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ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio men's basketball team (5-4) lost in a tight battle to the Marshall Thundering Herd tonight at the Convocation Center. It was a back and forth affair between the two sides with the final score at 74-69.
As a team, the Bobcats shot 36.2 percent from the field and 23.1 percent from behind the arc. On the other end, Marshall was 49.1 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from three. Ohio outrebounded the Thundering Herd 43 to 36, including 14 offensive rebounds.
Individually, senior Jaylin Hunter (Manchester, Conn.) led the way in scoring for Ohio. Hunter had 19 points on 7-for-19 shooting, five assists, and three rebounds. Graduate student Shereef Mitchell (Omaha, Neb.) and junior AJ Clayton (Roseville, Ohio) also were in the double-digits for the Bobcats. Mitchell had 12 points, going 6-for-13 from the field. Clayton added ten points and tied his career high in blocks with five.
Ohio held an advantage for much of the first half behind points from eight different players. Mitchell was dynamic on both ends of the court, adding eight points and causing havoc in transition.
Behind two free throws from sophomore Elmore James (Cleveland, Ohio) the Bobcats stretched the lead to nine points, their largest lead of the night. Marshall closed the half out on a 12 to four run, leaving the halftime score at 38-37.
Ohio shot 15-for-34 in the first half while going 4-for-15 from three. Marshall was 16-for-28 shooting, with four of their eight three-point attempts hitting the mark.
The Bobcats and Thundering Herd were trading baskets for the early period of the second half. A 10-0 run propelled the Bobcats out front, giving them a 54-49 lead with 12:34 remaining. Ohio would maintain their cushion for the next few minutes, entering the under-four media timeout with a 63-60 lead.
Two free throws out of the timeout from Clayton would stretch the lead to five. Clayton made two more free throws and a layup to give Ohio a 69-62 lead with 2:11 on the clock. His points were the last Ohio would score.
Marshall proceeded to go on a 12-0 run in the final two minutes of the game. A banked-in three-point shot would give a 71-69 advantage to the Herd with 22 seconds remaining.
Attempts from Hunter and Mitchell did not fall for the Bobcats. Marshall closed the game with three free throws and escaped the Convocation Center with a 74-69 victory. For Marshall, Kevon Voyles and Obinna Anochili-Killen led the way with 18 points apiece.
Ohio will return to action on Monday, Dec. 18, as they face Defiance at the Convocation Center. The Bobcats will look to bounce back with the game set to tip at 7:00 PM.
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