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ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio men's basketball (7-2) returns to action on Wednesday, Dec. 15 when the Bobcats host Marshall (7-3). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ where Russ Eisenstein and Rob Cornelius will have the call. 

The Bobcats' matchup can also be heard on the Ohio Sports Network from Learfield. Marty Bannister will be on the call. WXTQ (Power 105) in Athens returns as the 11-station network's flagship.  

STORYLINES
• This is the106th all-time meeting between the Bobcats and Marshall. 
• The Bobcats hold a 56-49 advantage over the Herd. 
• Ohio and Marshall last met on Dec. 13, 2020 where the Herd defeated Ohio, 81-67 in Huntington. 
• The Bobcats and Marshall are 4-5 in their last eight matchups dating back to the 2008-09 season.
• The last time Ohio and Marshall met inside the Convo was on Dec. 1, 2018, with Ohio winning, 101-84. 
• Ohio has had at least four score in double figures five times in nine games, including having five score in two games. 
• The Bobcats are currently first in the MAC in turnover margin at +4.8. 
• Ohio is ranked 90th in the latest NET rankings released on Dec. 14. 
• Ohio is the second-highest ranked MAC school, behind Buffalo.
• Meanwhile, Marshall is ranked 146th. 
• Mark Sears ranks fifth in the MAC in assists, minutes and scoring. 
• The Bobcats are currently 5-0 this season in the Convo. 
• Ohio has registered an impressive 531-176 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.
• Third-year head coach Jeff Boals currently sits with 96 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 MARSHALL
Marshall enters the matchup with the Bobcats with a 7-3 record after defeating Eastern Kentucky, 80-69 on Dec. 11. 

Marshall averages 83.1 points a game while averaging 42.2 rebounds a contest. The Herd shoots .469 from the field .283 from three and .703 from the line. They also dish out 15.8 assists and register 7.9 steals and 7.8 blocks a game. Marshall also averages 12.7 turnovers a game. 

Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 73.3 points and 38.3 rebounds a game. Opponents are shooting 41.8 percent from the field, 33.0 percent from three and 73.0 percent from the line. They also dish out 12.5 assists a game and register 7.6 steals, 2.7 blocks and 10 turnovers a game. 

Individually, Taevion Kinsey is averaging 21.2 points a game. He is shooting 47.9 percent from the field, 22.2 percent from three and 76.7 percent from the line, while also grabbing 5.2 rebounds a game. Andrew Taylor adds 13.5 points and 6.1 rebounds, while Obinna Anochili-Killen averages 12.1 points and a team-leading 7.2 rebounds, while shooting 54.1 percent from the field. 

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with Marshall with a 7-2 record after defeating Stetson, 55-45 on Dec. 11 inside the Edmond Center. 

The Bobcats average 72.0 points a game, while shooting .420 from the field, .346 from three and .758 from the line. The Bobcats grab 32.4 rebounds a game, while dishing out an average of 14.1 assists and registering 8.0 steals a game. Ohio is averaging 10.6 turnovers a game. 

Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 66.3 points a game, while shooting .459 from the field, .292 from three and .800 from the line. Opponents are averaging 34.8 rebounds, 12.3 assists and 15.5 turnovers a game. 

Individually, Ohio is led by guard Mark Sears who is averaging 16.2 points a game, while shooting .437 from the field, .462 from three and .857 from the line. Forward Jason Carter is adding 13.2 points and 7.3 rebounds a game, while forward Ben Vander Plas is averaging 13.6 points a game and 6.7 rebounds. Sears is fourth in the MAC in steals (17), followed by Carter in sixth with 15. Meanwhile, Carter is fourth in the conference with 13 blocked shots. 

ALL TIME VS. MARSHALL
This is the106th all-time meeting between the Bobcats and Marshall. 

The Bobcats hold a 56-49 advantage over the Herd. 

Ohio and Marshall last met on Dec. 13, 2020 where the Herd defeated Ohio, 81-67 in Huntington. 

The Bobcats and Marshall are 4-5 in their last eight matchups dating back to the 2008-09 season.

The last time Ohio and Marshall met inside the Convo was on Dec. 1, 2018, with Ohio winning, 101-84. 

LAST TIME AGAINST MARSHALL
Ohio and Marshall last met on Dec. 13, 2020 where the Herd defeated Ohio, 81-67 in Huntington.

Dwight Wilson III (Tallahassee, Fla.) finished the day with 24 points and 12 rebounds while going 10-of-17 from the field. Junior guard Jason Preston (Orlando, Fla.) finished with 19 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Redshirt junior Ben Vander Plas (Ripon, Wis.) finished with nine points, while sophomore Miles Brown (Rochester, N.Y.) finished with seven points. 

Overall, Ohio shot 40 percent from the field, 35 percent from three and were 16-of-20 from the free throw line, while Marshall shot 54.5 percent from the field, 23.8 percent from three-point range and were 16-of-22 from the line. Marshall out-rebounded the Bobcats, 33-30, while the Bobcats turned the ball over 17 times, compared to Marshall's 15. The Bobcats also dished out 13 assists to The Herd's 12. 

For Marshall, Taevion Kinsey scored 28 points, while Jarrod West added 14 points and six assists.

LAST TIME OUT
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.

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. 

For Stetson, Rob Perry led the Hatters with 17 points, while Josh Smith grabbed 11 rebounds. 

PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Ohio has registered an impressive 531-176 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.

OHIO IN THE NET
The Bobcats are currently first in the MAC in turnover margin at +4.8. 

Ohio is ranked 90th in the latest NET rankings released on Dec. 14. 

Ohio is the second-highest ranked MAC school, behind Buffalo. 

Meanwhile. Marshall is ranked 146th. 

OHIO IN THE NCAA
The Bobcats rank 25th in the country in turnover margin and 84th in steals per game. 

MILES STEPPING UP
Junior guard Miles Brown is stepping up in his new starting role. 

In nine games, Brown is averaging 8.2 points and is shooting .464 from the field, .343 from three and is .833 from the line. 

Brown scored a career-high 19 points on Nov. 26 against Concordia.

IT'S LIKE HE NEVER LEFT
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. 

After nine games, Carter is averaging 13.2 points and 7.3 rebounds a game. He is also shooting .435 from the field, .250 from three and is 12-of-20 from the line. 

He also has two double-doubles early on this season. 

SEARS LEADING THE WAY
Since taking over point guard duties at the start of the season, Sears has quickly proven that he belongs. 

Over nine game, Sears is leading Ohio with 16.2 points per game. He is shooting .437 from the field, .462 from three and .857 from the line. 

He also averages 4.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.8 steals a game. 

After opening the season with a 27-point performance against Belmont, Sears also added a 24-point game against St. Francis on Dec. 4, where he grabbed a career-high eight rebounds. 

BOALS MARCH TO 100
Third-year head coach Jeff Boals currently sits with 96 career victories. 

BVP STILL STEADY
Ben Vander Plas picked up right where he left on in 2021-22 on Nov. 9. 

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. 

BVP added another 19-point performance against Kentucky. 

BVP is currently second on the team in scoring with 13.6 points per game. He also averages 6.7 rebounds, while dishing out 2.7 assists a game. Vander Plas is shooting .479 from the field and .417 from three. 

BVP also made a splash on Dec. 1 at LSU. With the Bobcats trailing entering the second, Vander Plas hit three-straight threes for Ohio, helping tie the game early in the second half. He finished the game with 12 points. 

CLAYTON FOR THREE
In his first nine games in the green and white, freshman AJ Clayton has made at least one three in seven of those games. 

Clayton recorded his first two-point basket on Nov. 26 against Concordia. 

Clayton has scored six points in three games this season - two against SEC opponents and one at Stetson on Dec. 11. 

The 17-year old is averaging 4.0 points a game and 11.3 minutes. 

EZUMA MAKES HIS DEBUT
Freshman IJ Ezuma made his collegiate debut on Monday, Nov. 22 against Mount St. Mary's. 

The forward out of Hargrave played six minutes in his debut. 

Ezuma recorded his first career field goal on Nov. 26 against Concordia. 

Ezuma returned to the court on Dec. 11 at Stetson, playing five minutes while scoring four points, grabbing one rebound and dishing out one assist. 

SCHMOCK SHOWS OUT
Senior transfer guard Tommy Schmock has a career day on Nov. 26 against Concordia, scoring 11 points and going from 3-of-7 from three. 

Against LSU, Schmock snagged a career-high three steals.  

This season. Schmock is averaging 3.9 points in 13.7 minutes off the bench. 

TOWNS OFF THE BENCH
Sophomore forward Sam Towns made a mark on Nov. 13 at Cleveland State. 

Off the bench, Towns scored five points, hit a three, while also grabbed a career-high six rebounds and dished out five assists. 

So far off the bench, Towns is averaging 2.6  points and 9.9 minutes. 

UP NEXT
Up next, the Bobcats are in action one last time before Christmas when Ohio hosts USC Upstate on Tuesday, Dec. 21. Tip-off is set for Noon inside the Convocation Center. 

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