COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio men's basketball team returned to action on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 26) for their final exhibition game before the start of the regular season, falling to Ohio State, 103-74, inside Value City Arena. 

Overall, Ohio shot 35.8 percent from the field, 27 percent from three and were 16-of-19 from the line, while Ohio State shot 60.3 percent from the field, 40 percent from three and were 23-of-29 from the line. Ohio State outrebounded Ohio, 40-31, while the Bobcats dished out 15 assists, recorded eight steals and forced 23 turnovers. 

Individually, senior guard Ajay Sheldon (Dublin, Ohio) scored 14 points, going 4-of-6 from three, while senior forward Aidan Hadaway (Lafayette, Ga.) added 14 points and three rebounds. Senior guard Jackson Paveletzke (Kimbery, Wis.) scored 12 points and dished out seven assists, while redshirt senior forward Jalen Breath (Oklahoma City, Okla.) grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

The Buckeyes took an early 8-2 lead before the Bobcats went on an 8-0 run with threes from Sheldon and Hadaway to tie the game up at 12-12. The two teams traded baskets before another run from Ohio gave the Bobcats a two-point lead. Back-to-back jumpers from Hadaway put the Bobcats up three, however the Buckeyes capitalized on an Ohio scoring drought to put them up five at the under-eight media timeout. Free throws from Hadaway and a three from Sheldon cut the Ohio deficit to three, before OSU took a six-point lead into the final media time out. A three from Sheldon stopped the Ohio State run, however, the Buckeyes would take a 52-37 lead into halftime. 

At the half, Ohio shot 38.2 percent from the field, 22.2 percent from three and went 7-of-9 from the line, while Ohio State shot 69.2 percent from the field, 40 percent from three and were 12-of-17 from the line. The Buckeyes outrebounded Ohio, 19-14, while Ohio dished out 10 assists and forced nine turnovers and scored 16 points off them. 

Hadaway led Ohio at the half with 14 points, while Sheldon added 11. Paveletzke and sophomore Elijah Elliott (Orlando, Fla.) both dished out four assists, while redshirt junior forward Javan Simmons (Columbus, Ohio) and Breath recorded four rebounds each. 

Ohio opened the second half with a three from Sheldon and a layup from Elliott. The two teams traded baskets over the next few minutes, with a tip-in layup from Breath to cut into the Ohio State lead going into the first media timeout. A three from senior guard Dior Conners (Columbus, Ohio) cut into the Buckeyes' lead, before an 8-0 run from Ohio State increased their lead at the under 12-media timeout. A three from Paveletzke stopped the OSU run, but the Buckeyes countered with an 8-0 entering the under-eight media timeout. Over the course of the final eight minutes, Paveletzke and redshirt freshman forward Kiir Kuany (Melbourne, Australia) both hit threes, while freshman guard JJ Kelly (Chambersburg, Pa.) registered a layup and freshman forward Jordan Fisher (Pickerington, Ohio) hit two free throws down the stretch. 

Up next, Ohio opens the 2025-26 season on Monday, Nov. 3 when the Bobcats host Arkansas State in the MAC-SBC Challenge. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET inside the Convocation Center and can be seen on ESPN+.

Season Tickets, Mini Plans and Single Game tickets are on sale here.

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