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ATHENS, Ohio -- The Ohio men's basketball team (3-6) is back in action Saturday, Dec. 13 for the 2025 Cleveland Hoops Showdown as the Bobcats take on St. Bonaventure (10-1). Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. ET inside Rocket Arena and can be seen on PassThaBallLive where Chauncey Sanderswill have the call.

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 and will be joined by veteran Dave Cecutti. WXTQ (Power 105) in Athens returns as the 11-station net- work's flagship and can be heard on the Varsity Network App.

TIP-OFF
- This is the 14th meeting between Ohio and St. Bonaventure.
- The Bonnies lead the all-time series 8-5.
- Ohio and St. Bonaventure last met on Nov. 5, 2019 in Olean, N.Y. where the Bobcats defeated the Bonnies, 65-53 in the season opener.
- That win against the Bonnies was the start of the Jeff Boals Era, with him picking up a win in his first game at the helm of the Bobcats.
- Ohio head coach Jeff Boals served as an assistant coach under St. Bonaventure head coach Mark Schmidt at Robert Morris from 20024-06
- The Bobcats are coming off an 88-81 win over Marshall on Dec. 6 inside the Convocation Center.
- Seniors forward Aidan Hadaway and senior guard Jackson Paveletzke led Ohio against Marshall. Hadaway scored 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while Paveletzke added 22 points.
- In total, all five Ohio starters scored in double figures against Marshall. Along with Hadaway and Paveletzke, senior guard Ajay Sheldon scoring 11, freshman guard JJ Kelly with 12 and redshirt junior forward Javan Simmons with 13.
- Freshman guard JJ Kelly scored a career-high 14 points on Dec. 3 against Maine, while also grabbing six rebounds and three steals.
- Redshirt junior forward Javan Simmons led the Bobcats on Dec. 3 against Maine, scoring 17 points while going 7-of-10 from the field. 
- Ohio added 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. 

SCOUTING ST. BONAVENTURE
St. Bonaventure is currently 10-1 overall and is coming off an 85-77 win against Colgate on Wednesday at home. The Bonnies lone loss on the season came against North Carolina. 

Overall, St. Bonaventure averages 76.7 points per game, while shooting 47.5 percent from the field, 36.1 percent from three and 74.2 percent from the line. Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 67.0 points per game, while shooting 42.4 percent from the field, 32.2 percent from three and 73.4 percent from the line. 

St. Bonaventure is averaging 37.2 rebounds, 16.6 assists, 8.2 steals and 5.5 blocks a game, while forcing opponents to turn the ball over an average of 13.4 times a game, scoring 14.7 points off them. St. Bonaventure opponents are averaging 31.4 rebounds, 12.5 assists, 6.3 steals and 3.0 blocks a game, while forcing 12.4 turnovers a contest, scoring 13.0 points off them. 

Currently, Darryl Simmons III leads the Bonnies with 15.3 points a game, while shooting .431 from the field, .403 from three and .885 from the line. Frank Mitchell adds 15.3 points and 11.3 rebounds a game. He also shoots 52.5 percent from the field and 62.5 percent from the line. Cayden Charles adds 12.2 points a game, while shooting 45.8 percent from the field. 

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio is 3-6 overall after defeating Marshall, 88-81 on Saturday in Athens.  

Ohio is averaging 73.9 points a game, while shooting 43.8 percent from the field, 28.8 percent from three and 67.7 percent from the line. The Bobcats also add 34.4 rebounds a game, while dishing out 11.9 assists and recording 5.7 steals a contest. Ohio is also forcing opponents to turn the ball over 11.9 times a game, scoring on average 13.4 points off them. 

Meanwhile, Ohio opponents are averaging 81.0 points a game, while shooting 46.8 percent from the field, 37.4 percent from three and 73.3 percent from the line. Opponents are averaging 38.2 rebounds, 14.2 assists and 6.6 steals a game, while forcing Ohio to turn the ball over an average of 11.9 times a game, while scoring on average 12.8 points off them. 

Individually, Ohio is led by senior guard Jackson Paveletzke with 17.2 points and 4.0 assists a game, while shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from three. Senior forward Aidan Hadaway adds 14.1 points and 7.6 rebounds a game, while shooting 47.2 percent from the field and 73.7 percent from the line, while redshirt junior forward Javan Simmons adds 13.2 points and 4.8 rebounds a game, while shooting 45.1 percent from the field. 

ALL-TIME AGAINST ST. BONAVENTURE
This is the 14th meeting between Ohio and St. Bonaventure.

The Bonnies lead the all-time series 8-5.

Ohio head coach Jeff Boals served as an assistant coach under St. Bonaventure head coach Mark Schmidt at Robert Morris from 20024-06.

LAST AGAINST ST. BONAVENTURE
Ohio and St. Bonaventure last met on Nov. 5, 2019 in Olean, N.Y. where the Bobcats defeated the Bonnies, 65-53 in the season opener.

That win against the Bonnies was the start of the Jeff Boals Era, with him picking up a win in his first game at the helm of the Bobcats. 

In that game, Jordan Dartis finished the game with 19 points in his first official game back after missing last season with an injury, going 7-of-15 from the field, 3-of-9 from three-point range and 2-of-2 from the free throw line. Jason Preston finished the game with 11 points and a career-high 13 assists in 40 minutes on the floor. Nate Springs finished with nine points, going 3-of-4 from three-point range. Sylvester Ogbonda finished with a team-high seven rebounds. 

BOBCATS AND BONNIES IN THE LAND
Ohio will take on St. Bonaventure on Dec. 13 in the 2025 Cleveland Hoops Showdown. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. ET inside Rocket Arena. 

The College basketball doubleheader that will also feature Ohio State taking on West Virginia, which will take place following Ohio and Bonaventure. 

All four programs participated in the 2023 Legends of Basketball Showcase, which took place at Rocket Arena on Dec. 30.

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

So far this season, Paveletzke is averaging 17.2 points a game, while shooting 50.5 percent from the field, 3571 percent from three and 78.0 percent from the line, while adding 4.0 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. 

On Dec. 6 against Marshall, Paveletzke scored a team-high 22 points, going 8-of-15 from the field and dished out three assists in the win. 

FROM FOE TO FRIEND
Redshirt junior Javan Simmons made his Ohio debut on Nov. 3 after starting his career at Toledo. 

So far this season, Simmons is averaging 13.2 points a game, while shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from the line, while adding 4.8 boards a game. 

The Columbus native scored 14 points and grabbed four rebounds with one block in 23 minutes on the court in his Convo debut on Nov. 3 against Arkansas State. 

Simmons picked up where he left off on Monday in Nov. 6's win against Illinois State, scoring 16 points and grabbing four rebounds, while going 5-of-12 from the field. 

On Nov. 15 at No. 12 Louisville, Breath grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.

Simmons' best game of the season thus far came on Nov. 19 against Bethune-Cookman where he registered his first double double of the season with 20 points and 10 boards. 

Simmons was solid on Dec. 3 against Maine, leading Ohio with 17 points, while going 7-of-10 from the field and grabbing four rebounds.

On Dec. 6 against Marshall, Simmons scored 13 points, grabbed four rebounds and dished out five assists in the win.  

HADAWAY FINAL GO AROUND
Senior forward Aidan Hadaway had a career night to open the season after missing most of last season due to injury.

So far this season, Hadaway is averaging 14.1 points and 7.6 rebounds a game, while shooting 47.2 percent from the field. 

Hadaway scored a career-high 28 points, going 12-of-16 from the field and 3-of-6 from three,  while grabbing a team-high six rebounds and dishing out a team-high three assists.

Hadaway added his first double double of the season on Nov. 19 against Bethune-Cookman, scoring 13 points and grabbing a season-high 11 rebounds. 

Hadaway is coming off a strong week at the Sunshine Slam where he scored 16 points and grabbed five rebounds against George Mason on Nov. 24 and then added 12 points and five boards against LMU on Nov. 25.

On Dec. 3 against Maine, Hadaway led Ohio on the boards, grabbing 11 total, while also scoring nine points in the win. 

On Dec. 6 against Marshall, Hadaway scored 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the win. Hadaway went 7-of-13 from the field and hit a season-high four threes. 

UP NEXT
The Bobcats return to Athens for the first of three games before the holiday break. The stretch begins on Tuesday, Dec. 16 against Ohio Wesleyan Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET inside the Convocation Center and can be seen on ESPN+. 

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