ATHENS, Ohio -- The Ohio men's basketball team (5-6, 0-0 MAC) opens Mid-American Conference play on Saturday, Dec. 20 when Ohio hosts Bowling Green (8-3, 0-0 MAC). Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. ET inside the Convocation Center. The game can be seen on ESPN_ where Gabe Genovesi and Kate Cummings will 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
The game is the second game of a men's and women's doubleheader on Saturday, where the women's team is set to take on St. Louis at 1 p.m. ET inside the Convo.
This is the 158th all-time meeting between Ohio and Bowling Green.
Bowling Green leads the all-time series, 84-73.
Ohio is 12-14 against Bowling Green since 2011-12, while the Bobcats are 4-6 against the Falcons under Jeff Boals.
Ohio and BGSU met one time last season, with the Bobcats picking up the, 86-81, win on the road inside the Stroh Center. 
The Bobcats are coming off an 89-56 win against Ohio Wesleyan on Dec. 16 in Athens.
Redshirt freshman forward Kiir Kuany led Ohio with a career-high 17 points, going 8-of-11 from the field.
Against St. Bonaventure, senior guard Jackson Paveletzke finished the game with 25 points to lead the Bobcats, while redshirt junior forward Javan Simmons added 17 points and six boards in the win.
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.

SCOUTING BOWLING GREEN
Bowling Green is currently 8-3 overall and is coming off a 76-55 win over Chicago State on Tuesday.  

Overall, Bowling Green averages 87.2 points per game, while shooting 49.3 percent from the field, 34.4 percent from three and 74.4 percent from the line. Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 64.8 points per game, while shooting 39.9 percent from the field, 31.9 percent from three and 71.1 percent from the line. 

Bowing Green is averaging 37.5 rebounds, 16.4 assists, 12.7 steals and 4.0 blocks a game, while forcing opponents to turn the ball over an average of 18.8 times a game, scoring 23.5 points off them. BGSU opponents are averaging 32.5 rebounds, 12.2 assists, 7.1 steals and 3.3 blocks a game, while forcing 11.6 turnovers a contest, scoring 10.5 points off them. 

Currently, Javontae Campbell leads the Falcons with 16.0 points a game, while shooting 48.4 percent from the field, 28.6 percent from three and 77.4 percent from the line, while also averaging 4.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists a game. Former Bobcat Sam Towns adds 13.0 points a game and a team-leading 7.1 rebounds, while shooting 43.9 percent from the field and 80.0 percent from the line. Josiah Shackelford and Mayar Wol both average 11.4 points a game. 

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio is 5-6 overall after defeating Ohio Wesleyan, 89-56, Tuesday night in Athens. 

Ohio is averaging 76.5 points a game, while shooting 46.1 percent from the field, 28.7 percent from three and 67.8 percent from the line. The Bobcats also add 34.9 rebounds a game, while dishing out 13.5 assists and recording 5.9 steals a contest. Ohio is also forcing opponents to turn the ball over 12.5 times a game, scoring on average 14.2 points off them. 

Meanwhile, Ohio opponents are averaging 78.9 points a game, while shooting 45.1 percent from the field, 35.6 percent from three and 73.6 percent from the line. Opponents are averaging 37.2 rebounds, 14.3 assists and 6.6 steals a game, while forcing Ohio to turn the ball over an average of 14.2 times a game, while scoring on average 13.9 points off them. 

Individually, Ohio is led by senior guard Jackson Paveletzke with 16.5 points and 4.3 assists a game, while shooting 51.6 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from three. Senior forward Aidan Hadaway adds 14.5 points and 7.6 rebounds a game, while shooting 49.6 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from the line, while redshirt junior forward Javan Simmons adds 13.5 points and 4.9 rebounds a game, while shooting 48.0 percent from the field. 

ALL-TIME AGAINST BOWLING GREEN
This is the 158th all-time meeting between Ohio and Bowling Green.

Bowling Green leads the all-time series, 84-73.

Ohio is 12-14 against Bowling Green since 2011-12, while the Bobcats are 4-6 against the Falcons under Jeff Boals. 

LAST AGAINST BOWLING GREEN
Ohio and BGSU met one time last season, with the Bobcats picking up the, 86-81, win on the road inside the Stroh Center. 

In that game, Jackson Paveletzke (Kimberly, Wis.) scored 14 points, all in the second half, while grabbing five rebounds and dishing out four assists. 

CONVO MAGIC
Ohio has registered an impressive 582-187 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened in 1968.

Ohio is 77-19 in the Convo under Boals in the last seven seasons.

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

So far this season, Paveletzke is averaging 16.5 points a game, while shooting 51.6 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from three and 80.0 percent from the line, while adding 4.3 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.

Paveletzke was clutch again on the court in Rocket Arena, helping Ohio to an 88-83 OT win over St. Bonaventure on Dec. 13. In the game, Paveletzke scored 25 points, going 9-of-15 from the field and 5-of-5 from the line.  

Against Ohio Wesleyan on Dec. 16, Paveletzke dished out a season-high nine 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 13.5 points a game, while shooting 48.0 percent from the field and 69.0 percent from the line, while adding 4.9 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.  

Simmons helped lead Ohio to an 88-83 overtime victory against St. Bonaventure on Dec. 13 in Cleveland, scoring 17 points and grabbing six rebounds, while going 8-of-12 from the field 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 14.5 points and 7.6 rebounds a game, while shooting 49.6 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. 

Hadaway helped lead Ohio to an 88-83 overtime win against St. Bonaventure on Dec. 13 in Cleveland, scoring 14 points and grabbing a team-high nine rebounds. 

Against Ohio Wesleyan on Dec. 16, Hadaway scored a game-high 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the win. 

UP NEXT
The Bobcats conclude nonconference play on Monday, Dec. 22 when they take on Miami-Hamilton. Tip-off is set for Noon ET inside the Convocation Center and can be seen on ESPN+.

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