FOLLOW OHIO MEN'S BASKETBALL: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio men's basketball (1-0) returns to action this Saturday, Nov. 13 when the Bobcats head to Cleveland, Ohio for a matchup with Cleveland State. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside the Wolstein Center. Saturday's game can be seen on ESPN+.
The Bobcats' matchup can also be heard on the Ohio Sports Network from Learfield. Russ Eisenstein returns for his 14th season as the "Voice of the Bobcats" and will be joined by Ohio alum Rob Cornelius, who has been a part of the broadcasts for two decades. WXTQ (Power 105) in Athens returns as the 11-station network's flagship.
STORYLINES
• This is the 16th all-time meeting between Ohio and Cleveland State.
• Ohio leads the all-time series, 12-2.
• The Bobcats and Cleveland State last met on Dec. 6, 2020 in Athens. The Bobcats defeated the Vikings, 101-46 and set an NCAA DI record by going on a 40-run.
• Ohio is coming off stellar 92-80 opening night victory over Belmont on Nov. 9.
• Cleveland State enters the matchup with Ohio after falling to BYU in their season opener earlier this week.
• Ohio last played at Cleveland State on Dec. 12, 2015, with Ohio winning, 76-67.
• In the first game of the post-Jason Preston era, starting point guard Mark Sears was dominate, scoring a career-high 27 points in the victory.
• In his first game back in the Green and White, Jason Carter recorded a double-double, scoring 20 points and snagging 10 boards.
• Third-year head coach Jeff Boals currently sits with 90 career wins.
• Ohio was selected to finish 2nd in this year's MAC Coaches Preseason Poll. The Bobcats did not earn any first place votes.
• Ben Vander Plas earned a spot on the Preseason All-MAC First Team
• Jason Carter earned a spot on the Preseason All-MAC Second Team.
SCOUTING CLEVELAND STATE
Cleveland State enters the matchup with the Bobcats with an 0-1 record after falling to BYU, 69-59 on Nov. 9 on the road.
Cleveland State opens the season as the reigning Horizon League Regular Season and Tournament Champions, after capturing both titles last season. Cleveland State finished regular season play with a 16-4 league record, marking the most wins in league play in program history (previously 15, 1992-93 season). This also marked the fifth time that CSU finished at the top of the league standings, including the second time during the Horizon League era.
Cleveland State returns 14 letterwinners from last season's squad, including the starting rotation of Craig Beaudion, Tre Gomillion, D'Moi Hodge, Deante Johnson, and Torrey Patton. This returning core will be joined by four transfers and one freshman for the upcoming season, giving head coach Dennis Gates a well-rounded roster for the 2021-22 campaign.
The Vikings were selected as the favorites in the Horizon League Preseason Poll - picking up 502 points along with 30 first place votes
SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with CSU with a 1-0 record after defeating Belmont, 90-82 on Nov. 9 inside the Convocation Center.
Ohio finished the unconventional 2020-21 season 17-8 overall and 9-5 in conference play, before making a magical run through the 2021 MAC Tournament, defeating Kent State, Toledo and Buffalo on their way to their seventh league title and their first since 2012.
Once they made it to the Indy Bubble, Ohio went on to upset the defending national champion Virginia, 62-58, in the NCAA First Round. Ohio then fell to Creighton in the NCAA Second Round.
The Bobcats return 10 from last season's championship squad, including Ben Vander Plas and Dwight Wilson III, who both earned spots on the All-MAC Teams. The Bobcats also return Mark Sears, Ben Roderick, Lunden McDay and Miles Brown, who all saw significant court time last season.
While Ohio lost First Team All-MAC select and MAC Tournament MVP Jason Preston to the NBA Draft and the LA Clippers, the Bobcats return a familiar face in Jason Carter, who returns to Ohio for his final season. Carter spent the last two seasons at Xavier where he played in 53 games, starting 51 of them. He shot 39.1 percent from the field, 26.2 percent from three and 64.2 percent from the line.
The Bobcats also add freshmen AJ Clayton. Olumide Adelodun and IJ Ezuma, while adding Tommy Schmock, a transfer from Findlay.
ALL TIME VS. CLEVELAND STATE
This is the 16th all-time meeting between Ohio and Cleveland State.
Ohio leads the all-time series, 12-2.
The Bobcats and Cleveland State last met on Dec. 6, 2021 in Athens. The Bobcats defeated the Vikings, 101-46 and set an NCAA DI record by going on a 40-run.
LAST TIME AGAINST CLEVELAND STATE
The Bobcats and Cleveland State last met on Dec. 6, 2020 in Athens. The Bobcats defeated the Vikings, 101-46 and set an NCAA DI record by going on a 40-run.
Lunden McDay would end the day with 20 points, shooting 7-of-10 from the field, 3-of-5 from three-point range and going 3-4 from the line. Senior Dwight Wilson III (Tallahassee, Fla.) posted a double-double in the first half, ending the day with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Junior Jason Preston (Orlando, Fla.) scored 12 points, grabbing seven rebounds and eight assists. Off the bench, junior Rifen Miguel (Luanda, Angola) scored a career-high 10 points going 7-of-8 from the free-throw line while freshman guard Mark Sears (Muscle Shoals, Ala.) had a career-high nine points.
For Cleveland State, Deante Johnson led the team with seven points, six rebounds, and an assist, while Jayson Woodrich added seven points and one rebound.
Ohio went 59.3 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from three-point range, and 64.9 percent from the free-throw line. Cleveland State shot 22.8 percent from the field, 13 percent from the three-point range, and 81 percent from the free-throw line. Ohio grabbed 50 rebounds and dished out 23 assists in the win.
LAST TIME OUT
The Bobcats opened the 2021-22 season with a stellar performance against Belmont on Nov. 9, defeating the Bruins, 92-80.
Ohio was led offensively by sophomore guard Mark Sears (Muscle Shoals, Ala.), who finished with 27 points on 10 for 11 shooting, with six rebounds and four assists.
Ohio had three other players alongside Sears finish with double-digit points. Carter contributed 20, Vander Plas had 19, and Brown scored 10. Carter led the rebounding effort with 10, while Vander Plas dished out seven assists.
SEARS SOARS AGAINST BELMONT
In the first game of the post-Jason Preston era, starting point guard Mark Sears was dominate, scoring a career-high 27 points in the victory.
Sears went 10-of-11 from the field, 4-of-4 from three, while also grabbing six rebounds and dishing out for assists in 3 minutes on the floor.
WELCOME HOME MR. CARTER
In his first game back in Athens, Jason Carter was back to his old self.
Carter registered his first double double of the season, scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in the victory over Belmont.
Carter went 8-of-18 from the field, 4-of-8 from three and registered two steals.
BOALS MARCH TO 100
Third-year head coach Jeff Boals currently sits with 90 career victories.
BVP STILL STEADY
Ben Vander Plas picked up right where he left on in 2021-22 on Tuesday night.
The forward scored 19 points and grabbed six boards in Ohio's win against Belmont. He also tied a career-high, dishing out seven assists.
MAC PRESEASON HONORS
The defending Mid-American Conference Tournament champion Ohio men's basketball team were selected to finish second in this year's Preseason Coaches Poll.
Meanwhile, redshirt senior forward Ben Vander Plas was named to the Preseason All-MAC First Team, while fifth year forward Jason Carter earned a spot on the Preseason All-MAC Second Team.
UP NEXT
Up next, the Bobcats have a quick turn around and will be back in action on Monday, Nov. 15 to take on Robert Morris. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center.
#OUohyeah
