point performance against No. 8 Illinois on Nov. 27, Jason Preston's star has exploded on the national level.
Already this season, the junior point guard is averaging 19.3 points per game, while shooting 58.8 percent from the field, 52.0 percent from three-point range and 60.0 percent from the free throw line. He also adds 6.0 rebounds and 7.8assists per game.
In the Bobcats first game of the year against Chicago State, Preston scored 11 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out eight assists in Ohio's 84-61 victory. He went 5-of-9 from the field and 1-of-2 from three-point range and had no turnovers in 30 minutes on the court.
Preston was even better against North Carolina A&T, scoring 21 points, grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out seven assists in the 84-72 victory. He went 8-of-13 from the field, 3-of-7 from three-point range and 2-of-3 from the free throw line.
Preston was named the MAC Player of the Week on Nov. 30 for his performance that week.
On Dec. 10 against Purdue Northwest, Preston scored 22 points and dished out a season-high 11 assists in the 92-72 victory.
1,000 POINT WATCH
Early in the season and two Bobcats are on path to hit the 1,000-point thresh hold this season.
Junior Jason Preston currently sits at 834 career points, while redshirt junior Ben Vander Plas has 828 career points.
MAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jason Preston was named the MAC Player of the week on Nov. 30 for her performance the week on Nov. 24.
ALL TIME ASSISTS MARK
Junior Jason Preston currently sits sixth all-time on Ohio's all-time assist list with 391.
1. D.J. Cooper (2010-1.......................934
2. Dennis Whitaker (1990)...............651
3. Paul Baron (1983-86) ...................579
4. Jaaron Simmons (2016-17.)..........475
5. Roger Smith (1984-87)..................401
6. Jason Preston (2019-Present).391
7. Sonny Troutman (2004-07)........384
STEADY BVP
Redshirt junior Ben Vander Plas continues to be a steady force for the Bobcats. Over the first five games, Vander Plas adds 12.3 points and is shooting 42.1 percent from the field, 73.9 percent from the free throw line and is averaging 5.5 rebounds per game.
WELCOME TO OHIO DJ
Since senior transfer Dwight Wilson III's transfer waiver was approved three days before the Bobcats first game of the season, he has fit right in to the starting five.
After six games, Wilson III is averaging 15.8 points per game and a team-leading 10.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 60.3 percent from the field.
Wilson II has recorded double doubles in back-to-back games for the first time this season, recording on against Cleveland State in the first half of the game, and one against Purdue Northwest on Dec. 10. He then made it three-straight games on Dec. 13 at Marshall, scoring 24 points and grabbing 12 boards.
The Week of Dec. 7, Wilson III was on fire. In two games, Wilson III averaged 20.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and shot 60 percent from the field.
BREAKOUT YEAR FOR BROD?
After a freshman year that was hampered by injuries, sophomore Ben Roderick is looking for a breakout year.
Six games in, Roderick is averaging 9.3 points per game and is 8-of-16 from three-point range.
Roderick had a career day against North Carolina A&T where he scored a career-hight 22 points and tied his career-high six made threes in the victory.
MILES MAKING THE MOST IN YEAR TWO
After getting a late start to last season because of injury, Miles Brown is making the most out of his playing time during his sophomore year.
One of the first off the bench, Brown is averaging 21.8 minutes on the court. He adds 6.8 points a game, is second on the team in steals with nine and is 7-of-14 from three-point range. He is also shooting 50 percent from the field and 50 percent from the free throw line.
NCAA RECORD RUN
On Dec. 6 against Cleveland State, the NCAA record for scoring run against a Division I opponent with a 40-0 run to open the second half beginning at 43 seconds remaining in the first half and ending at 8:03 in the second half.
UP NEXT
After a short break for the holidays, the Bobcats are back in action on Tuesday, Dec. 29 when they Bobcats head to Oxford, Ohio to take on Miami. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. inside Millett Hall.
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