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ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio men's basketball (5-2) return to Athens one last time before the start of finals when they host St. Francis (3-3) on Saturday, Dec. 4. Tip-off is set for 3:30 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 with Russ Eisenstein and Rob Cornelius on the call. 

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

STORYLINES

• This is the 11th all-time meeting between Ohio and St. Francis
• The Bobcats hold a 9-1 advantage over the Red Flash. 
• Ohio and St. Francis last met on Dec. 15, 2010 with Ohio defeating them, 87-58 inside the Convo. 
• Ohio is 6-0 against St. Francis in Athens. 
• Both head coach Jeff Boals and SFU head coach Rob Krimmel are both coaching for their alma maters. 
• Boals, in his third season leading Ohio, played for the Bobcats and graduated in 1995. Krimmel, in his 10th season, played for the Red Flash and graduated from SFU in 2000.
• Ohio has had at least four score in double figures four times in seven games, including having five score in two games. 
• The Bobcats are currently first in the MAC in turnover margin at +6.7. 
• Freshman AJ Clayton has scored six points in two games this season - both against SEC opponents. 
• Ohio has registered an impressive 530-176 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.
• Miles Brown set a career-high with 19 points on Nov. 26 against Concordia. 
• Ohio opened the season with victories over Belmont and Cleveland State, two teams that were selected to win their respective conferences. 
• Mark Sears was named the MAC Player of the Week after he opened the first week of the season averaging 21.0 points per game. 
• Third-year head coach Jeff Boals currently sits with 94 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 ST. FRANCIS
St. Francis enters the matchup with Ohio with a 3-3 overall record after defeating Bucknell on Dec. 1. 

SFU averages 79.8 points per game, while shooting 44.1 percent from the field, 33.0 percent from three and 71.3 percent from the line. St. Francis averages 42.0 rebounds, 13.8 assists, 7.7 steals, 3.3 blocks and 11.5 turnovers per game. 

Opponents average 73.7 points a game, while shooting 42.0 percent from the field, 37.7 percent from three and 68.8 percent from the line. They also average 36.0 rebounds, 15.8 assists, 5.0 steals and 14.8 turnovers a game. 

Individually, Ramiir Dixon-Conover averages 14.6 points a game and is shooting .455 from the field while also averaging 5.4 rebounds a game. Ronell Giles, Jr. averages 13 points and 3.7 boards, while Josh Cohen adds 11.3 points a game to go with a team-leading 7.0 rebounds and is shooting .697 from the field. 

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with St. Francis with a 5-2 record after falling to LSU Wednesday night in Baton Rouge. 

The Bobcats average 73.6 points a game, while shooting .412 from the field, .348 from three and .756 from the line. The Bobcats grab 32.4 rebounds a game, while dishing out an average of 14.2 assists and registering 8.7 steals a game. Ohio is averaging 9.2 turnovers a game. 

Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 68.1 points a game, while shooting .475 from the field, .313 from three and .777 from the line. Opponents are averaging 35.6 rebounds, 12.4 assists and 16 turnovers a game. 

Individually, Ohio is led by guard Mark Sears who is averaging 15.6 points a game, while shooting .415 from the field, .429 from three and .846 from the line. Forward Jason Carter is adding 14.1 points and 7.7 rebounds a game, while forward Ben Vander Plas is averaging 14.5 points a game and 7.0 rebounds. Sears is third in the MAC in steals (13), followed by Carter in fourth with 13. 

ALL TIME VS. ST. FRANCIS
This is the 11th all-time meeting between Ohio and St. Francis 

The Bobcats hold a 9-1 advantage over the Red Flash. 

Ohio is 6-0 against St. Francis in Athens. 

LAST TIME AGAINST ST. FRANCIS
Ohio and St. Francis last met on Dec. 15, 2010 with Ohio defeating them, 87-58 inside the Convo. 

LAST TIME OUT
Despite a spirited second-half effort, the Ohio men's basketball team (5-2) was unable to overcome a poor-shooting first half, falling to LSU (8-0), 66-51, inside the Maravich Center. 

Overall, Ohio shot 26.5 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from three and 50 percent from the line. Meanwhile, LSU shot 46.9 percent from the field, 22.2 percent from three and were 16-of-19 from the line. LSU outrebounded the Bobcats 43-37, while both teams recorded 11 steals. The Bobcats forced 17 LSU turnovers, while only turning the ball over 12 times themselves. 

Individually, redshirt senior forward Ben Vander Plas (Ripon, Wis.) led Ohio with 12 points, going 4-of-6 from three. He also snagged seven boards and dished out two assists. Sophomore guard Mark Sears (Muscle Shoals, Ala.) added 11 points and four rebounds, while fifth year forward Jason Carter (Johnstown, Ohio) scored 10 points and grabbed a team-high nine boards. 

For LSU, Tari Eason led with 20 points and five boards, while Darius Day added 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. 

Coaching for their schools
Both head coach Jeff Boals and SFU head coach Rob Krimmel are both coaching for their alma maters. 

Boals, in his third season leading Ohio, played for the Bobcats and graduated in 1995. 

Krimmel, in his 10th season, played for the Red Flash and graduated from SFU in 2000. 

CAREER DAY FOR MILES
Junior Miles Brown recorded a career day against Concordia on Nov. 26. The guard scored a career-high 19 points, while grabbing a career-high six rebounds and hitting three made three pointers. 

PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Ohio has registered an impressive 530-176 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.

A NEW WAY TO WIN
Ohio only made five threes in their victory against Mount St. Mary's on Nov. 22. That was the first time under Jeff Boals that the Bobcats have won a game when making less than six threes. 

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

In seven games, Brown is averaging 8.6 points and is shooting .478 from the field, .346 from three and is .750 from the line.

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 seven games, Carter is averaging 14.1 points and 7.7 rebounds a game. He is also shooting .433 from the field, .273 from three and is 9-of-14 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 seven game, Sears is leading Ohio with 15.6 points per game. He is shooting .415 from the field, .429 from three and .856 from the line. 

He also averages 3.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.8 steals a game. 

BOALS MARCH TO 100
Third-year head coach Jeff Boals currently sits with 94 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 14.6 points per game. He also averages 7.0 rebounds, while dishing out 3.0 assists a game. Vander Plas is shooting .507 from the field and .442 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 seven games in the green and white, freshman AJ Clayton has made at least one three in six of those games. 

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

Clayton has scored six points in two games this season - both against SEC opponents. 

The 17-year old is averaging 4.0 points a game and 11.0 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. 

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.  

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 1.5 points and 8.9 minutes. 

UP NEXT
Up next, the Bobcats will be off for finals week, before heading down south to DeLand, Fla. to take on Stetson on Saturday, Dec. 11. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. 

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