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ATHENS, Ohio -- The Ohio men's basketball team (19-4, 10-2 MAC) returns to action on Thursday, Feb. 10 for its fifth of six games in 12 days when they head to Mount Pleasant, Mich. to take on Central Michigan (6-14, 5-4 MAC). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside McGurik Arena. The Bobcats matchup will be seen on ESPN+. 

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 game is a makeup of a game that was originally scheduled for Jan. 15. 
• Ohio is coming off of a 77-62 loss at Toledo on Feb. 8. 
• Jason Carter was named the MAC Player of the Week on Feb. 7. 
• 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 82nd all-time meeting between Ohio and Central Michigan. 
• Ohio leads the all-time series, 48-32.
• The Bobcats and CMU last met on Feb. 2, 2021 in Mount Pleasant, with Ohio winning, 83-69.
• The Bobcats and CMU's second matchup last season was canceled due to Covid-19. 
• Ohio is 6-7 against CMU since the 2011-12 season. 
• The Bobcats 19-4 record is the best start for the Bobcats in program history.  
• 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 +4.22. 
• Ohio is ranked 86th in the latest NET rankings released on Feb. 9 
• Ohio is the second-highest-ranked MAC school, behind Toledo at 70.
• Meanwhile, CMU is ranked 319. 
• The Bobcats ranked 59th in the country in free throw percentage and 25th in the country in turnover margin. 
• Mark Sears ranks third in the MAC in scoring, second in free throw percentage, fourth in steals and second in minutes. 
• Mark Sears is 16th in the country in free throw percentage and tied for 12th in free throws made (116-of-128). He is also 22nd 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 CMU
Central Michigan enters the matchup with the Bobcats with a 6-14 record and a 5-4 mark in MAC play, after defeating to Ball State, 89-85 in overtime on Feb. 8. 

As a team, CMU averages 65.8 points a game, while shooting 41.0 percent from the field, 36.7 percent from three and 67.0 percent from the line. CMU average 31.4 rebounds, 11.5 assists and 6.4 steals a game. CMU also averages 2.7 blocks a game and turn the ball over an average of 13.9 times a game. 

Opponents average 79.3 points and are shooting 46.9 percent from the field, 34.6 percent from three and 70.3 percent from the line. CMU's opponents also average 39.1 rebounds and 14.0 assists per game, while adding 6.8 steals and 3.4 blocks. Opponents also turn the ball over an average of 11.9 times a game. 

Individually, Cameron Heaty averages 11.6 points a game, while shooting .471 from the field, .452 from three and .692 from the line. Kevin Miller adds 11.4 points per game, while Jermaine Jackson, Jr. averages 11.4 points and 2.4 boards a game. 

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with CMU with an 19-4 record overall and a 10-2 record in MAC play after falling to Toledo, 77-62, on Tuesday in Toledo. 

The Bobcats average 74.4 points a game, while shooting .438 from the field, .337 from three and .740 from the line. The Bobcats grab 34.2 rebounds a game, while dishing out an average of 12.9 assists and registering 8.0 steals a game. Ohio is averaging 10.6 turnovers a game. 

Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 66.5 points a game, while shooting .440 from the field, .314 from three and .778 from the line. Opponents are averaging 34.0 rebounds, 11.1 assists and 14.8 turnovers a game. 

Individually, Ohio is led by guard Mark Sears who is averaging 19.6 points a game, while shooting .470 from the field, .419 from three and .906 from the line. Forward Jason Carter is adding 14.9 points and 6.9 rebounds a game, while forward Ben Vander Plas is averaging 13.0 points a game and 6.8 rebounds. 

ALL TIME VS. CMU
This is the 82nd all-time meeting between Ohio and Central Michigan. 

Ohio leads the all-time series, 48-32.

The Bobcats and CMU last met on Feb. 2, 2021 in Mount Pleasant, with Ohio winning, 83-69.

The Bobcats and CMU's second matchup last season was canceled due to Covid-19. 

Ohio is 6-7 against CMU since the 2011-12 season. 

LAST TIME AGAINST CMU
The Bobcats defeated CMU, 86-67 on Feb. 2, 2021 in Mount Pleasant. 

Jason Preston finished the game with 17 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, while Dwight Wilson III finished with 14 points, going a perfect 7-of-7 from the field, and hauling in 10 boards. Ben Vander Plas finished with 13 points, while Ben Roderick contributed 12. Mark Sears chipped in 11 points. 

The Bobcats dominated in the paint once again, scoring 42 points compared to CMU's 20. 

For the game, Ohio shot 56.7 percent from the field while holding Central Michigan to just 38.3 percent shooting. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Bobcats are coming off of a 77-62 loss at Toledo on Feb. 8. 

Leading the Bobcats was Tommy Schmock with 17 points, going 6-of-12 from the field and 5-of-10 from three and grabbing four steals. Mark Sears added 13 points, six rebounds and two assists, while Ben Roderick scored 10 points. Ben Vander Plas added eight points, eight rebounds and six assists.  

For Toledo, Setric Milner Jr had 18 points, followed by JT Schumate with 17 and Ryan Rollins with 15.

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

OHIO IN THE NET
Ohio is ranked 86th in the latest NET rankings released on Feb. 9 

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

Meanwhile, CMU is ranked 319. 

OHIO IN THE NCAA
The Bobcats ranked 59th in the country in free throw percentage and 25th in the country in turnover margin. 

Mark Sears is 16th in the country in free throw percentage and tied for 12th in free throws made (116-of-128). He is also 22nd 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, fourth in steals and second in minutes. 

Jason Carter is eighth in blocked shots (22) and seventh in rebounding. 

Ben Vander Plas is fourth in the league in minutes played (34.4).

Meanwhile, Ohio is first in turnover margin (+4.22), fifth in free throw percentage, third in assist/TO ratio (1.21) and first in steals (8.0). 

SEARS AT THE LINE
Mark Sears continues his solid season at the free throw line. The sophomore is shooting 90.6 percent (116-of-128), 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 13 games, Sears is 86-of-93 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 21 games, Brown is averaging 6.7 points and is shooting .425 from the field, .362 from three and is .704 from the line. 

Brown scored a career-high 19 points on Nov. 26 against Concordia. 

BROD BACK
After missing two games due to a foot injury, junior Ben Roderick returned to the starting lineup, registering his best game of the season. 

Roderick scored a season-high 19 points, going 8-of-10 from the field and 3-of-4 from three. He also grabbed five rebounds, dished out one assist and had two steals.

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 23 games, Carter is averaging 14.9 points and 6.9 rebounds a game. He is also shooting .473 from the field and .274 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. 

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

Over 23 game, Sears is leading Ohio with 19.6 points per game. He is shooting .470 from the field, .419 from three and .906 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 13.0 points per game. He also averages 6.9 rebounds, while dishing out 3.0 assists a game. Vander Plas is shooting .444 from the field and .338 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. 

CLAYTON FOR THREE
In 22 games in the green and white, freshman AJ Clayton has made at least one three in 13 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 3.5 points a game and 10.5 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. 

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. 

This season. Schmock is averaging 5.4 points in 19.1 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 2.5 points and 11.3 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. 

UP NEXT
Up next, the Bobcats remain head to Ypsilanti, Mich. to take On eastern Michigan on Saturday, Feb. 12. Tip-off is set for 3:30 p.m. inside the EMU Convocation Center. 

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