ATHENS, Ohio – In his return to the court after missing three games, senior forward AJ Clayton led the Bobcats with 18 points as the Ohio men's basketball team (12-10, 6-4 MAC) defeated Western Michigan (7-15, 4-6 MAC), 94-69, Tuesday night (Feb. 4) inside the Convocation Center. 
 
Overall, Ohio shot 60 percent from the field, 50 percent from three and went 15-of-17 from the line, while WMU shots 39 percent from the field, 17 percent from three and were 16-of-22 from the line. Ohio outrebounded the Broncos, 33-30, while the Bobcats dished out 19 assists to WMU's 13, while also added five blocks, four steals and forced nine Bronco turnovers. 
 
To go along with his 18 points, Clayton (Roseville, Ohio) went 4-of-6 from three, while grabbing six rebounds in 21 minutes. Redshirt sophomore guard AJ Brown (Orlando, Fla.) added 17 points, going 6-of-10 from the field, 2-of-5 from three and grabbed four boards. Graduate student guard Shereef Mitchell (Omaha, Neb.) added 13 points, while freshman guard Elijah Elliott (Orland, Fla.) added 11 points. Junior guard Jackson Paveletzke (Kimberly, Wis.) flirted with a triple double, scoring seven points, dished out eight assists and grabbed a career-high nine rebounds. 
 
Western Michigan won the tip and opened an early 5-0 lead, before the Bobcats responded with a 12-0 run over the next two minutes to put the Bobcats up seven. After WMU stopped the run, a three from junior guard Ajay Sheldon (Dublin, Ohio) put the Bobcats up eight with 12:30 remaining in the half. After WMU cut the Ohio lead down to three, a jumper from junior guard Elmore James (Cleveland, Ohio) and a three from graduate student forward Vic Searls (Hilliard, Ohio) put Ohio up 10 with 7:50 remaining. 
 
The Bobcats' defense picked up, with the Bobcats forcing turnovers and numerous shot clock violations, while collecting loose balls. The Bobcats were able to capitalize on those defensive stops and go on a 19-4 run to take a 22-point lead with 3:20 to go. After a WMU basket, a three from Sheldon, free throws from Clayton and a driving layup from Paveletzke as time expired, sent the Bobcats to the locker room with the 48-24 lead. 


 
At the half, Ohio shot 63 percent from the field, went 9-of-17 from three and was 5-of-5 from the line, while WMU shot 29.6 percent from the field, 11.1 percent from three and 70 percent from the line. 
 
Western Michigan opened the second half on an 8-0 run to cut the Ohio lead to 16, before a layup from Mitchell stopped the run. Another three from Clayton put the Bobcats back up 19. The two teams traded baskets, with WMU keeping the deficit at 19 before a three from Sheldon, who went on to finish the game with 11 points, gave Ohio a 61-39 lead with 11:56 remaining. 
 
Over the remaining 10 minutes of the half, the Ohio defense help WMU off the board, with the offense capitalizing on several chances, leading by at many as 36 with just over five minutes to go. The Bobcats would hold on over the remaining five minutes, securing the 94-69 victory. 
 
For WMU, Chansey Willis, Jr. led the Broncos with 20 points and five rebounds. 
 
The Bobcats will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 8 when the Bobcats host Appalachian State in the second game of the 2024-25 MAC-SBC Challenge. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. inside the Convocation Center and can be seen on ESPN+.  
 
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