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CONWAY, S.C. -- The Ohio men's basketball team (1-4) is back in action on Friday, Nov. 22 when they take on Portland (2-3) in the second game of the 2024 Myrtle Beach Invitational inside the HTC Center in Conway, S.C. The game can be seen on ESPNU where Robert Lee and Noah Savage will have the call.
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 fifth all-time meeting between Ohio and Portland.
• Ohio is 3-1 all-time against Portland.
• The two teams last met on Nov. 10, 2012 in the season opener in Athens, with the Bobcats winning 81-52 inside the Convocation Center.
• This is the second time under head coach Jeff Boals that Ohio has participated in the Myrtle Beach Invitational, with the Bobcats competing there in 2019 in Boals' first season.
• Head coach Jeff Boals is currently at 99 wins at Ohio, sitting one away from 100.
• Junior guard Jackson Paveletzke set a new career-high with 11 assists on Nov. 21 against MTSU. He also scored 15 points for his first double double of the season.
• Forward AJ Clayton was named to the Lou Henson Award Early-Season Watch List
• Junior Ajay Sheldon had a career night on Nov. 15 at Memphis, scoring a career-high 20 points and hitting a career-high six three pointers.
SCOUTING PORTLAND
Portland enters the matchup with the Bobcats with a 2-3 record after falling to USF in the Myrtle Beach Invite Quarterfinals on Thursday.
Portland averages 67.4 points a game, while shooting .397 from the field, .326 from three and .688 from the line, while opponents are averaging 75.8 points per game, while shooting .420 from the field, .344 from three and .651 from the line.
Portland averages 38.0 rebounds, 13.6 assists, 4.4 steals and 3.6 blocks a game, while forcing 10.0 turnovers a game. Meanwhile, Portland opponents average 40.2 rebounds, 15.6 assists, 8.0 steals and 2.2 blocks a game, while forcing Portland to turn the ball over an average of 12.6 times a contest.
Individually, Austin Rapp averages 12.2 points a game, while shooting .421 from three, while averaging 7.4 rebounds a game. Vukasin Masic adds 12.8 points, 4.8 assists and 5.0 rebounds a game, while shooting .419 from the field and .692 from the line. Max Mackinnon averages 10.0 points and 4.6 rebounds, while Vincent Delano averages 8.0 points , while shooting .500 from three and .800 form the line.
SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio is currently 1-4 overall after falling to Middle Tennessee, 83-81, in overtime in the first game of the Myrtle beach Invitational on Thursday afternoon.
Ohio is averaging 77.2 points per game, while shooting .437 from the field, .339 from three and .738 from the line, while opponents are averaging 85.2 points per game, while shooting .510 from the field, .505 from three and .678 from the line.
Ohio is averaging 31.2 rebounds, 13.6 assists, 3.6 blocks and 7.6 steals per game, while forcing 15.2 turnovers a contest. Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 37.4 rebounds, 15.2 assists, 3.4 blocks and 7.4 steals per game, while forcing Ohio to turn the ball over 12.2 times a game.
Individually, AJ Brown averages 15.0 points a game, while shooting .489 from the field, .417 from three and .950 from the line. Shereef Mitchell adds 13.0 points a game, while averaging 4.0 rebounds and shooting .688 from the field. AJ Clayton is averaging 12.8 points and 6.0 rebounds a game, while shooting .404 from the field. Jackson Paveletzke adds 10.0 points and 4.8 assists a game, while Aidan Hadaway adds 10.0 points a game and Elmore James adds 9.8 points.
ALL TIME VS. PORTLAND
This is the fifth all-time meeting between Ohio and Portland.
Ohio is 3-1 all-time against Portland.
The two teams last met on Nov. 10, 2012 in the season opener in Athens, with the Bobcats winning 81-52 inside the Convocation Center.
OHIO AT MYRTLE BEACH INVITE
This is the second time under head coach Jeff Boals that Ohio has participated in the Myrtle Beach Invitational, with the Bobcats competing there in 2019 in Boals' first season.
During that trip, the Bobcats fell to then No. 24 Baylor and Utah, before defeating Middle Tennessee State in the final game.
BOBCATS HEAD BACK TO MYRTLE BEACH
For this year's MTE, Ohio heads back to the Myrtle Beach Invite, where they last attended in 2019 on Jeff Boals' first season at Ohio.
The 2024 Myrtle Beach Invitational will be played November 21, 22 and 24 at the HTC Center on the campus of Coastal Carolina University in Conway, S.C. All games will be presented across the ESPN platforms.
The field will feature three schools that participated in the 2024 National Invitational Tournament - Bradley (Missouri Valley), Princeton (Ivy), and South Florida(American Atlantic).
Middle Tennessee (Conference USA), Ohio (Mid-American), Portland (West Coast), Texas State (Sun Belt), and Wright State (Horizon League) will also be competing in the sixth annual event.
UP NEXT
The Bobcats will wrap up the 2024 Myrtle Beach Invite on Sunday, Nov. 24 in either the fifth-place or seventh-place game at wither 10:30 a.m. or 8 p.m .ET.
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