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ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio men's basketball team (17-12, 11-5 MAC) returned to action on Friday evening (March 1) for Senior Day defeating the Bowling Green Falcons (17-12, 8-8 MAC), 66-59 after an intense battle inside the Convocation Center. 

Prior to the start of the game, fifth year senior guard Miles Brown (Rochester, N.Y.) and senior guard Jaylin Hunter (Manchester, Conn.) were honored for their contributions to the Bobcats and Ohio. 

Overall, Ohio shot 42.3 percent from the field, 29.6 percent from three and were 14-of-16 from the line, while Bowling Green shot 41.3 percent from the field, 27.3 percent from three and went 18-of-20 from the line. Bowling Green outrebounded Ohio 31-24. The Bobcats also forced 14 turnovers, scoring 18 points off them. 

Individually, Ohio was led by Brown with 16 points, four rebounds, four assists and one steal. Graduate student Shereef Mitchell (Omaha, Neb.) added 13 points, four rebounds and two steals. Sophomore forward Aidan Hadaway (Lafayette, Ga.) also added 13 points, one block and two steals. Junior forward AJ Clayton (Roseville, Ohio) with 11 points, two rebounds and one block. Hunter added eight points and two steals. 

It was a slow start to the game for both the Falcons and Bobcats. Bowling Green may have gotten on the board first, but Clayton quickly responded hitting a second-chance three-point jumper assisted by Mitchell. The Bobcats played aggressively on offense and defense securing rebounds to keep possession of the ball. Neither team would score for almost three minutes of play with Bowling Green breaking the scoreless streak with a jumper from beyond the arc. Mitchell tied the score with a steal and driving layup going into the first media timeout of the game. 

Out of the timeout, the Bobcats pressed on defense to stop the Falcons from scoring. A block by Hadaway forced the Falcons to run out the shot clock timer giving the Bobcats possession of the ball. Both teams kept each other off the board snagging rebounds and blocking shots. The score would remain tied 5-5 for three minutes of play before entering the second media timeout. Bowling Green drew a foul from beyond the arc and went 2-of-3 at the line to break the scoreless streak for both teams. The Falcons followed by sinking a layup in the paint, but senior center Gabe Wiznitzer (Walhalla, S.C.) quickly responded with a second-chance layup to keep the score deficit to two points.

An impressive offensive play between Hadaway and Hunter would allow Brown to sink a three-point jumper. Hadaway would follow with a three-point jumper assisted by Hunter to give the Bobcats the lead. Clayton would drive the ball in for a layup assisted by Mitchell off an opponent turnover to further Ohio's lead. Bowling Green would begin to crawl back on offense, forcing Ohio to call a timeout. 

Bowling Green would take a seven-point lead, but Ohio would tie the score with a free throw from Wiznitzer and two back-to-back deep three-point jumpers from Mitchell. Ohio and Bowling Green ended the half tied 28-28. 

At the half Ohio was led by Brown with nine points, two rebounds and one steal. Mitchell added eight points, two assists and one steal. Clayton contributed five points and one block. 

Hadaway opened the scoring for both teams in the second half with a second-chance layup. Mitchell drove in for a layup and drew a foul, earning a three-point play. Both teams traded baskets and free throws to keep the score within one point. Clayton would give Ohio the two-point lead sinking a three-point jumper. Brown furthered Ohio's lead drawing a foul on a layup for the three-point play. Sophomore guard Ajay Sheldon (Dublin, Ohio) had an intense block to stop the Falcons from scoring going into the media timeout. 

Ohio went back-to-back in scoring out of the timeout with a layup from sophomore guard Elmore James (Cleveland, Ohio) and a steal by James to assist a layup for Hadaway. Bowling Green would close the gap against Ohio and tie the score. The Falcons drew a foul beyond the arc going 3-of-3 at the stripe to set the score 51-51 with eight minutes remaining in the game. 

Neither team would score for almost three minutes of play, Brown broke the scoreless streak with a driving layup off a turnover. Hunter went 2-of-2 at the stripe and Hadaway made a layup in the paint to give Ohio the lead. Ohio found itself in foul trouble, giving Bowling Green the advantage to shoot bonus free throws, going 4-of-4 to tie the score once more. Hunter sank a three-point jumper to give Ohio the lead with less than three minutes left in the game. 

The Bobcats would hold the three-point lead and keep the Falcons off the scoreboard. Clayton sunk a three-point jumper with 30 seconds remaining on the clock, forcing the Falcons to call a timeout. Out of the timeout, the Bobcats used a defensive press against the Falcons, but the Falcons ultimately made a layup and called another timeout. Bowling Green attempted a defensive press against Ohio but was unsuccessful. Ohio ended the game with Hadaway going 2-of-2 at the stripe, winning 66-59. 

Up next, Ohio will travel to Buffalo, N.Y. to take on the Buffalo Bulls on Tuesday, March 5. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and will be streamed on CBSSN. 

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