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ATHENS, Ohio – A new season is just around the corner for the Ohio men's basketball team, and with that comes an opportunity for the program to add on to past success and build towards the future.
"This is a team I'm excited about, it's a fun team to be around, a fun team to coach," Ohio coach Jeff Boals said. "Very, very few times this summer and fall have we had a day where we took a step back, and I think that's a sign of a mature group, and our leadership."
In the 2025-26 season, Ohio will have seven new players on its roster, with four incoming transfers and three freshmen. With a handful of new players, Boals has emphasized the program's culture throughout the offseason.
Newcomers are expected to play a significant role on this year's team as they mix in with some of Ohio's top returning talent. Redshirt junior forward Javan Simmons (Columbus, Ohio), who transferred from MAC rival Toledo, is one of Ohio's most exciting transfer players.
After losing AJ Clayton, Boals and his staff went to the transfer portal to try to find a big man who could provide a low-block presence for the Bobcats. Simmons provides that presence for Ohio and should help improve with rebounding.
Ohio's other transfers include senior guard Dior Conners (Columbus, Ohio) from Appalachian State, junior guard Carter Reese (Westerville, Ohio) from Ohio Northern and redshirt senior forward Jalen Breath (Oklahoma City, Okla.) from UNC Greensboro.
"I like our leadership. We got a good core group of guys back, our three transfers coming in, two of them are seniors, one's a junior," Boals said. "So we have good experience and I think that's really paid off."
The Bobcats will also return a handful of players looking to improve on last season. Preseason first team All-MAC selection Jackson Paveletkze (Kimberly, Wis.) is among Ohio's most exciting returners.
"(Paveletzke) played really confidently late in the year last season, and I think his coming back and having continuity will be big," Boals said….Now, having a whole summer with us really helps him from a confidence standpoint."
With its reloaded roster, the Bobcats will start their season with the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge on Nov. 3 at home against Arkansas State, then face a quick turnaround with another home game Nov. 6 against Illinois State.
"We really think that Arkansas State, Illinois State, it's really like playing Miami, Kent, Akron from the jump," Boals said. "So you got two high-level teams, two high-level programs right away."
Other notable nonconference matchups for Ohio include matchups on the road against St. Mary's on Nov. 11 and Louisville on Nov. 15. The Bobcats will renew a rivalry with Marshall Dec. 6 when they matchup inside The Convo, before heading to Daytona Beach, Fla. for the 2025 Sunshine Slam Nov. 24-25.
Ohio will take part in the Cleveland Hoops Showdown this season, traveling to Rocket Arena Dec. 13 for a matchup with St. Bonaventure.
MAC play will start for the Bobcats Dec. 20 with a game at home against Bowling Green. Important MAC matchups for the Bobcats include home games against Akron on Jan. 23, Toledo on Feb. 28 and Miami to close out the season on Mar. 6. On the road, Ohio will play Kent State on Jan. 27, Miami on Feb. 14 and new MAC member UMass on Mar. 3.
The Bobcats will be looking to make it back to the MAC tournament, which will once again be played in Rocket Arena from March 12th to 14th.
"Our expectation is to win the league," Boals said. "We're not going to do it today or the first game or first two games, so it's just a matter of really staying the course, getting better and staying healthy."
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