OXFORD, Ohio – After battling back from a double-digit deficit in the second half, the Ohio men's basketball team's (11-10, 5-4 MAC) rally fell just short Saturday afternoon (Feb. 1), falling to Miami (16-5, 8-1 MAC), 73-69. 
 
Overall, Ohio shot 36.8 percent from the field, 29.4 percent from three and 84.6 percent from the line, while Miami shot 40.7 percent from the field, 36.0 from three and 75.2 percent from the line. Miami outrebounded Ohio, 38-37, and had 13 assists, 10 steals and forced 12 turnovers, while Ohio had eight assists, nine steals and forced 13 turnovers. 
 
Individually, graduate student guard Shereef Mitchell (Omaha, Neb.) led Ohio with 20 points, going 6-of-14 from the field, 7-of-8 from the line and had three steals. Redshirt sophomore AJ Brown (Orlando, Fla.) added 15 points, three rebounds and two assists, while junior guard Jackson Paveletzke (Kimberly, Wis.) added 11 points, four rebounds and three assists and two steals. Graduate student forward Vic Searls (Hilliard, Ohio) added seven points and 10 rebounds. 
 
Miami won the tip and opened the game with the first basket. However, starting with free throws from Mitchell, Ohio went on a 7-0 run to take a 7-2 lead. After a Miami three cut the deficit to two, a three from Mitchell put the Bobcats up 12-7 going into the first media timeout. After Ohio went up seven, a three from Miami cut the lead to four. The two teams then traded baskets until a layup from Miami cut the Ohio lead to 18-16 with 11:36 left in the half. 
 
After a layup from Searls gave the Bobcats a four-point lead, a three from Miami cut the Bobcats' lead to one going into the under-eight media timeout. Out of the timeout, Miami went on a 9-0 run to take an eight-point lead, forcing Ohio to call a timeout with 5:52 left in the half. After Miami went up 10, a layup from Mitchell stopped the run, but the RedHawks matched it with a three. Free throws from Mitchell at the end of the half cut the Ohio deficit to 35-26 going into the half. 
 
At the half, Ohio shot 33 percent from the field and went 1-of-10 from three and went 7-of-8 from the line, while Miami shot 42 percent from the field, went 6-of-15 from three and were 1-of-1 from the line. Miami outrebounded Ohio, 21-16, while Ohio forced nine Miami turnovers and scored six points off them. 
 
Miami got the first basket of the half. However, the two teams traded baskets before a three from Miami out the RedHawks up 12 early in the half. Out of a break, a free throw and a three from Brown and a driving layup from freshman guard Elijah Elliott (Orlando, Fla.) helped the Bobcats cut the deficit to six with 15:02 remaining. A three from junior guard Ajay Sheldon (Dublin, Ohio) cut the deficit to five, however, back-to-back threes from Miami put the RedHawks back up 11 with 11:59 remaining. 
 
A three from Sheldon stopped the Miami run, however, the RedHawks got the points right back before a three from junior guard Elmore James (Cleveland, Ohio) cut the deficit to 59-48 going into the under-eight media timeout. With the Bobcats down 10, free throws from Paveletzke and a three-point play from Searls cut the Ohio deficit five. Moments later, Miami stopped the run with free throws, but a driving layup from Brown brought the Bobcats back within five going into the final media timeout. 
 
Out of the timeout, a three-point play from Brown, brough Ohio within two with three minutes to play. After a free throw from Mitchell cut the deficit to one, Miami responded with a driving layup to take a 66-63 lead with 1:32 to go. Free throws from Brown cut the deficit back to one with a minute to go. After the Bobcats were unable to capitalize on a defensive stop, Miami scored to retake the three-point lead with 31.3 seconds to go. 
 
With 10 seconds to go, Ohio cut the deficit to one. After Miami split two free throws, the Bobcats missed the ensuing layup, forcing the Bobcats to foul down two. Miami capitalized on both attempts, sealing the 73-69 victory. 
 
For Miami, Peter Suder scored 15 points and had five rebounds, while Kam Crafter and Evan Ipsaro both added 14. 
 
Up next, the Bobcats return to Athens on Tuesday, Feb, 4 when they host Western Michigan. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center and can be seen on ESPN+. 
 
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