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ATHENS, Ohio – Led by a career-high 33 points from sophomore guard Mark Sears (Muscle Shoals, Ala.), the Ohio men's basketball team (9-2) wrapped up nonconference play Tuesday afternoon (Dec. 21), defeating USC Upstate (3-9), 85-70 inside the Convocation Center. 
 
Ohio has finished nonconference play with a 9-2 record and a perfect 7-0 mark in the Convo. 
 
"I'm really happy with the win and our guys," head coach Jeff Boals said. "Our goal was to be 9-2 after today and we're 9-2. These games you always worry about. You know, bags are packed. Energy level and atmosphere are not what it normally is. But I thought our guys did a great job and I thought the crowd was really good for a Noon game on a Tuesday. I was impressed. So I appreciate everyone coming out. But happy with the win and you know, little break here for our guys and we'll be back at it Christmas Night." 
 
Sears finished the game with 33 points, going 11-of-16 from the field, 1-of-3 from three and for the second-straight game was 10-of-10 from the line. Sears also finished with eight rebounds and three assists. Redshirt senior forward Ben Vander Plas (Ripon, Wis.) added 12 points, seven rebounds and four assist, while fifth-year senior forward Jason Carter (Johnstown, Ohio) also added 12 points and six boards. Junior forward Ben Roderick (Powell, Ohio) scored 11 points, going 3-of-6 from three. Freshman forward AJ Clayton (Duncan Falls, Ohio) scored a career-high seven points and grabbed three boards. 
 
"I just go out there and play ball," Sears said. "My teammates trust me and at the end of the day, it's all about the win." 
 
Overall, Ohio shot 48.1 percent from the field, 29.2 percent from three and were 26-of-33 from the line. Meanwhile, USC Upstate shot 46.4 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from three and were 6-of-6 from the line. Ohio outrebounded the Spartans, 39-23, while Upstate dished out 16 assists to Ohio's 15. Ohio also forced 14 turnovers, scoring 19 points off them. 


 
The Bobcats won the tip and opened the game on a 9-3 run that was highlighted by two threes from Roderick. After Upstate cut the Ohio lead to 9-8, a layup and free throws from junior guard Miles Brown (Rochester, N.Y.) gave the Bobcats a five-point lead with 14:44 left in the half. After the Spartans cut Ohio's lead to three, a 7-0 run from the Bobcats extended their lead to 10 with 11:57 left in the half. 
 
After a three from Clayton and sophomore forward Sam Towns (Columbus, Ohio) gave the Bobcats an 11-point lead, the Spartans cut the lead to eight with two free throws, however, a layup and a free throw from freshman forward IJ Ezuma (Raleigh, N.C.) and free throws from Carter extended the Ohio lead to 27-17 with 8:16 left in the half. 
 
Free throws from Brown and Carter increased the Ohio lead to 13 with 6:41 left, followed by back-to-back layups from Sears that increased the Ohio lead to 35-22 with 4:49 left, forcing a timeout from Upstate. After the Spartans cut the Ohio lead to eight with under three minutes to go in the half, layups from Carter and Sears gave Ohio a 42-29 lead with just over a minute to go in the half. Out of a timeout, the Spartans hit back-to-back three to cut the Bobcats' lead to 42-35 at the half. 
 
At the half, Ohio shot 50 percent from the field, 31 percent from three and were 14-of-18 from the line, meanwhile, Upstate shot 45 percent from the field, 43 percent from three and were 3-of-3 from the line. Ohio outrebounded the Spartans 19-12 and dished out eight assists to the Spartans seven.
 
Individually, Sears led with 13 points, going 5-of-7 from the field. Carter added eight points, while Roderick scored six points. 
 
Upstate opened the half with the first three points, cutting the Ohio lead to four before a jumper from Sears got Ohio on the board in the second half, increasing their lead to 44-38 going into the first media timeout. Out of the timeout, Ohio and Upstate traded baskets until the Spartans hit four-straight threes to take a 50-49 lead with 13:09 left in the game. 
 
Ohio retook the lead on a jumper at the buzzer from Sears, however, the Spartans got the points right back to keep the one-point lead at the under-12 media timeout. Out of the timeout, a dunk from Clayton gave the Bobcats a lead back, before a driving layup from Sears put the Bobcats up three with 9:02 left. After the Spartans again cut the Bobcats lead to one, a three from Vander Plas extended the Ohio lead to 60-56 going into the media timeout.
 
Both teams traded free throws until Ohio took a six-point lead, before two free throws from Upstate cut the Ohio lead to 64-60 with 5:17 left in the game. A turnaround jumper put Ohio back up seven, however the Spartans responded with a jumper of their own to cut the Ohio lead to 67-62 entering the final media timeout. 
 
Out of the timeout, Roderick drained a corner three to extend Ohio's lead to eight. After Ohio went up 10, Upstate drained another three, however, Sears countered with a trey of his own to give Ohio the 75-65 lead. After the Sears three, he and the rest of the Bobcats were able to hit their free throws down the stretch, helping secure the 85-70 victory for Ohio. 
 
Up next, the Bobcats have about a week off for the holiday break and will return to action on Tuesday, Dec. 28 when they open Mid-American Conference play against Eastern Michigan. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. 
 
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