FOLLOW OHIO MEN'S BASKETBALL: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

ATHENS, Ohio -- The Ohio men's basketball team (15-3, 6-1 MAC) returns to action on Friday, Jan. 28 when the Bobcats head to Buffalo, N.Y. to take on Buffalo (10-7, 4-3 MAC). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside Alumni Arena. The Bobcats matchup will be seen on ESPNU where Doug Sherman and Brooke Weisbrod will be on the call. 

The Bobcats' matchup can be heard on the Ohio Sports Network from Learfield IMG College. Russ Eisenstein returns for his 14th season as the "Voice of the Bobcats."  WXTQ (Power 105) in Athens returns as the 11-station network's flagship.  

STORYLINES: 
• Ohio is coming off of a 74-62 victory over Northern Illinois on Tuesday. 
• Mark Sears has been named to the 2021-22 Lou Henson National Player of the Year Mid-Season Watch List on Jan. 12. 
• Third-year head coach Jeff Boals recorded his 100th career win on Jan 4 at Akron. 
• This is the 54th all-time meeting between Ohio and Buffalo. 
• Ohio leads the all-time series, 34-19. 
• Ohio and Buffalo last met on  March 13, 2021 in the MAC Championship game, where Ohio defeated UB 84-69 to capture Ohio's seventh MAC Tournament Title. 
• In total, the Bobcats and Bulls met three times last season, with Ohio going 2-1 in those matchups, with Ohio winning at Buffalo. 
• This is the only regular season matchup between Ohio and Buffalo. 
• The Bobcats 15-3 record through 17 games is the best start for the Bobcats since the 2011-12 season when Ohio started 14-4 over the same span of games.  
• Mark Sears has been named the MAC Player of the Week four times this season, with the most recent coming on Jan. 10. 
• The Bobcats are currently first in the MAC in turnover margin at +3.39. 
• Ohio is ranked 88th in the latest NET rankings released on Jan. 27. 
• Ohio is the second-highest-ranked MAC school, behind Toledo at 61.
• Meanwhile, UB is ranked 115th.  
• The Bobcats ranked 35th in the country in free throw percentage and 38th in the country in turnover margin. 
• Mark Sears ranks second in the MAC in scoring, second in free throw percentage, third in steals and third in minutes. 
•  Mark Sears is 10th in the country in free throw percentage and tied for 7th in free throws made (99-of-108). 
• The Bobcats are currently 10-1 this season in the Convo. 
• Ohio has registered an impressive 536-177 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.

SCOUTING BUFFALO
Buffalo enters the matchup with Ohio with a 10-7 overall record and a 4-3 mark in MAC play after falling to Toledo on Tuesday. 

As a team, Buffalo averages 80.2 points a game, while shooting 45.1 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from three and 70.1 percent from the line. The Bulls average 41.8 rebounds, 14.8 assists and 7.1 steals a game. Buffalo also averages 4.7 blocks a game and turn the ball over an average of 13.1 times a game. 

Opponents average 72.4 points and are shooting 42.2 percent from the field, 30.5 percent from three and 70.7 percent from the line. Buffalo's opponents also average 35.3 rebounds and 11.3 assists per game, while adding 5.6 steals and 3.4 blocks. Opponents also turn the ball over an average of 12.4 times a game. 

Individually, Jeenathan Williams averages 19.1 points a game, while shooting .472 from the field, 42.6 percent from three and averages 5.8 rebounds a game. Ronaldo Segu adds 15.8 points a game and shoots 45.3 percent from the field, while Josh Mballa averages 13.3 points and shotting 50.7 percent from the field, while grabbing 8.3 boards a game. 

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with Buffalo with a 15-3 record overall and a 6-1 record in MAC play after defeating NIU, 74-62, on Tuesday in Athens. 

The Bobcats average 73.9 points a game, while shooting .433 from the field, .328 from three and .762 from the line. The Bobcats grab 34.4 rebounds a game, while dishing out an average of 13.0 assists and registering 7.7 steals a game. Ohio is averaging 11.0 turnovers a game. 

Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 66.9 points a game, while shooting .439 from the field, .314 from three and .773 from the line. Opponents are averaging 34.0 rebounds, 11.2 assists and 14.4 turnovers a game. 

Individually, Ohio is led by guard Mark Sears who is averaging 19.6 points a game, while shooting .479 from the field, .424 from three and .917 from the line. Forward Jason Carter is adding 14.4 points and 7.1 rebounds a game, while forward Ben Vander Plas is averaging 12.9 points a game and 6.4 rebounds. 

ALL TIME VS. BUFFALO
This is the 54th all-time meeting between Ohio and Buffalo. 

Ohio leads the all-time series, 34-19. 

Ohio and Buffalo last met on  March 13, 2021 in the MAC Championship game, where Ohio defeated UB 84-69 to capture Ohio's seventh MAC Tournament Title. 

In total, the Bobcats and Bulls met three times last season, with Ohio going 2-1 in those matchups, with Ohio winning at Buffalo. 

This is the only regular season matchup between Ohio and Buffalo. 

LAST TIME AGAINST BUFFALO
Ohio and Buffalo last met on  March 13, 2021 in the MAC Championship game, where Ohio defeated UB 84-69 to capture Ohio's seventh MAC Tournament Title. 

Tournament MVP Jason Preston led the Bobcats with 22 points, going 9-of-16 from the field, while grabbing six rebounds and dishing out seven assists. Ben Roderick added 20 points, going 6-of-9 from the field and hitting all six of his free throws. Dwight Wilson III scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds. 

As a team, Ohio shot 50 percent from the field, 53.3 percent from three and 76.3 percent from the line, while Buffalo shot 34.4 percent from the field, 26.3 percent from three and 74.1 percent from the line. 

Buffalo out-rebounded Ohio, 40-36. However, the Bobcats continued to dominate the paint, scoring 40 points. 

LAST TIME OUT
Led by 26 points from sophomore guard Mark Sears (Muscle Shoals, Ala.), the Ohio men's basketball team (15-3, 6-1 MAC) rebounded Tuesday night, defeating Northern Illinois (5-11, 2-4 MAC), 74-62, inside the Convocation Center. 

Leading the Bobcats was Sears with 26 points, going 7-of-12 from the field, and 11-of-12 from the line, while grabbing six rebounds and dishing out six assists. Redshirt senior forward Ben Vander Plas (Ripon, Wis.) added 15 points, going 4-of-9 from the field, 3-of-8 from three, while grabbing five boards and dishing out four assists. Fifth year forward Jason Carter (Johnstown, Ohio) added eight points and eight boards, while sophomore forward Sam Towns (Columbus, Ohio) scored six points and grabbed seven rebounds. 

Overall, Ohio shot 41 percent from the field, 27 percent from three and were 18-of-24 from the line, while NIU shot 43 percent from the field, 19 percent from three and were 13-of-19 from the line. Ohio outrebounded NIU, 40-34, while Bobcats dished out 12 assists to NIU's seven. 

For NIU, Keshawn Williams scored 12 points, while Kaleb Thornton added 10. 

OHIO WIN STREAKS
1921-22 - 13 games
1993-94 - 13 games
1959-1960 - 12 games
1940-41 - 11 games
1984-85 - 11 games
1985-86 - 11 games
1920-21 - 10 games
2011-12 - 9 games
2021-22 - 9 games

PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Ohio has registered an impressive 536-177 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.

OHIO IN THE NET
Ohio is ranked 88th in the latest NET rankings released on Jan. 27. 

Ohio is the second-highest-ranked MAC school, behind Toledo at 61.

Meanwhile, UB is ranked 115th.  

OHIO IN THE NCAA
The Bobcats ranked 35th in the country in free throw percentage and 38th in the country in turnover margin.

Mark Sears is 10th in the country in free throw percentage and tied for seventh in free throws made (99-of-108). 

OHIO IN THE MAC 
Mark Sears ranks second in the MAC in scoring, second in free throw percentage, third in steals and third in minutes.  

Jason Carter is ninth in blocked shots (19) and fifth in rebounding. 

Ben Vander Plas is fourth in the league in minutes played (34.6).

Meanwhile, Ohio is first in turnover margin (+3.39), fifth in free throw percentage, third in assist/TO ratio (1.18) and first in steals (7.7). 

SEARS AT THE LINE
Mark Sears continues his solid season at the free throw line. The sophomore is shooting 91.7 percent (99-of-108), which ranks him second in the MAC and 10th in the NCAA in free throw percentage. He also ranks seventh in free throws made. 

Meanwhile, in the last eight games, Sears is 69-of-73 from the line, including going 10-of-10 against USC Upstate, Marshall and Bowling Green and 11-of-12 against NIU. 

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

In 15 games, Brown is averaging 7.2 points and is shooting .457 from the field, .353 from three and is .737 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 18 games, Carter is averaging 14.3 points and 7.1 rebounds a game. He is also shooting .446 from the field and .224 from three.

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

On Jan. 11 against BGSU, Carter scored a season-high 22 points in the victory. 

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

Over 18 game, Sears is leading Ohio with 19.6 points per game. He is shooting .479 from the field, .424 from three and .917 from the line. 

He also averages 4.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 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. 

Sears set another career-high on Dec. 21 when he scored 33 points against USC Upstate inside the Convo. 

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

CAREER DAY FOR MARK
On Dec. 21 against USC Upstate, Mark Sears set a career-high with 33 points in the 85-70 victory. He went 11-of-16 from the field, a perfect 10-of-10 from the line and grabbed a career-tying eight boards.

BOALS MARCH TO 100
Third-year head coach Jeff Boals recorded his 100th career win on Jan 4 at Akron.

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 12.9 points per game. He also averages 6.4 rebounds, while dishing out 2.9 assists a game. Vander Plas is shooting .446 from the field and .352 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. 

BVP hit a career-high six made three pointers on Jan. 7 against Kent State, while also scoring season-high 20 points in the victory. 

On Jan. 18 at Miami, Vander Plas scored a season-high 23 points in 29 minutes. 20 of those points came in the first half. 

CLAYTON FOR THREE
In 17 games in the green and white, freshman AJ Clayton has made at least one three in 11 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.

Clayton set a career-high with seven points on Dec. 21 vs. USC Upstate.  

Clayton set a career-high on Jan. 11 against BGSU, scoring 12 points and going 2-of-6 from three. 

The 17-year old is averaging 4.0 points a game and 10.9 minutes. 

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.  

Schmock got his first start in the Green and White on Jan. 7 against Kent State. 

In his second start of the season on Jan. 11 against BGSU, Schmock was sensational, scoring 17 points, going 5-of-10 from the field, 4-of-7 from three and grabbed seven boards in the victory. 

This season. Schmock is averaging 5.1 points in 17.9 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 2.7 points and 11.5 minutes.

Towns grabbed a career-high nine rebounds on Jan. 18 at Miami. 

UP NEXT
Up next, the Bobcats are back in Athens to start a three-game home stand starting Tuesday, Feb. 1 when Ohio hosts Ball State, Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. 

#OUohyeah