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Wednesday, Dec. 30 vs Bowling Green | 2 pm ET | Athens, Ohio | Convocation Center | TuneIn | Live Stats | Ohio Game Notes | BGSU Game Notes | Virtural Sellout | @OhioMBasketball
ATHENS, Ohio -- The Ohio men's basketball team (4-3, 0-1 MAC) returns to action for the final time in 2020 when the Bobcats host Bowling Green (5-2, 1-0 MAC) on Wednesday, Dec. 30. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. Due to the late addition, the holiday closure and lack of available students on campus to help out, we are unable to produce an ESPN broadcast. However, 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
• This game was originally scheduled for March 5, however, with the postponements of Ohio's game at Miami that was originally scheduled for Dec. 29, and BGSU's game at Kent State, the MAC rearranged the schedule to allow for this game to occur and the other games to be made up at a later date.
• This is the 150th all-time meeting between Ohio and BGSU.
• Bowling Green leads the all-time series, 80-69.
• The Bobcats and Bowling Green last met on Feb. 22, 2020 at Bowling Green, where the Falcons defeated the Bobcats, 62-62 on a last second shot by Justin Turner.
• The Bobcats are 9-11 against BGSU since the 2010-11 season.
• Ohio has registered an impressive 521-172 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.
• 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.
• Jason Preston was named the MAC Player of the week on Nov. 30, marking a week capped off by a 31-point performance on Nov. 27 against No. 8 Illinois.
• Ohio has registered an impressive 521-172 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.
• The Bobcats opened the 2020 season at the Illinois MTE Nov. 25-27, finishing with a 2-1 record and nearly knocking off No. 8 Illinois in a 77-75 battle.
SCOUTING BOWLING GREEN
Bowling Green enters the matchup with the Bobcats with a 5-2 overall record and a 1-0 mark in MAC play. The Falcons last played on Dec. 18 at Robert Morris, where BGSU won, 85-65.
As a team, Bowling Green is averaging 83.0 points a game, while shooting 44.5 percent from the field, 38.4 percent from three and 77.7 percent from the free throw line. They are averaging 36.4 rebounds a game, while dishing 13.1 assists and grabbing 8.2 steals a game. Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 77.9 points a game, while shooting 46.7 percent from the field, 34.1 percent from three and 68.5 percent from the free throw line. Opponents are averaging 37.7 rebounds and 15.1 assists per game.
Individually, Justin Turner leads the Falcons with 22.0 points per game, while shooting 41.7 percent from the field, 38.5 percent from three-point range and 96.0 percent from the line. He also grabs 4.7 rebounds a game, while dishing out five assists per game. Daeqwon Plowden adds 12.7 points and 9.1 rebounds a game, while Trey Diggs adds 12.1 points a contest.
SCOUTING OHIO
The Bobcats enter the matchup with Bowling Green with a 4-3 overall record and a 0-1 mark in MAC play after falling to Akron on Dec. 22.
Overall, the Bobcats are averaging 81.9 points per game, while shooting 49.2 percent from the field, 35.6 percent from three-point range and 63.5 percent from the free throw line. The Bobcats also average 35.0 rebounds an game to go along with 17.5 assists, 7.4 steals and 2.7 blocks per game.
Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 71.3 points per game, while shooting 43.8 percent from the field, 32.9 percent from three-point range and 74.2 percent from the free throw line. Opponents also average 33.1 rebounds, 12.8 assists, 6.0 steals and 2.4 blocks per game.
Individually, Jason Preston leads Ohio with 18.9 points per game, while shooting 57.6 percent from the field, 48.3 percent from three-point range and 57.1 percent from the free throw line. He also adds 6.1 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game.
Dwight Wilson III is next with 14.9 points and 9.1 rebounds a contest, while shooting 59.2 percent from the field. Ben Vander Plas is next, averaging 12.1 points per game, while shooting 40.0 percent from the field, 73.9 percent from the free throw line and adds 5.3 rebounds a game.
Lunden McDay also averages double figures, adding 10.1 points, while shooting 42.6 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from three.
ALL TIME VS. BOWLING GREEN
This is the 150th all-time meeting between Ohio and BGSU.
Bowling Green leads the all-time series, 80-69.
The Bobcats and Bowling Green last met on Feb. 22, 2020 at Bowling Green, where the Falcons defeated the Bobcats, 62-62 on a last second shot by Justin Turner.
The Bobcats are 9-11 against BGSU since the 2010-11 season.
IN THE MAC
Currently, Jason Preston is fifth in the MAC in scoring, second in assists, fourth in assists/TO ratio and third in three-point field goal percentage.
Dwight Wilson III is fourth in rebounding.
As a team, Ohio is fourth in scoring margin (+10.6), sixth in total offense and eighth in total defense.
The Bobcats are also second in field goal percentage, and fourth 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 18.9 points per game, while shooting 57.6 percent from the field, 48.3 percent from three-point range and 57.1 percent from the free throw line. He also adds 6.1 rebounds and 7.4 assists 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 850 career points, while redshirt junior Ben Vander Plas has 839 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)..396
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 seven games, Vander Plas adds 12.1 points and is shooting 40.0 percent from the field, 73.9 percent from the free throw line and is averaging 5.3 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 seven games, Wilson III is averaging 14.9 points per game and a team-leading 9.1 rebounds per game, while shooting 59.2 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.
Roderick is averaging 9.4 points per game and is 10-of-23 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 22.8 minutes on the court. He adds 6.1 points a game, is second on the team in steals with 10 and is 7-of-16 from three-point range. He is also shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 50 percent from the free throw line.
UP NEXT
The Bobcats begin 2021 right off the bat, heading to Muncie, Ind. to take on Ball State on Jan. 2. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. and cab be seen on CBS Sports Network.
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