ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio men's basketball (8-2) returns to action on one last time before a short holiday break when they conclude nonconference play on Tuesday, Dec. 21 against USC Upstate (3-8). Tip-off is set for Noon ET inside the Convocation Center.

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 first all-time meeting between Ohio and USC Upstate.  
• The Bobcats 8-2 record through 10 games is the best start for the Bobcats since the 2011-12 season when Ohio went 9-1 over the same span. 
• Ohio has had at least four score in double figures five times in 10 games, including having five score in two games. 
• The Bobcats are currently first in the MAC in turnover margin at +4.9. 
• Ohio is ranked 83rd in the latest NET rankings released on Dec. 20. 
• Ohio is the highest ranked MAC school, 10 spots ahead of Buffalo. 
• Meanwhile. Marshall is ranked 313th. 
• Mark Sears ranks fifth in the MAC in assists and scoring and fourth in minutes. 
• The Bobcats are currently 6-0 this season in the Convo. 
• Ohio has registered an impressive 532-176 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.
• Third-year head coach Jeff Boals currently sits with 97 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 USC UPSTATE
USC Upstate enters the matchup with the Bobcats with a 3-8 overall record after defeating Converse, 78-38, on Dec. 18. 

Upstate averages 67.5 points a game, while shooting .431 from the field, .336 from three and .651 from the line. The Spartans also average 35.1 rebounds, 12.7 assists and 6.5 steals a game. They also add3.0 blocks a game and turn the ball over an average of 14.4 times a game. 

Meanwhile, opponents average 70.5 points a game, while shooting .415 from the field, .308 from three and .688 from the line. They also average 38.0 rebounds, 14.7 assists and 7.3 steals a game. They also add 3.3 blocks a game and turn the ball over an average of 13.7 times a game. 

Individually, Bryson Mozone averages 13.3 points and 4.8 rebounds a game, while shooting .418 from the field and .354 from three. Jordan Gainey adds 9.3 points and 4.0 rebounds a game, while Dalvin White leads the Spartans with 32 assists. 

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with USC Upstate with an 8-2 record after defeating Marshall, 75-65 on Dec. 15 inside the Convocation Center. 

The Bobcats average 72.3 points a game, while shooting .418 from the field, .342 from three and .788 from the line. The Bobcats grab 32.8 rebounds a game, while dishing out an average of 14.7 assists and registering 8.3 steals a game. Ohio is averaging 11.3 turnovers a game. 

Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 66.2 points a game, while shooting .450 from the field, .296 from three and .797 from the line. Opponents are averaging 35.0 rebounds, 12.1 assists and 16.2 turnovers a game. 

Individually, Ohio is led by guard Mark Sears who is averaging 17.0 points a game, while shooting .443 from the field, .483 from three and .889 from the line. Forward Jason Carter is adding 13.8 points and 7.5 rebounds a game, while forward Ben Vander Plas is averaging 12.4 points a game and 6.6 rebounds. Sears is third in the MAC in steals (19), followed by Carter in seventh with 16. Meanwhile, Carter is fourth in the conference with 14 blocked shots. 

ALL TIME VS. USC UPSTATE
This is the first all-time meeting between Ohio and USC Upstate.  

LAST TIME AGAINST USC UPSTATE
This is the first meeting between Ohio and the Spartans. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Ohio men's basketball team (8-2) improved to 6-0 inside the Convocation Center, defeating rival Marshall (7-4), 75-65, Wednesday night in Athens. The Bobcats were led by sophomore guard Mark Sears (Muscle Shoals, Ala.) with 24 points.

Individually, Sears led with a game-high 24 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals. He went 6-of-12 from the field, 2-of-3 from three and was 10-of-10 from the line. Fifth year forward Jason Carter (Johnstown, Ohio) added 19 points, nine rebounds and went 6-of-15 from the field and 7-of-7 from the line. Junior forward Ben Roderick (Powell, Ohio) added 10 points and four rebounds, while going 6-of-7 from the line. 

Overall, Ohio shot 40 percent from the field, 30.4 percent from three and were 24-of-26 (.923) from the line. Meanwhile, Marshall shot 37.3 percent from the field, 32.1 percent from three and 76.9 percent from the line. Marshall outrebounded the Bobcats, 37-36, while both teams dished out 10 assists. The Bobcats forced 22 Marshall turnovers, scoring 25 points off them.

For Marshall, four scored in double figures and were led by Obinna Anochili-Killen with 18 points and nine rebounds, followed by Taevion Kinsey with 15 points and seven rebounds. David Early added 14 points, while Andrew Taylor scored 11 points and dished out five assists. 

PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Ohio has registered an impressive 532-176 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.

OHIO IN THE NET
Ohio is ranked 83rd in the latest NET rankings released on Dec. 20. 

Ohio is the highest ranked MAC school, 10 spots ahead of Buffalo. 

Meanwhile. Marshall is ranked 313th. . 

OHIO IN THE NCAA
The Bobcats rank 18th in the country in turnover margin and 63rd in steals per game. 

OHIO IN THE MAC 
Sears is third in the MAC in steals (19), followed by Carter in seventh with 16. Meanwhile, Carter is fourth in the conference with 14 blocked shots.

Sears also ranks fifth in the MAC in assists and scoring and fourth in minutes. 

The Bobcats are currently first in the MAC in turnover margin at +4.9. 

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

In 10 games, Brown is averaging 8.2 points and is shooting .460 from the field, .350 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 10 games, Carter is averaging 13.8 points and 7.5 rebounds a game. He is also shooting .431 from the field, .233 from three and is 19-of-27 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 10 game, Sears is leading Ohio with 17.0 points per game. He is shooting .443 from the field, .483 from three and .889 from the line. 

He also averages 4.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 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. 

Sears had another 20-point performance on Dec. 15 against Marshall, scoring 24 points in the 75-65 victory. 

He has been named the MAC Player of the Week twice this season. 

BOALS MARCH TO 100
Third-year head coach Jeff Boals currently sits with 97 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 third on the team in scoring with 12.4 points per game. He also averages 6.6 rebounds, while dishing out 2.9 assists a game. Vander Plas is shooting .451 from the field and .377 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 10 games in the green and white, freshman AJ Clayton has made at least one three in eight 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 3.9 points a game and 11.2 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 4.1 points in 14.1 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 2.4 points and 9.5 minutes. 

MAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sophomore guard Mark Sears was named the MAC Player of the Week on Nov. 16. 

Sears (Muscle Shoals, Ala.) was stellar for the Bobcats during the opening week of the season. Overall, Sears averaged 21.0 points per game. He went 15-of-22 (.682) from the field, 5-of-6 (.833) from three and 7-of-8 (.875) from the free throw line. He added 4.0 assists per game, 4.5 rebounds a game and one steal per game.

Sears opened up the season is spectacular fashion against Belmont on opening night. Sears scored 27 points, going 10-of-11 from the field, 4-of-4 from three and 3-of-4 from the free throw line. He grabbed six boards, dished out four assists and had two steals in 31 minutes on the court in Ohio's 90-82 victory. 

Sears was named the MAC Player of the Week on Dec. 20 for his performance the week of Dec. 13. 

In the Bobcats matchup against Marshall, Sears scored 24 points to lead Ohio. He went 6-of-12 from the field and 2-of-3 from three - including the three with just over a minute remaining to help seal the Bobcats 65-55 victory. Sears also grabbed three rebounds, dished out two assists, had one steal and was a perfect 10-of-10 from the line in 36 minutes on the floor.

UP NEXT
Up next, the Bobcats open MAC play on Tuesday, Dec. 28 when the Bobcats host Eastern Michigan. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. 

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