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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The No. 6 Ohio men's basketball team (15-16, 9-9 MAC) opens play at the 2026 Mid-American Conference Tournament, presented by Credit Union 1 on Thursday, March 12 when the Bobcats take on No. 3 Kent State (23-8, 14-4 MAC). Tip-off is set for approximately 6:30 p.m. ET or 30 minutes following the conclusion of game three. The game will be seen on ESPN+.

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 college basketball analyst 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 Bobcats are 47-36 (.575) all- time in the MAC Tournament and have captured seven league tournament crowns (1983, 1985, 1994, 2005, 2010, 2012, 2021).
- Ohio is making its 45th appearance in the MAC Tournament in 2026.
- Jeff Boals is 6-4 as a head coach in the MAC Tournament.
- This is the 161st all-time meeting between Ohio and Kent State.
- Ohio leads the all-time series, 100-60.
- Ohio is 15-21 against Kent State since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 6-8 against the Flashes under Jeff Boals.
- Ohio and Kent State have met 11 times in MAC Tournament action, with the Kent State leading at 5-6.
- Ohio last defeated Kent State in the MAC Tournament on March 11, 2021, when the then fifth-ranked Bobcats defeated the fourth-ranked Flashes, 85-63 in the quarterfinals. Ohio would go on to win the MAC - Championship that season.
- Ohio and Kent State last met in the MAC Tournament on March 12, 2022 in the MAC Semifinals, with Ohio falling to the Flashes, 67-61.
- Ohio and Kent State met once this season on Jan. 27 in Kent, with the Bobcats dropping the contest, 72-57.
- Senior guard Jackson Paveletzke and redshirt junior forward Javan Simmons both earned MAC Postseason honors on March 11, with Paveletzke named Second Team All-MAC and Simmons All-MAC Honorable Mention. 
- The Bobcats are currently ranked 228 in the latest NET rankings, with opponent Kent State in at 145.
- Last time out, the Bobcats fell to No. 19 Miami, 110-108 in an overtime thriller in Athens.
- In the game against Miami, senior guard Jackson Paveletzke scored a career-high 37 points and played all 45 minutes, while redshirt junior forward Javan Simmons scored a career-high 30 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Senior forward Aidan Hadaway added 20 for the Bobcats.

SCOUTING No. 3 KENT STATE
No. 3  Kent State is 23-8 overall and finished the regular season 14-4 in MAC play, earning the three seed in this year's tournament. 

Overall, Kent State averages 85.6 points per game, while shooting 45.6 percent from the field, 36.1 percent from three and 74.0 percent from the line. Meanwhile, opponents are averaging 79.9 points per game, while shooting 43.7 percent from the field, 34.6 percent from three and 72.3 percent from the line. 

Kent State is averaging 39.8 rebounds, 16.4 assists, 6.8 steals and 3.6 blocks a game, while forcing opponents to turn the ball over an average of 12.4 times a game, scoring 14.7 points off them. Kent State opponents are averaging 34.0 rebounds, 14.7 assists, 7.3 steals and 3.0 blocks a game, while forcing 13.6 turnovers a contest, scoring 16.5 points off them. 

Delrecco Gillespie leads Kent State with 18.1 points and 11.2 rebounds a game, while shooting 52.5 percent from the field and 78.6 percent from the line. Morgan Safford adds 14.1 points and 5.7 rebounds a game, while shooting 40.6 percent from the field and 79.5 percent from the line, while Rob Whaley, Jr. averages 11.4 points a game, while shooting 51.5 percent from the field. 

SCOUTING No. 6 OHIO
Ohio is 15-16 overall and 9-9 in MAC play and are coming off a 110-108 loss to No. 19 Miami in an overtime thriller in Athens on Friday to close out the regular season.  

Ohio is averaging 78.0 points a game, while shooting 46.2 percent from the field, 31.0 percent from three and 70.4 percent from the line. The Bobcats also add 33.6 rebounds a game, while dishing out 13.6 assists and recording 6.2 steals a contest. Ohio is also forcing opponents to turn the ball over 12.0 times a game, scoring on average 14.0 points off them. 

Meanwhile, Ohio opponents are averaging 78.4 points a game, while shooting 46.1 percent from the field, 36.3 percent from three and 72.8 percent from the line. Opponents are averaging 36.3 rebounds, 13.2 assists and 5.9 steals a game, while forcing Ohio to turn the ball over an average of 10.8 times a game, while scoring on average 11.6 points off them. 

Individually, Ohio is led by senior guard Jackson Paveletzke with 17.5 points and 5.2 assists a game, while shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from three. Senior forward Aidan Hadaway averages 14.1 points and a team-leading 7.5 rebounds a game, while shooting 48.2 percent from the field, while redshirt junior froward Javan Simmons adds 14.9 points and 5.7 rebounds, while shooting 53.2 percent from the field. 

ALL-TIME IN THE MAC TOURNAMENT
The Bobcats are 47-36 (.575) all- time in the MAC Tournament and have captured seven league tournament crowns (1983, 1985, 1994, 2005, 2010, 2012, 2021).

Ohio is making its 45th appearance in the MAC Tournament in 2026.

Jeff Boals is 6-4 as a head coach in the MAC Tournament.

ALL-TIME AGAINST KENT STATE
This is the 161st all-time meeting between Ohio and Kent State.

Ohio leads the all-time series, 100-60.

Ohio is 15-21 against Kent State since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 6-8 against the Flashes under Jeff Boals.

Ohio and Kent State have met 11 times in MAC Tournament action, with the Kent State leading at 5-6.

Ohio last defeated Kent State in the MAC Tournament on March 11, 2021, when the then fifth-ranked Bobcats defeated the fourth-ranked Flashes, 85-63 in the quarterfinals. Ohio would go on to win the MAC Championship that season.

Ohio and Kent State last met in the MAC Tournament on March 12, 2022 in the MAC Semifinals, with Ohio falling to the Flashes, 67-61.

Ohio and Kent State met once this season on Jan. 27 in Kent, with the Bobcats dropping the contest, 72-57.

LAST TIME AGAINST KENT STATE
Ohio and Kent State met once this season on Jan. 27 in Kent, with the Bobcats dropping the contest, 72-57.

Overall, Ohio shot 29.7 percent from the field, were 7-of-31 from three and 12-of-17 from the line, while Kent State shot 37.7 percent from the field, 6-of-20 from three and were 26-of-35 from the line. Kent State outrebounded the Bobcats 51-31, while Ohio dished out eight assists to the Flashes' 12. The Bobcats recorded 13 steals and forced 20 Kent State turnovers, scoring 22 points off them. 

Senior forward Aidan Hadaway scored 13 points and had three rebounds, while freshman guard JJ Kelly recorded 10 points, five rebounds and four steals. Redshirt junior forward Javan Simmons scored nine points and five rebounds, with redshirt freshman forward Kiir Kuany (Melbourne Australia) finishing with seven points, two threes and three boards. Senior guard Jackson Paveletzke finished the game with six points and a team-high eight rebounds.

ALL MAC HONORS
Senior guard Jackson Paveletzke and redshirt junior forward Javan Simmons both earned MAC Postseason honors on March 11, with Paveletzke named Second Team All-MAC and Simmons All-MAC Honorable Mention. 

In MAC play, Paveletzke averaged 18.6 points a game, while shooting 46.3 percent from the field, 30.0 percent from three and 79.9 percent from the line. He also averaged 3.5 rebounds, 5.4 assist sand 37.7 minutes a game.

In conference play, Simmons averaged 16.2 points and 6.4 rebounds a game. He shot 55.6 percent from the field and 69.2 percent from the line. He also recorded 18 blocks and 14 steals in league play.

OHIO IN THE MAC
Senior guard Jackson Paveletzke is currently sixth in the conference in scoring (17.5), third in assists (5.2), eighth in A/TO ratio (2.3) and first in minutes (36.6). 

Senior forward Aidan Hadaway is fifth in the league in rebounding (7.5).

Senior guard Ajay Sheldon is seventh in the MAC in steals (1.5). 

OHIO IN NET
The Bobcats are currently ranked 228 in the latest NET rankings, with Kent State ranked at 145.

Akron leads the MAC, coming in at 52.  

BOBCATS IN THE NCAA
Senior guard Jackson Paveletzke is currently 18th in the nation in minutes per game, 59th in assists, 64th in free throws, 68th in free throw attempts and 52nd in assists per game. 

Redshirt junior forward Javan Simmons is 82nd in the nation in free throw attempts and 80th in field goal percentage. 

Senior forward Aidan Hadaway is 100th in rebounds, 72nd in defensive rebounds per game and 92nd in double doubles. 

UP NEXT
With a win, the Bobcats will take on with No. 2 Akron or No. 7 Buffalo in the MAC Semifinals on Friday, March 13. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on CBS Sports Network. 

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