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ATHENS, Ohio -- The Ohio men's basketball team (1-4) heads to Daytona Beach, Fla. for the 2025 Sunshine Slam Nov. 24-25. The Bobcats will take on George Mason (5-0) on Monday, Nov. 24 at 6 p.m. ET inside the Ocean Center and can be seen on CBS Sports Network where Jake Marsh and Sean Kearney will have the call. 

Ohio will be back in action on Tuesday, Nov. 25 for the second game of the Sunshine Slam, where they will take on either Florida Atlantic (4-1) or Loyola Marymount (6-0) at 5:30 p.m. ET or 7 p.m. ET on CBSSN.

The Bobcats' matchup can also be heard on the Ohio Sports Network from Learfield, presented by Holzer Health System. Jason Toy begins his second season on the mic for the Bobcats. WXTQ (Power 105) in Athens returns as the 11-station net- work's flagship and can be heard on the Varsity Network App.

OPENING TIP
- The full field for the 2025 Sunshine Slam consists of Florida Atlantic, George Mason, Loyola Marymount, and Ohio playing in the Beach bracket and Bethune-Cookman, Jacksonville, Pacific, and Stony Brook competing in the Ocean bracket.
- The Bobcats dropped the campus matchup against Bethune-Cookman, 76-73 on Nov. 19 in Athens.
- This is the third all-time meeting between Ohio and George Mason with the series tied at 1-1. 
- Ohio and George Mason last faced off on Nov. 29, 2025 at George Mason, with Ohio falling, 74-65.
- This would be the first all-time meeting between the Bobcats and Florida Atlantic.
- This would be the second all-time meeting between Ohio and Loyola Marymount, with Loyola leading the series, 1-0.
- The two teams last met on Nov. 18, 2018 at the 2018 Jersey Mike's Jamaica Classic, with Ohio falling, 65-56. 
- Ohio two new Bobcats during the early signing period, adding Jordie Bowens and Xavier McKinney, both from Reynoldsburg High School. They will join the Bobcats for the 2026-27 season. 
- Senior guard Jackson Paveletzke continues his hot start to the season. After back-to-back 19-point performances, Paveletzke tied his career high with 28 points Saturday afternoon at #12 Louisville. He then followed that up with his second-straight 28-point performance against Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 19 in Athens.
- Redshirt junior forward Javan Simmons had his best game of 2025-26 on Nov. 19 against Bethune-Cookman, recording 20 points and 10 boards for his first double double of the season.
- Senior forward Aidan Hadaway added a double double to the scoresheet on Nov. 19 against Bethune-Cookman, scoring 13 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

SCOUTING GEORGE MASON
George Mason is 5-0 to start the season after defeating Jacksonville Tuesday night in Fairfax. George Mason has also defeated New Hampshire, Catawba, Winthrop, Wofford and Alfred. 

Overall, George Mason averages 78.4 points per game, while shooting 48.4 percent from the field, 37.9 percent from three and 74.7 percent from the line. Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 59.8 points per game, while shooting 37.1 percent from the field, 27.3 percent from three and 77.9 percent from the line. 

George Mason is averaging 38.4 rebounds, 12.0 assists, 6.6 steals and 4.8 blocks a game, while forcing opponents to turn the ball over an average of 14.8 times a game, scoring 17.8 points off them. George Mason opponents are averaging 27.6 rebounds, 9.6 assists, 8.4 steals and 2.6 blocks a game, while forcing 14.4 turnovers a contest, scoring 12.4 points off them. 

Currently, Kory Mincy leads George Mason with 17/6 points a game, while shooting 56.3 percent from the field, 56.5 percent from three and 95.5 percent from the line, while adding 4.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. Jahari Long adds 13.2 points, while shooting 45.7 percent from the field, followed by Masai Troutman with 11.7 points and 4.0 rebounds a game. 

SCOUTING FLORIDA ATLANTIC
FAU is currently 4-1 overall after defeating Pacific Thursday night in Boca Raton, Fla. FAU also has wins over Coastal Georgia, Charleston and Boston College with a loss to Liberty. They will take on Loyola Marymount Monday night following Ohio and George Mason. 

Overall, FAU averages 83.8 points per game, while shooting 46.4 percent from the field, 35.9 percent from three and 71.3 percent from the line. Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 73.0 points per game, while shooting 43.1 percent from the field, 39.3 percent from three and 70.3 percent from the line. 

FAU is averaging 38.8 rebounds, 14.0 assists, 7.2 steals and 6.6 blocks a game, while forcing opponents to turn the ball over an average of 12.6 times a game, scoring 15.4 points off them. FAU opponents are averaging 35.2 rebounds, 11.2 assists, 6.6 steals and 3.4 blocks a game, while forcing 10.8 turnovers a contest, scoring 11.4 points off them. 

Currently, Devin Vanterpool leads FAU with 16.2 points a game, while shooting 51.6 percent from the field, 23.8 percent from three and 80.0 percent from the line, while adding 6.4 boards a game. Kanaan Carlyle adds 14.0 points a game, while shooting 44.0 percent from the field and 90 percent from the line, while Isaiah Elohim averages 11.2 points and is shooting 57.1 percent from three. 

SCOUTING LOYOLA MARYMOUNT
LMU is currently 6-0 with wins over Eastern Washington, Arkansas Pine-Bluff, UTEP, Troy and Santa Barbra and will take on FAU on Monday evening. 

Overall, LMU averages 87.3 points per game, while shooting 52.6 percent from the field, 41.7 percent from three and 63.6 percent from the line. Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 63.8 points per game, while shooting 37.7 percent from the field, 28.5 percent from three and 76.0 percent from the line. 

LMU is averaging 39.2 rebounds, 17.7 assists, 6.3 steals and 3.8 blocks a game, while forcing opponents to turn the ball over an average of 13.5 times a game, scoring 15.6 points off them. LMU opponents are averaging 30.8 rebounds, 11.8 assists, 5.8 steals and 1.8 blocks a game, while forcing 12.0 turnovers a contest, scoring 12.7 points off them. 

Currently, MJ Amey, Jr. is averaging 17.5 points a game, while shooting 49.4 percent from the field, 42.6 percent from three and 62.5 percent from the line. Rodney Brown adds 15.2 points a game and is shooting 52.6 percent from the field, while Jalen Shelley averages 12.7 points and 7.2 rebounds a game. 

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio is 1-4 overall after falling to Bethune-Cookman on Wednesday in Athens. 

Ohio is averaging 74.2 points a game, while shooting 44.9 percent from the field, 25.7 percent from three and 68.2 percent from the line. The Bobcats also add 32.2 rebounds a game, while dishing out 11.6 assists and recording 4.4 steals a contest. Ohio is also forcing opponents to turn the ball over 11.4 times a game, scoring on average 14.2 points off them. 

Meanwhile, Ohio opponents are averaging 85.8 points a game, while shooting 48.9 percent from the field, 42.4 percent from three and 74.3 percent from the line. Opponents are averaging 38.0 rebounds, 15.4 assists and 6.2 steals a game, while forcing Ohio to turn the ball over an average of 11.2 times a game, while scoring on average 12.2 points off them. 

Individually, Ohio is led by senior guard Jackson Paveletzke with 22.0 points and 4.2 assists a game, while shooting 55.2 percent from the field and 47.1 percent from three, while adding 1.2 steals a game. Senior forward Aidan Hadaway adds 14.2 points and 7.2 rebounds a game, while shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 80.0 percent from the line, while redshirt junior forward Javan Simmons adds 13.6 points and 5.8 rebounds a game, while shooting 41.2 percent form the field. Senior guard Ajay Sheldon is averaging 2.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds a game. 

ALL-TIME AGAINST GEORGE MASON
This is the third all-time meeting between Ohio and George Mason with the series tied at 1-1. 

Ohio and George Mason last faced off on Nov. 29, 2025 at George Mason, with Ohio falling, 74-65. 

ALL-TIME AGAINST FAU
This would be the first all-time meeting between the Bobcats and Florida Atlantic.

ALL-TIME AGAINST LMU
This would be the second all-time meeting between Ohio and Loyola Marymount, with Loyola leading the series, 1-0.

The two teams last met on Nov. 18, 2018 at the 2018 Jersey Mike's Jamaica Classic, with Ohio falling, 65-56. 

OHIO HEADS TO THE SUNSHINE SLAM
The Bobcats will take part in the 2025 Sunshine Slam, which will take place November 24-25 at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach.

The Bobcats will take on George Mason on Monday, Nov. 24 at 6 p.m. ET and will take on Florida Atlantic or Loyola Marymount on Tuesday, Nov. 25. 

The field for the event consists of Florida Atlantic, George Mason, Loyola Marymount, and Ohio playing in the Beach bracket and Bethune-Cookman, Jacksonville, Pacific, and Stony Brook competing in the Ocean bracket.

PAV LEADS THE WAY
Senior point guard Jackson Paveletzke continues the hot start to his season. 

So far this season, Paveletzke is averaging 22.0 points a game, while shooting 55.2 percent from the field, 47.1 percent from three and 80.0 percent from the line, while adding 4.2 assists per game. 

After scoring 16 points in the home opener on Nov. 3, Paveletzke was the leader once again on Nov. 6 in Ohio's win against Illinois State. Paveletzke scored a game-high 19 points and dished out six assists in the win. Paveletzke went 7-of-12 from the field and 5-of-8 from the line as well. 

Paveletzke added another 19-point performance on Nov. 11 at Saint Mary's, going 7-of-13 from the field, 3-of-3 from three and 2-of-3 from the line, while grabbing three rebounds and dishing out four assists. 

Paveletzke was even better on Nov. 15 at #12 Louisville where he tied his career-high with 28 points, going 8-of-14 from the field, 3-of-4 from three and 9-of-10 from the line, while dishing out four assists. 

Paveletzke recorded his second-straight 28-point performance on Nov. 19 against Bethune-Cookman, going 10-of-15 from the field and 6-of-7 from the line. 

UP NEXT
After the two games at the 2025 Sunshine Slam, Ohio returns to Athens on Wednesday, Dec. 3 when Ohio hosts Maine. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET inside the Convocation Center and can be seen on ESPN+.  

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