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BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Ohio men's basketball team (12-11, 6-5 MAC) returned to action Saturday afternoon (Jan. 31), where the Bobcats were led by redshirt junior forward Javan Simmons with a career high-24 points, defeating Buffalo (14-8-4-6 MAC), 95-83, inside Alumni Arena. 

Ohio was led by Simmons (Columbus, Ohio) with 24 points and a season-high 13 rebounds, including seven offensive boards. Simmons went 10-of-16 from the field and 4-of-7 from the line. Senior forward Aidan Hadaway (Lafayette, Ga.) was next with 19 points and nine rebounds, playing most of the second half with four fouls. Freshman guard JJ Kelly (Chambersburg, Pa.) tied a career high 17 points, going 6-of-13 from the field and 2-of-7 from three, while senior guard Jackson Paveletzke (Kimberly, Wis.) added 16 points, dished out 11 assists and went 10-of-11 from the line. 

Overall, Ohio shot 53 percent from the field, 5-of-19 from three and were 20-of-26 from the line, while Buffalo shot 55.8 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from three and were 19-of-27 from the line. Ohio outrebounded Buffalo 34-30, while the Bobcats dished out 19 assists to UB's 15. The Bobcats also forced 13 turnovers and scored 12 points off them, while the Bobcats only turned the ball over six times. 

Buffalo got on the board first with a three, but the Bobcats would go on a 10-1 run with threes from Hadaway and senior guard Ajay Sheldon (Dublin, Ohio) would help put Ohio up 12-8 going into the first media timeout. Out of the break, the Bulls would take a 14-12 lead, but a driving layup from redshirt freshman forward Kiir Kuany (Melbourne, Australia) would tie the game at 14-14 with 11:37 left in the first half. After a free throw from Kuany gave Ohio a one-point lead, the Bulls tied the game back up with one of their own. The Bobcats would then go on an 8-2 run with layups from Simmons and Hadaway and free throws from redshirt senior guard Dior Conners (Columbus, Ohio) to give Ohio a 23-17 lead entering the under-eight media break. 

After Buffalo cut the Ohio lead to three, an 8-1 run from the Bobcats increased their lead to 33-22 with 4:47 remaining forcing UB to burn a timeout. Out of the break, the two teams traded baskets, with UB cutting the Bobcats' lead to 35-28 with 3:15 remaining in the half. After the Bulls cut the Ohio lead back to seven, a three from Sheldon and four points from Simmons put the Bobcats up 44-30 with a minute to go in the half. After a free throw from UB stopped the Ohio run, two more free throws from Kelly put the Bobcats up 46-31 headed into halftime. 

At the half, Ohio shot 54.8 percent from the field, were 3-of-12 from three and were 9-of-12 from the line, while Buffalo shot 39.1 percent from the field, were 2-of-9 from three and were 11-of-15 from the line. Both teams pulled in 16 rebounds, while the Bobcats dished out 12 assists and forced seven Buffalo turnovers.

Simmons led Ohio at the half with 16 points and six rebounds, while Hadaway added nine points and five boards and Paveletzke added six points and six assists.

UB opened the half on a 4-0 run before Hadaway responded with a driving layup, followed by a fastbreak dunk to put the Bobcats up 50-35. The two teams continued to trade baskets over the next three minutes, with the Bobcats taking a 54-41 lead into the first media break. Out of the break, Buffalo would chip away at the Ohio lead, making it a six-point game with 12:53 to go before a driving layup from redshirt freshman guard Jesse Burris (Delaware, Ohio) gave the Bobcats an eight-point lead with 11:48 remaining. 

After Buffalo cut the lead back to six, back-to-back layups from Hadaway and Simmons put the Bobcats back up 10. The two teams continued to trade baskets, with a jumper from Sheldon putting the Bobcats up 72-62 at the under-eight media timeout. Out of the break, free throws from Simmons and a three from Kelly put Ohio up 13, before a layup from the Bulls cut the Ohio lead to 77-66 with six minutes remaining. 

After Buffalo cut the Ohio lead to seven, a three from Kelly put Ohio back up 10, but the Bulls matched it with a three of their own, sending the game to the final media timeout with Ohio leading 80-73. Out of the break, four-straight points from Hadaway and Paveletzke gave the Bobcats an 11-point lead. After free throws from Paveletzke and an offensive rebound and three-point play from Kelly, the Bobcats took an 89-76 lead with a minute to go. Buffalo would then match it with a three, however, Paveletzke and the Bobcats would hit their free throws down the stretch, securing the 95-83 victory. 

Up next, the Bobcats return to Athens on Tuesday, Feb. 3 when Ohio hosts Western Michigan. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET inside the Convocation Center and can be seen on ESPN+. 

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