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ATHENS, Ohio -- The Ohio men's basketball team (4-2) returns to Athens on Saturday, Dec. 2 when the Bobcats host Delaware (5-2). Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. The game can be seen on ESPN+, where Russ Eisenstein, Dave Cecutti and Ethan Sargent will have the call. 

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

STORYLINES
• This is the sixth all-time meeting between Ohio and Delaware.
• Ohio leads the all-time series, 4-1.
• Ohio and Delaware last met on Dec. 21, 2022 in Newark, with Ohio winning, 95-76.
• Ohio is 3-0 all-time against the Blue Hens in Athens.
• Ohio last hosted Delaware in the Convo on Nov. 13, 2011, with Ohio winning, 88-69 in the season opener.
• Ohio is coming off a 2-1 weekend at the 2023 Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship, with the Bobcats falling to George Washington in double overtime, before defeating Middle Tennessee State and Brown to finish fifth in the tournament.  
• Delaware is 5-2 entering the matchup with Ohio, and is coming off a 1-2 weekend at the 2023 Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship, defeating Brown before falling to UNCG and George Washington.
• Ohio has registered an impressive 556-179 (.756) all-time record at the Co1vocation Center, which opened in 1968.
• Ohio finished 14-1 in the Convo this season.
• This season Ohio 2-0 in the Convo.
• Ohio is 51-11 in the Convo under Boals in the last five seasons.
• Graduate student guard Shereef Mitchell recorded a career-high in points twice while in The Bahamas, scoring 23 points against GW on Nov. 24, before setting the new mark of 24 points on Nov. 26 against Brown.
• Junior forward AJ Clayton set a new career high in rebounds (12) and blocks (5) against GW on Nov. 24.
• Sophomore guard Elmore James grabbed a career-high nine rebounds against GW on Nov. 24.
• Currently all five Ohio starters are averaging double digits in scoring entering the first week in December. 

SCOUTING DELAWARE
Delaware is 5-2 to open the season after going 1-2 at the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship last weekend, defeating Brown before falling to UNCG and George Washington. 

Overall, Delaware averages 76.7 points a game, while shooting .478 from the field, .361 from three and .652 from the line. Delaware also averages 37.0 rebounds a game, 15.1 assists and 6.0 steals a game. Delaware also forces 11.4 turnovers a game. 

Meanwhile, Opponents average 68.1 points and 33.6 rebounds a game. Opponents also shoot .412 from the field, .300 from three and .684 from the line. Opponents also dish out 10.3 assists and grab 6.7 steals a game, while also forcing 11.0 turnovers a game. 

Individually, Jyare Davis leads Delaware with 18.2 points and 7.5 rebounds a game. He shoots .506 from the field, .286 from three and .833 from the line, while also dishing out 16 assists. Gerald Drumgoole, Jr. adds 12.9 points a game, while shooting .413 from the field, while Cavan Reilly adds 12.3 points and is shooting 41 percent from three. 

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with Delaware with a 4-2 record after going 4-2 at the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship last weekend, falling to George Washington, before defeating Middle Tennessee State and Brown to finish the tournament in fifth place. 

Overall, Ohio is averaging 82.2 points per game, while shooting .478 from the field, .347 from three and 71.1 percent from the line. The Bobcats also add 33.7 rebounds, 12.8 assists and 7.0 steals per game, while forcing opponents to turn the ball over 15.7 times a game. 

Meanwhile, Opponents are averaging 74.7 points a game, while shooting .417 from the field, .298 from three and .766 from the line. They also average 36.2 rebounds, 10.5 assists, 4.7 steals and force the Bobcats to turn the ball over an average of 10.5 times a game. 

Individually, all five Ohio starters currently average double figures in scoring. Jaylin Hunter leads with 17.2 points and 4.7 rebounds a game, while shooting .408 from the field and .313 from three. Shereef Mitchell adds 14.7 points and is shooting .492 from the field, while Elmore James is averaging 12.2 points and 6.2 rebounds a game, while shooting 50 percent from the field. AJ Clayton adds 11.7 points a game and is shooting 56 percent from three, while AJ brown adds 11.2 points a game. 

ALL TIME VS. DELAWARE
This is the sixth all-time meeting between Ohio and Delaware. 

Ohio leads the all-time series, 4-1. 

Ohio and Delaware last met on Dec. 21, 2022 in Newark, with Ohio winning, 95-76. 

Ohio is 3-0 all-time against the Blue Hens in Athens. 

Ohio last hosted Delaware in the Convo on Nov. 13, 2011, with Ohio winning, 88-69 in the season opener. 

LAST TIME AGAINST DELAWARE
Ohio and Delaware last met on Dec. 21, 2022 in Newark, with Ohio winning, 95-76. 

Overall, Ohio shot 52.4 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from three and were 20-of-21 from the line, while Delaware shot 42.2 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from three and were 12-of-18 from the line. Ohio outrebounded Delaware, 43-29, and dished out 16 assists to the Blue Hens' 18. 

Individually, AJ Clayton led Ohio with 23 points, going 6-of-11 from the field, 9-of-9 from the line and grabbed six rebounds. Dwight Wilson III added 16 points and 13 rebounds for a double double. AJ Brown scored 14 points and grabbed five rebounds, while Miles Brown scored 11 points and hit three 3-pointers, while Jaylin Hunter also scored 11 points.

PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Ohio has registered an impressive 556-179 (.756) all-time record at the Co1vocation Center, which opened in 1968.

Ohio finished 14-1 in the Convo this season.

This season Ohio is 2-0 in the Convo. 

Ohio is 51-11 in the Convo under Boals in the last five seasons. 

MARCH TO 1,000
Senior guard Jaylin Hunter scored his 1,000th career point on Nov. 18 against Detroit Mercy. 

The points game on a breakaway dunk midway through the second half.

REEF MAKES MOST OF NEW HOME
Graduate student guard Shereef Mitchell's offensive power showed up at the Nassau Championship Nov. 24-26. 

On Nov. 24 in a double OT loss to George Washington, Mitchell scored a career-high 23 points, going 8-of-15 form the field, 3-of7 from three and grabbed seven rebounds. 

He then followed up that performance on Nov. 26 with a new career high against Brown, scoring 24 points, while going 7-of-9 from the field and 8-of-11 from the line in the victory. 

So far this season, Mitchell is second on the Bobcats in scoring with 14.7 points and 3.3 rebounds a game. 

SOPHOMORE YEAR (ELMORE'S VERSION)
Sophomore guard Elmore James is looking to make a name for himself this season. 

That plan started out on the right track on Nov. 8 against Troy, with James scoring 20 points, going 7-of-13 from the field, grabbing six rebounds, snagging two steals and going perfect from the line in Ohio's 88-70 victory over Troy. 

James was solid at the Nassau Championship Nov. 24-26. On Nov. 24 in a double OT loss to GW, James gabbed a career-high nine rebounds. The on Nov. 26 against Brown, James scored 18 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out four assists in the win. 

So far this season, James is averaging 12.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and is shooting 50 percent from the field. 

AJB'S RISING STAR
Sophomore guard AJ Brown is looking towards a breakout second season with the Bobcats. 

Brown began that journey effortlessly on No. 8 against Troy, leading Ohio with 24 points, going 10-of-15 from the field and grabbing six rebounds in the 88-70 victory. 

So far this season, Brown is averaging 11.2 points a game, while shooting 45.6 percent from the field. 

JAYLIN ON THE HUNT
Senior guard Jaylin Hunter is looking to make the most out of his final season. 

In the season opener, Hunter was effective with the ball, dishing out four assists and going a perfect 8-for-8 from the line. 

He then had a 13-point performance at Cleveland State on Nov. 11. 

Hunter recorded his 1,000th career point on Nov. 18 against Detroit Mercy. 

Hunter also recorded his first career double double in the Detroit Mercy game with the help of a career-high 10 rebounds and 14 points. 

Hunter had a stellar Nassau Championship Nov. 24-26. On Against GW, Hunter scored a season-high 25 points, going 9-of-22 from the field , while grabbing six rebounds and dishing out five assists. 

He added a 19 point performance on Nov. 25 against MTSU, before closing out the tournament with 21 points and eight rebounds against Brown. 

This season, Hunter is averaging 17.2 points and 4.7 rebounds, while shooting .408 from the field. 

CLAYTON TAKES THE NEXT STEP
Junior forward AJ Clayton has moved back into his starting roll with ease. 

He has recorded double figure scoring numbers in three-straight games to open the season. 

On Nov. 18 against Detroit Mercy, Clayton led Ohio with 18 points, while also grabbing six rebounds and tying his career-high with four made threes. 

On Nov. 24 against George Washington, Clayton recorded a double double, scoring 13 points and grabbing a career-high 12 rebounds, while also recording a career-high five blocks. 

On Nov. 25 against Middle Tennessee State, Clayton scored 15 points, while going 5-of-6 from three, setting a new career mark in three-pointers made in a game. 

So far this season, Clayton averages 11.7 and 5.2 boards a game. 

THE WIZ MAKING THE MOST
Senior center Gabe Wiznitzer is looking to take a step forward this season. 

On Nov. 8 he made the most of his minutes, grabbing a game-high seven rebounds and recording two blocks in 16 minutes in Ohio win over Troy.   

Wiznitzer had a solid weekend at the Nassau Championship, Nov. 24-26. Against MTSU on Nov. 25, Wiznitzer scored eight points and grabbed two rebounds. Then against Brown the following day, he added six points and six boards to the scoresheet. 

UP NEXT
Up next, the Bobcats stay in Athens on Wednesday, Dec. 6 when they host Youngstown State. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center and can be seen on ESPN. 

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