DAYTON, Ohio – The Ohio men's basketball team took the floor for the first time during the 2025-26 season Monday night (Oct. 20) at the 2025 CareSource Invitational – Dayton. The Bobcats took on Wright State in the exhibition game, falling to the Raiders, 63-57, inside UD Arena. 

Overall, Ohio shot 35 percent from the field, 21 percent from three and 57 percent from the line, while Wright State shot 37 percent from the field, 29 percent from three and 46 percent from the line. The Raiders out-rebounded the Bobcats 47-40, while Ohio grabbed nine steals and dished out six assists. 

Individually, Ohio was led by senior guard Jackson Paveletzke (Kimberly, Wis.) who scored 14 points and grabbed two steals, while sophomore guard Elijah Elliott (Orlando, Fla.) added 13 points and five rebounds. Senior forward Aidan Hadaway (Lafayette, Ga.) recorded a double double with 11 points and 11 rebounds and redshirt junior forward Javan Simmons (Columbus Ohio) scored nine points for the Bobcats. Redshirt senior forward Jalen Breath (Oklahoma City, Okla.) grabbed five rebounds, while senior guard Ajay Sheldon (Dublin, Ohio) grabbed six boards. 

After the two teams battled over the first 20 minutes, the Bobcats entered the half with the 26-22 lead. 

In the first half, the Bobcats shot 33 percent from the field, 31 percent from three and 40 percent from the line, while the Ohio grabbed 22 rebounds, dished out three assists and registered four steals. Meanwhile, Wright State shot 26 percent from the field, 15 percent from three and 50 percent from the line. The Raiders grabbed 26 boards, dished out three assists and snagged two steals. 

For Ohio, Paveletzke led the Bobcats with eight points, going 3-of-5 from the field and 1-of-2 from three. Hadaway added seven points, going 2-of-6 from three, while grabbing a team-high six rebounds. Sheldon added a three and grabbed five rebounds. 

The two teams continued battle before Wright State took the lead with 12 minutes to go and never gave it up, with the Bobcats ultimately falling, 63-57. 

Up next, Ohio heads to Columbus, Ohio on Sunday, Oct. 26 to take on Ohio State in their final exhibition of the season. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. ET inside Value City Arena and can be seen on BIG+. If you have not already done so, fans can purchase tickets here.

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