ATHENS, Ohio -- The Ohio men's basketball team (20-4, 11-2 MAC) wraps up its three-game road trip when they head to Ypsilanti, Mich. to take on Eastern Michigan (8-15, 3-9 MAC) on Saturday, Feb. 12. Tip-off is set fro 3:30 p.m. inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. The Bobcats matchup will be seen on ESPN3. 

he 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 game is the second matchup between the Bobcats and Eagles in 11 days, with the two meeting on Feb. 3 in Athens. 
• Ohio is coming off of an 81-72 victory at CMU on Feb. 10.  
• Jason Carter was named the MAC Player of the Week on Feb. 7 and the MAC Male Scholar Athlete of the Week on Feb. 8. 
• 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 80th all-time meeting between Ohio and EMU.  
• The Bobcats lead the all-time series, 53-26. 
• The Bobcats and Eagles met on Feb. 3 inside the Convo, with Ohio winning, 81-68. 
• Ohio is 8-3 against EMU in the last 11 matchups, with the Bobcats last falling to EMU during the 2018-19 season. 
• The Bobcats 20-4 record is the best record in program history through 24 games. 
• Mark Sears has been named the MAC Player of the Week five times this season, with the most recent coming on Jan. 31. 
• The Bobcats are currently first in the MAC in turnover margin at +4.25. 
• Ohio is ranked 86th in the latest NET rankings released on Feb. 11. 
• Ohio is the second-highest-ranked MAC school, behind Toledo at 70.
• Meanwhile, EMU is ranked 283. 
• The Bobcats rank 14th in the country in turnover margin. 
• Mark Sears ranks third in the MAC in scoring, second in free throw percentage, third in steals and second in minutes. 
•  Mark Sears is 16th in the country in free throw percentage and tied for 6th in free throws made (124-of-138). He is also tied for 24th in the country in points per game. 
• The Bobcats are currently 13-1 this season in the Convo. 
• Ohio has registered an impressive 539-177 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.

SCOUTING EMU
Eastern Michigan enters the matchup with Ohio with an 8-15 record and a 3-9 mark in MAC play after falling to Buffalo, 102-64 on Feb. 8. 

As a team, EMU averages 71.0 points a game, while shooting 43.1 percent from the field, 31.7 percent from three and 72.2 percent from the line. The Eagles average 34.3 rebounds, 10.1 assists and 6.6 steals a game. EMU also averages 3.4 blocks a game and turn the ball over an average of 15.9 times a game. 

Opponents average 76.9 points and are shooting 44.8 percent from the field, 35.0 percent from three and 70.5 percent from the line. EMU's opponents also average 39.1 rebounds and 12.8 assists per game, while adding 7.0 steals and 3.8 blocks. Opponents also turn the ball over an average of 13.3 times a game. 

Individually, Noah Farrakhan averages 15.8 points per game, while shooting .396 from the field and 42.9 percent from three. He also adds 3.8 rebounds a contest. Bryce McBride adds 11.9 points, 2.5 boards and is shooting 41.4 percent from the field. Monty Scott averages 11.7 points a game, while shooting .338 from three. 

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with EMU with a 20-4 record overall and an 11-2 record in MAC play after defeating CMU, 81-67, on Thursday in Mount Pleasant. 

The Bobcats average 74.7 points a game, while shooting .440 from the field, .342 from three and .735 from the line. The Bobcats grab 34.0 rebounds a game, while dishing out an average of 13.0 assists and registering 7.9 steals a game. Ohio is averaging 10.7 turnovers a game. 

Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 66.7 points a game, while shooting .439 from the field, .309 from three and .786 from the line. Opponents are averaging 34.2 rebounds, 11.2 assists and 15.0 turnovers a game. 

Individually, Ohio is led by guard Mark Sears who is averaging 19.7 points a game, while shooting .470 from the field, .435 from three and .899 from the line. Forward Jason Carter is adding 14.5 points and 6.7 rebounds a game, while forward Ben Vander Plas is averaging 13.5 points a game, 6.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists. 

ALL TIME VS. EMU
This is the 80th all-time meeting between Ohio and EMU.  

The Bobcats lead the all-time series, 53-26. 

The Bobcats and Eagles met on Feb. 3 inside the Convo, with Ohio winning, 81-68. 

Ohio is 8-3 against EMU in the last 11 matchups, with the Bobcats last falling to EMU during the 2018-19 season. 

LAST TIME AGAINST EMU
The Bobcats defeated EMU, 81-68 on Feb. 3 in Athens.  

The Bobcats had four players score in double figures, led by Mark Sears who finished with 20 points. Ben Roderick returned to the lineup and scored 19 points, Jason Carter  poured in 17, and Ben Vander Plas  contributed 15. On the glass, the Bobcats were paced by Sears, who had a team-high six rebounds while also dishing out a team-leading five assists.  

Eastern Michigan was led by Nate Scott who finished with 16 points on 7 for 11 shooting from the field, and Bryce McBride who contributed 14 points and played 31 minutes off of the bench. The Eagles' leading rebounders were Mo Njie and Scott, who both grabbed six boards apiece.

LAST TIME OUT
The Bobcats are coming off of an 81-72 win at CMU on Feb. 10. 

Individually, Ben Vander Plas  led Ohio with 24 points, going 9-of-15 from the field, 2-of-5 from three and dished out six assists. Mark Sears added 22 points, going 5-of-11 from the field and 4-of-6 from three, while grabbing five rebounds and dishing out four assists. Tommy Schmock scored 16 points, while Ben Roderick grabbed seven rebounds. 

Overall, Ohio shot 49.1 percent from the field, 48 percent from three and were 17-of-26 from the line. Meanwhile, CMU shot 41.4 percent from the field, 20.8 percent from three and were 19-of-2 from the line. CMU outrebounded Ohio 38-28, while the Bobcats dished out 14 assists and forced 19 turnovers.

For CMU, Kevin Miller led all scorers with 25 points, while Harrison Henderson added 16 points and Brian Taylor scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds. 

OHIO IN THE NET
Ohio is ranked 86th in the latest NET rankings released on Feb. 11. 

Ohio is the second-highest-ranked MAC school, behind Toledo at 70.

Meanwhile, EMU is ranked 283. 

OHIO IN THE NCAA
The Bobcats rank 14th in the country in turnover margin. 

Mark Sears is 16th in the country in free throw percentage and tied for 6th in free throws made (124-of-138). He is also tied for 24th in the country in points per game. 

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

Jason Carter is eighth in blocked shots (25) and ninth in rebounding. 

Ben Vander Plas is fourth in the league in minutes played (34.5) and eighth in rebounding . 

Meanwhile, Ohio is first in turnover margin (+4.25), fifth in free throw percentage, third in assist/TO ratio (1.21) and first in steals (7.9). 

SEARS AT THE LINE
Mark Sears continues his solid season at the free throw line. The sophomore is shooting 89.9 percent (124-of-138), which ranks him second in the MAC and 16th in the country in free throw percentage and tied for 12th in free throws made.

Meanwhile, in the last 14 games, Sears is 92-of-103 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 22 games, Brown is averaging 6.5 points and is shooting .414 from the field, .357 from three and is .710 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 24 games, Carter is averaging 14.5 points and 6.7 rebounds a game. He is also shooting .469 from the field and .263 from three.

He also has three double doubles this season.

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

Carter scored a career-high 27 points against Western Michigan on Feb. 5. 

He was named the MAC Player of the Week on Feb. 7 and the MAC Male Scholar Athlete of the Week on Feb. 8. 

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

Over 24 game, Sears is leading Ohio with 19.7 points per game. He is shooting .470 from the field, .435 from three and .889 from the line. 

He also averages 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 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 five times this season, the most recent coming on Jan. 31. 

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 13.5 points per game. He also averages 6.7 rebounds, while dishing out 3.1 assists a game. Vander Plas is shooting .456 from the field and .340 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. 

BVP recorded his second double double of the season at Buffalo on Jan. 28, scoring 12 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. 

BVP's third double double came Feb. 5 against WMU, scoring 15 points and grabbing 11 boards. 

BVP once again own CMU, scoring a season-high 24 points on Feb. 10 in Mount Pleasant. 

OLUMIDE MAKES MOST OF HIS MINUTES

On Feb. 10 at CMU, Olumide Adelodun made the most of his five minutes on the court, draining a important three and followed that up with a block on the opposite end of the court, helping Ohio to the 81-72 victory. 

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. 

Schmock had another stellar game on Feb. 8 at Toledo, scoring 17 points, going 6-of-12 from the field and 5-of-10 from three. 

Schmock helped lead the Bobcats in the next game, scoring 16 points and hitting four threes in the Bobcats' win at CMU. 

This season. Schmock is averaging 5.9 points in 19.5 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 2.3 points and 11.0 minutes.

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

Towns earned his first career start on Jan. 28 at Buffalo. He had his second career start on Feb. 1 against Ball State. 

MAC MALE SCHOLAR ATHLETE
Jason Carter was named the MAC Male Scholar Athlete of the Week on Jan. 19. 

Jason Carter was named the MAC Male Scholar Athlete of the Week for the second time on Feb. 8. 

UP NEXT
Up next, the Bobcats head back to Athens for the second 'Battle of the Bricks' when Ohio hosts Miami on Tuesday, Feb. 15. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. 

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