ATHENS, Ohio -- The Ohio men's basketball team (1-1) returns to action on Tuesday, Nov. 12 when they head to Normal, Ill. to take on Illinois State (1-1). Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET inside CCEFCU Arena. The game can be seen on ESPN+ 

The Bobcats' matchup can also be heard on the Ohio Sports Network from Learfield, presented by Holzer Health System. Jason Toy begins his first season on the mic for 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 is the seventh all-time meeting between Ohio and Illinois State. 
• Ohio leads the all-time series, 4-2. 
• Ohio and Illinois State last met on Dec. 12, 2010 with the Bobcats winning 67-65 on the road. 
• Ohio last saw Illinois State in Athens was Dec. 16, 2009, with the Bobcats winning 75-57 in the Convo. 
• The two teams first met on Jan. 2, 1971, with Ohio winning 97-73. 
• Ohio and Illinois State also met in the first round of the 1983 NCAA Tournament, with Ohio advancing in the Mideast Regional after winning, 51-49. 
• Head coach Jeff Boals is currently at 99 wins at Ohio, sitting one away from 100. 
• Senior forward AJ Clayton was clutch on Nov. 9 against UNC Asheville, scoring 19 points and hitting a late second-half three-pointer that sealed the victory for the Bobcats. 
• Junior forward Aidan Hadaway led the Bobcats in their season-opening loss at James Madison on Monday, scoring 17 points.
• Freshmen Ayden Evans and Elijah Elliott made their Bobcat debuts on Saturday in the Convo, with Evans scoring his first points on a dunk in the first half. 
• The Bobcats were picked first in this year's MAC Preseason Poll. Earning 11 out of 12 first-place votes the secure the league title, while also collecting eight votes to win this year's tournament. 
• Senior forward AJ Clayton earned a spot on the Preseason All-MAC First Team and the MAC Blue Ribbon Forecast Preseason All-Conference Team.
• Graduate student guard Shereef Mitchell and redshirt sophomore guard AJ Brown both earned a spot on the Preseason All-MAC Second Team. 
• Ohio returns eight from last year's roster, including five who started at one point last season. 
• Ohio welcomes two transfers, junior guard Jackson Paveletzke from Iowa State and graduate student forward Vic Searls from Ashland. 
• Ohio also welcomes five freshman to the roster. 
• AJ Brown returns to the lineup after playing only nine games before missing the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury. 
• Ohio returns of their assistant coaches from last season, with Kyle Barlow, Lamar Thornton and Jake Ness on their sixth season, Lee Martin on his fifth season and Mike Cifliku on his third. 
• Ohio added Keith Williams as their graduate assistant in July. Williams comes to Ohio after a successful playing career at University of Charleston, where he was a member of the team from 2018-2023.

SCOUTING ILLINOIS STATE
Illinois State enters the matchup with Ohio with a 1-1 record after falling to UT Martin in the season opener, before defeating North Dakota State last Thursday in Fargo. 

Illinois State was picked to finish fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Poll, while sophomore guard Johnny Kinziger was picked on the preseason First Team, and Malachi Poindexter to the preseason Second Team

At the moment, Illinois State averages 71.0 points per game, while shooting .380 from the field, .262 from three and .810 from the line, while opponents are averaging 67.5 points a game, while shooting .402 from the field, .262 from three and .458 from the line. 

Illinois State adds 41.0 rebounds a contest to go along with 12.0 assists, 4.0 steals, 1.5 blocks and 10.5 forced turnovers a game. Meanwhile, opponents average 40.5 rebounds, 13.0 assists, 3.5 steals and 3.0 blocks a game, while forcing 8.5 turnovers. 

Individually, Ty Pence is averaging 14.5 points a game to go along with 6.5 rebounds. Pence is also shooting .563 from the field and .917 from the line. Kinziger adds 14.5 points a game, while Chase Walker is averaging 10.5 points and 8.5 rebounds a game. 

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio is currently 1-1 overall after picking up an 82-76 win over UNC Asheville on Saturday night in the Convo. 

Ohio is averaging 80.0 points per game, while shooting .478 from the field, .357 from three and .686 from the line, while opponents are averaging 82.0 points per game, while shooting .483 from the field, .467 from three and .563 from the line. 

Ohio is averaging 31.5 rebounds, 12.5 assists, 3.0 blocks and 7.0 steals per game, while forcing 15 turnovers a contest. Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 38.0 rebounds, 15.0 assists, 3.0 blocks and 6.0 steals per game, while forcing Ohio to turn the ball over 11 times a game/ 

Individually, Aidan Hadaway leads the Bobcats with 14.0 points a game, while shooting .409 from the field and .333 from three, while grabbing 4.0 rebounds a game. AJ Clayton adds 13.5 points a game, while also shooting .409 from the field, 4.0 rebounds a game and is 5-of-5 from the line. Jackson Paveletzke is averaging 13.5 points and 50 rebounds a game, while shooting .688 from the field. Shereef Mitchell ass 13.0 points and 4.0 assists.  

ALL TIME VS. ILLINOIS STATE
This is the seventh all-time meeting between Ohio and Illinois State. 

Ohio leads the all-time series, 4-2. 

Ohio and Illinois State last met on Dec. 12, 2010 with the Bobcats winning 67-65 on the road. 

Ohio last saw Illinois State in Athens was Dec. 16, 2009, with the Bobcats winning 75-57 in the Convo. 

The two teams first met on Jan. 2, 1971, with Ohio winning 97-73. 

Ohio and Illinois State also met in the first round of the 1983 NCAA Tournament, with Ohio advancing in the Mideast Regional after winning, 51-49. 

BOALS LOOKING FOR 100 AT OU
Head coach Jeff Boals enters his sixth season at Ohio just one win away from 100 victories as the head coach of the Bobcats. 

Boals would become the seventh Ohio head coach to make that mark and is nine wins away from passing Danny Nee for the sixth-most wins at Ohio. 

UP NEXT
The Bobcats stay on the road as they head to Memphis, Tenn. Friday, Nov. 15 to take on Memphis. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET inside FedExForm and can be seen on ESPN+. 

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