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DeLAND, Fla. – Led by 13 points from sophomore guard Mark Sears (Muscle Shoals, Ala.), the Ohio men's basketball team (7-2) downed Stetson (2-6), 55-45, on the road Saturday afternoon inside the Edmunds Center.
 
"First of all a shout out all the fans that were here," head coach Jeff Boals said. "Really really really good turnout. I'm sure some people drove from Florida and Georgia and it was great to see all the Bobcats here. And phenomenal. When I think we've talked about this before and we've won different ways. And this was a grind out game. I thought a bench was phenomenal. Great minutes."
 
Sears finished the game with 13 points, while adding seven rebounds. Fifth year forward Jason Carter (Johnstown, Ohio) added 10 points and six rebounds. Redshirt senior forward Ben Vander Plas (Ripon, Wis.) scored seven points and grabbed a team-leading nine rebounds. 
 
Overall, Ohio shot 36.7 percent from the field, 26.3 percent from three and were 14-of-16 from the line, while Stetson shot 31.6 percent from the field, 20.8 percent from three and 80 percent from the line. Stetson outrebounded Ohio, 37-34, and dished out nine assists to Ohio's eight. Ohio forced 14 Stetson turnovers, scoring 20 points off of them. 
 
Stetson won the tip, but the Bobcats got the first points with a layup from Carter. After Stetson went up-4-2, the Bobcats were able to get two more points from Carter. The Hatters added another basket moments later, taking a 6-4 lead entering the first media timeout.
 
 Out of the timeout, a three from Stetson put the Hatters up 9-4, however, Carter countered with his third bucket of the game. Junior forward Ben Roderick (Powell, Ohio) drained a three to help spark a 10-2 run that was capped by a Sears three, giving the Bobcats a 16-11 lead entering the under-12 media timeout. Out of the timeout, Stetson drained a three, but were countered by back-to-back treys from freshman forward AJ Clayton (Duncan Falls, Ohio) Clayton, forcing the Hatters to call a timeout with Ohio leading 22-14 with 8:28 left in the first half. 
 
After Stetson was able to cut the Ohio lead to 24-19, a jumper from junior guard Miles Brown (Rochester, N.Y.) and three free throws from Vander Plas helped the Bobcats take a 29-21 lead going into halftime. 
 
At the half, Ohio shot 44 percent from the field, 33 percent from three and were 3-of-3 from the line, while Stetson shot 33.3 percent from the field, 21.4 percent from three and did not attempt a free throw. Stetson outrebounded the Bobcats, 18-14, while Ohio dished out five assists to the Hatters four. The Bobcats also forced nine Stetson turnovers, while turning the ball over six times. 
 
Individually, Carter and Clayton led with six points, followed by Sears with five points and Vander Plas with five points a team-high six boards. 
 
Stetson opened the second half on a 5-0 run to cut the Ohio lead to 29-26. However, free throws from Carter and a jumper from Sears was able to stop the run and bring the Bobcats' lead back to 33-28 with 15:20 left in the game. Out of the timeout, Brown hit two free throws of his own, followed by a jumper from sophomore forward Sam Towns (Columbus, Ohio), bringing Ohio's lead to 37-28 with 11:06 left in the game. 
 
After a jumper from Carter put the Bobcats up 44-37 with 5:06 left, Stetson cut the Ohio lead to 44-40 with a three. Moments later, Sears drained two free throws, however another jumper from the Hatters cut the Bobcats lead to 46-43 going into the final media timeout. 
 
With it a one possession game, a layup from Vander Plas and a deep three from senior guard Tommy Schmock (Cleveland, Ohio) extended the Ohio lead to 51-43 with 1:33 left in the game. After a layup and two free throws from Sears, the Bobcats defense held, with a big rebound from Schmock, sealing the 55-45 victory for the Bobcats. 
 
"Coach, he had a good point after the game," Schmock said. "This was a different game than we've been playing. A lot of possessions. So I mean, we had 11 turnovers, but that was a little too many. But, you know, we went a different way to win this game. And if you keep winning in different ways, then it'll help down the road."
 
For Stetson, Rob Perry led the Hatters with 17 points, while Josh Smith grabbed 11 rebounds. 
 
Up next, the Bobcats are back in Athens on Wednesday, Dec. 15 when Ohio hosts Marshall. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. 
 
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