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ATHENS, Ohio -- The Ohio men's basketball team (5-4) is back in action after finals week on Monday, Dec. 18 to take on Defiance (1-8). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. The game can be seen on ESPN+, where Marty Bannister, Dave Cecutti and Sedric Granger will have the call.
The Bobcats' matchup can also be heard on the Ohio Sports Network from Learfield. Russ Eisenstein returns for his 16th season as the "Voice of the Bobcats" and will be joined by Ohio alum Rob Cornlius, 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 is the first all-time meeting between Ohio and Defiance.
• Defiance enters the matchup with Ohio with a 1-8 record after falling to Alma on Dec. 16.
• Ohio is coming off a 74-69 loss against Marshall on Dec. 9.
•Ohio is ranked 164 in the NCAA NET Rankings as of Dec. 17.
• Ohio has registered an impressive 557-181 (.756) all-time record at the Co1vocation Center, which opened in 1968.
• Ohio finished 14-1 in the Convo this season.
• This season Ohio 3-2 in the Convo.
• Ohio is 52-13 in the Convo under Boals in the last five seasons.
• Sophomore forward Aidan Hadaway scored a career-high 14 points against Youngstown State on Dec. 6.
• Sophomore guard Elmore James tied his career high with 21 points Saturday afternoon against Delaware.
• Junior forward AJ Clayton set a new career high in rebounds (12) and blocks (5) against GW on Nov. 24. He then matched that on Dec. 2 against Delaware and again on Dec. 9 against Marshall (5).
SCOUTING DEFIANCE
Defiance is 1-8 entering the matchup with the Bobcats after falling to Alma 84-75 Saturday night.
Overall, Defiance averages 63.7 points a game, while shooting .424 from the field, .336 from three and .729 from the line. Defiance also averages 29.2 rebounds a game, 15.1 assists and 6.4 steals a game. The Yellowjackets also force 11.4 turnovers a game.
Meanwhile, Opponents average 81.8 points and 37.1 rebounds a game. Opponents also shoot .508 from the field, .339 from three and .724 from the line. Opponents also dish out 15.2 assists and grab 9.4 steals a game, while also forcing 15.6 turnovers a game.
Individually, Landen Swanner averages 12.4 points a game, while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from three, while dishing out 3.2 assists per game. Will Gehlhausen adds 7.0 points a game, while shooting 57.1 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from three, while Devin Goodwyn adds 6.6 points a game.
SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with Defiance with a 5-4 record after falling to Marshall, 74-69 Saturday afternoon in the Convo.
Overall, Ohio is averaging 78.7 points per game, while shooting .449 from the field, .325 from three and 70.5 percent from the line. The Bobcats also add 35.6 rebounds, 11.7 assists and 6.7 steals per game, while forcing opponents to turn the ball over 14.8 times a game.
Meanwhile, Opponents are averaging 74.8 points a game, while shooting .428 from the field, .310 from three and .725 from the line. They also average 37.8 rebounds, 10.4 assists, 5.2 steals and force the Bobcats to turn the ball over an average of 10.0 times a game.
Individually, Jaylin Hunter leads with 16.7 points and 4.4 rebounds a game, while shooting .389 from the field and .269 from three. Shereef Mitchell adds 14.1 points and is shooting .475 from the field, while Elmore James is averaging 12.9 points and 6.7 rebounds a game, while shooting .505 from the field. AJ Clayton adds 10.8 points a game and is shooting 54.2 percent from the field and 45 percent from three, while AJ Brown adds 9.0 points a game.
ALL TIME VS. DEFIANCE
This is the first all-time meeting between Ohio and Defiance.
PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Ohio has registered an impressive 557-181 (.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 3-2 in the Convo.
Ohio is 52-13 in the Convo under Boals in the last five seasons.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sophomore guard Elmore James was named the Mid-American Conference Co-Player of the Week for his performance the week of Nov. 27, the league announced today (Dec. 4).
James led the Ohio men's basketball team to a comeback win Saturday afternoon against Delaware inside the Convocation Center. Overall, James tied his career-high with 21 points, going 9-of-14 from the field, while grabbing five rebounds, dishing out one assist and forcing two steals.
After finishing the first half with six points, James caught fire in the second, scoring 15 second half points and grabbing two rebounds, including a driving layup with 1:26 left in the game to cut the Ohio deficit one. Then with Ohio leading by one with six seconds to go, James grabbed the defensive rebound to help secure the 74-73 victory.
OHIO IN NET
Ohio is ranked 164 in the NCAA NET Rankings as of Dec. 17.
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.
Mitchell led Ohio on Dec. 6 against Youngstown State, scoring a team-high 17 points and dishing out a season-high four assists.
So far this season, Mitchell is second on the Bobcats in scoring with 14.1 points and 3.2 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.
James tied his career-high in points on Dec. 2 against Delaware, scoring 21 points and grabbing five rebounds in the victory.
James was named the MAC Co-Player of the Week on Dec. 4.
James recorded his first career double double on Dec. 6 against Youngstown State, scoring 13 points and grabbing a career-high 10 rebounds.
So far this season, James is averaging 12.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and is shooting 50.5 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.
Hunter added a solid game against Delaware on Dec. 2, scoring 15 points, while grabbing six rebounds and dishing out three assists in the win.
This season, Hunter is averaging 16.4 points and 4.6 rebounds, while shooting .393 from the field. He followed that up with a 19-point and five-assist night on Dec. 9 against Marshall.
Overall, this season Hunter is averaging 16.7 points a game and 4.5 assists per game.
HADAWAY SEEING MORE TIME
Sophomore forward Aidan Hadaway has been seeing his minutes increase as the season has gone on.
On Nov. 25 against MTSU, Hadaway grabbed a season-high four rebounds in the win.
On Dec. 2 against Delaware, Hadaway put together 22 solid minutes on the court, scoring a season-high seven points, while grabbing a career-high seven rebounds in the win.
Hadaway continued his strong play on Dec. 6 against Delaware, scoring a career-high 14 points in 24 minutes.
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.
Clayton tied his career mark in blocks in a game on Dec. 2 against Delaware, recording five once again in the win. He added another five-block night against Marshall on Dec. 9.
So far this season, Clayton averages 10.8 and 4.3 boards a game, while registering 20 total blocks.
UP NEXT
Up next, the Bobcats have one more road game before the holiday break on Friday, Dec. 22 when they head to Clarksville, Tenn. to take on Austin Peay. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
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