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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The No. 3 Ohio men's basketball team (20-12) continues play at the 2024 Mid-American Conference Tournament on Friday, March 15 when the Bobcats take on No. 2 Akron. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. inside Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.The game can be seen on CBS Sports Network where Chris Lewis and Mike O'Donnell will have the call.
The Bobcats' matchup can also be heard on the Ohio Sports Network from Learfield. Russ Eisenstein returns for his 16th season as the "Voice of the Bobcats" and will be joined by Ohio alum Rob Cornelius, who has been a part of the broadcasts for two decades. WXTQ (Power 105) in Athens returns as the 11-station network's flagship.
STORYLINES
• The Bobcats are 47-34 (.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 43rd appearance in the MAC Tournament in 2024.
• This is the fourth-straight year Ohio has advanced to the MAC Semifinals
• This is the 93rd all-time meeting between Ohio and Akron.
• Akron leads the all-time series, 48-44.
•Ohio and Akron met twice this season, splitting the series.
• Ohio and Akron last met on Tuesday, Feb. 27 in Athens, with Ohio winning, 74-67.
• Ohio and Akron met on Jan. 13 in Akron, with the Bobcats falling, 63-58.
• The Bobcats and Akron met twice last season, with the two teams splitting the season series.
• Akron took the first game in Akron, 83-77, while Ohio took the game in Athens, 90-81.
• Ohio is 14-18 against Akron since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 4-6 against The Zips under Jeff Boals.
• Ohio and Akron last met in the MAC Tournament in 2014, with Akron defeating Ohio in the third round, 83-77.
• Ohio and Akron were suppose to meet in the MAC Quarterfinals in 2020 before the tournament was canceled.
• Ohio and Akron met in back-to-back MAC Championship games, with Ohio winning in 2012 and Akron winning in 2013.
• Shereef Mitchell grabbed a career-high six assists, while Aidan Hadaway grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds against WMU in the MAC Quarterfinals.
• Gabe Wiznitzer hit his first career three on March 14 against WMU in the MAC Quarterfinal.
• Jaylin Hunter was named Second Team All-MAC, while AJ Clayton was named Third Team All-MAC.
SCOUTING No. 2 AKRON
Akron is 22-10 after defeating No. 7 Miami in the MAC Quarterfinals Thursday evening.
Overall, Akron averages 74.7 points a game, while shooting .460 from the field, .329 from three and .729 from the line. Akron also averages 36.7 rebounds a game, 13.3 assists and 5.8 steals a game. Akron also forces 11.7 turnovers a game.
Meanwhile, Opponents average 66.1 points and 32.1 rebounds a game. Opponents also shoot .430 from the field, .301 from three and .682 from the line. Opponents also dish out 11.4 assists and grab 6.2 steals a game, while also forcing 11.3 turnovers a game.
Individually, MAC Player of the Year Enrique Freeman leads Akron with 18.4 points and 12.8 rebounds a game, while shooting .594 from the field, .341 from three and .736 from the line. Ali Ali adds 15.5 points and 3.9 rebounds a game, while shooting .488 from the field. Greg Tribble adds 10.8 points a game, while shooting .470 from the field.
SCOUTING No. 3 OHIO
Ohio enters the matchup with Akron with a 20-12 record after defeating WMU, 82-55 in the MAC Quarterfinals.
Overall, Ohio is averaging 77.8 points per game, while shooting .456 from the field, .359 from three and 72.7 percent from the line. The Bobcats also add 35.0 rebounds, 14.2 assists and 7.2 steals per game, while forcing opponents to turn the ball over 13.7 times a game.
Meanwhile, Opponents are averaging 70.1 points a game, while shooting .426 from the field, .332 from three and .698 from the line. They also average 36.2 rebounds, 11.0 assists, 5.1 steals and force the Bobcats to turn the ball over an average of 9.7 times a game.
Individually, Jaylin Hunter leads Ohio with 13.9 points per game, while shooting .419 from the field and averaging 4.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. Shereef Mitchell adds 13.3 points a game, while shooting 47.5 percent from the field, while AJ Clayton averages 12.2 points and 4.7 rebounds a game, while shooting .500 from the field and .407 from three.
Hunter was named to the All-MAC Second Team, while Clayton earned a spot on the All-MAC Third Team.
OHIO IN THE MAC TOURNAMENT
The Bobcats are 47-34 (.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 43rd appearance in the MAC Tournament in 2024.
Ohio and Akron last met in the MAC Tournament in 2014, with Akron defeating Ohio in the third round, 83-77.
Ohio and Akron were suppose to meet in the MAC Quarterfinals in 2020 before the tournament was canceled.
Ohio and Akron met in back-to-back MAC Championship games, with Ohio winning in 2012 and Akron winning in 2013.
This is the fourth-straight year Ohio has advanced to the MAC Semifinals.
ALL TIME VS. AKRON
This is the 93rd all-time meeting between Ohio and Akron.
Akron leads the all-time series, 48-44.
Ohio and Akron met twice this season, splitting the series.
Ohio and Akron last met on Tuesday, Feb. 27 in Athens, with Ohio winning, 74-67.
Ohio and Akron met on Jan. 13 in Akron, with the Bobcats falling, 63-58.
The Bobcats and Akron met twice last season, with the two teams splitting the season series.
Akron took the first game in Akron, 83-77, while Ohio took the game in Athens, 90-81.
Ohio is 14-18 against Akron since 2009-10, while the Bobcats are 4-6 against The Zips under Jeff Boals
LAST TIME VS. AKRON
Ohio and Akron last met on Tuesday, Feb. 27 in Athens, with Ohio winning, 74-67.
Overall, Ohio shot 45.5 percent from the field, 25.9 percent from three and were 17-of-20 from the line, while Akron shot 47.3 percent from the field, 35.3 percent from three and went 9-of-15 from the line. Akron outrebounded Ohio 34-32. The Bobcats also forced twelve turnovers, scoring 14 points off them while committing just six of their own.
Individually, Ohio was led by Jaylin Hunter with 23 points, six assists and two steals. AJ Clayton with 17 points, four rebounds and four blocks. Aidan Hadaway assisted with 11 points and six rebounds. Shereef Mitchell added 10 points, four rebounds and one steal. Miles Brown added nine points, four assists and two steals.
OHIO IN NET
Ohio is ranked 147th in the latest NET Ranking as of March 15.
OHIO IN NCAA
Ohio is ranked 48th in the NCAA in assist/turnover ratio and 14th in turnover margin.
The Bobcats are also 71st in the country in scoring offense and 35th in three-pointers per game and 68th in 3pt field goal percentage.
Ohio is 67th in effective field goal percentage and 70th in scoring margin.
Individually, AJ Clayton is 54th in blocks and 50th in blocks per game.
Jaylin Hunter ranks 45th in assists per game, 50th in total assists and 67th in assist/TO ratio.
ALL-MAC HONORS
Ohio men's basketball senior guard Jaylin Hunter and junior forward AJ Clayton both earned a spot on the 2024 Mid-American Conference All-MAC Teams, the league announced (March 13). Hunter earned a spot on the All-MAC Second Team, while Clayton was named to the All-MAC Third Team.
Hunter earns a spot on the All-MAC Second Team after being named Honorable Mention last season. This season, Hunter led the Bobcats with 13.9 points and 5.1 assists per game. He also averaged 4.4 rebounds, while shooting 42.2 percent from the floor and 73.2 percent from the line. In MAC play, Hunter averaged 13.2 points, 4.9 assists and 4.7 rebounds a game. Through 18 conference games, Hunter shot 44.8 percent from the field, 29.6 percent from three and 72.5 percent from the line, while also grabbing 30 steals.
This is the first time that Clayton has earned a spot on an All-MAC team. Clayton finished the season third on the Bobcats with 12.4 points a game and a team-leading 4.5 rebounds a game. He finished the regular season shooting 51.4 percent from the field, 33.7 percent from three and 82.1 percent from the line. She also averaged 1.8 blocks a game. In MAC play, Clayton averaged 12.8 points and 4.0 rebounds a game. He shot 47.6 percent from the field, 40.2 percent from the three and 80.0 percent from the line, while averaging 1.5 blocks a game.
JAYLIN ON THE HUNT
Senior guard Jaylin Hunter is looking to make the most out of his final season.
In the season opener, Hunter was effective with the ball, dishing out four assists and going a perfect 8-for-8 from the line.
He then had a 13-point performance at Cleveland State on Nov. 11.
Hunter recorded his 1,000th career point on Nov. 18 against Detroit Mercy.
Hunter also recorded his first career double double in the Detroit Mercy game with the help of a career-high 10 rebounds and 14 points.
Hunter had a stellar Nassau Championship Nov. 24-26. On Against GW, Hunter scored a season-high 25 points, going 9-of-22 from the field , while grabbing six rebounds and dishing out five assists.
He added a 19 point performance on Nov. 25 against MTSU, before closing out the tournament with 21 points and eight rebounds against Brown.
Hunter added a solid game against Delaware on Dec. 2, scoring 15 points, while grabbing six rebounds and dishing out three assists in the win.
He followed that up with a 19-point and five-assist night on Dec. 9 against Marshall.
On Jan. 6 against NIU, Hunter scored 20 points, going 5-of-8 from the field, 2-of-2 from three and was a perfect 8-of-8 from the line. He also led Ohio with eight rebounds and six assists in the win.
Hunter rebounded from a rough couple games on Jan. 16 when he led the Bobcats with 19 points in their win over CMU. Hunter also dished out eight assists and grabbed five rebounds in the win.
Hunter followed by that performance with a 14-point performance in Ohio's win over EMU, where he also added five rebounds and dished out five assists.
In Ohio's win at Kent State on Jan. 26, Hunter scored a team-high 17 points, while grabbing five rebounds and dishing out five assists.
Hunter had a near triple double on Jan. 30 against Buffalo, scoring 10 points, grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out six assists in the win.
Hunter was stellar on Feb. 3 against Miami, scoring a game-high 22 points, while grabbing three rebounds, dishing out eight assists and hitting four threes.
Hunter scored a career-high 32 points on Feb. 6, in Ohio's 84-79 thrilling overtime win over Ball State in Muncie.
He then added another 20-point performance on Feb. 10 at Arkansas State and was named the MAC Co-Player of the Week on Feb. 12.
Hunter added 16 points against Toledo on Feb. 16, hitting four threes, while also grabbing five rebounds and dishing out six assists.
Hunter scored a game-high 23 points on Feb. 27 in Ohio's win against Akron, going 4-of-7 from three, while also dishing out six assists.
Hunter was named to the All-MAC Second Team on March 13.
Overall, this season Hunter is averaging 13.9 points, 5.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds a game.
REEF MAKES MOST OF NEW HOME
Graduate student guard Shereef Mitchell's offensive power showed up at the Nassau Championship Nov. 24-26.
On Nov. 24 in a double OT loss to George Washington, Mitchell scored a career-high 23 points, going 8-of-15 form the field, 3-of7 from three and grabbed seven rebounds.
He then followed up that performance on Nov. 26 with a new career high against Brown, scoring 24 points, while going 7-of-9 from the field and 8-of-11 from the line in the victory.
Mitchell led Ohio on Dec. 6 against Youngstown State, scoring a team-high 17 points and dishing out a season-high four assists.
Mitchell had a solid game on Jan. 9 at Bowling Green, scoring 17 points, recording two blocks and grabbing four rebounds.
On Jan. 16 against CMU, Mitchell scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds in the win.
He followed that up on Jan. 20 with a 14-point performance, going 6-of-9 from the field and grabbed five rebounds in Ohio's win over EMU.
On Jan. 24 against Akron, Mitchell recorded a career-high seven rebounds. Mitchell followed that up with another solid game on Jan. 26 in the Bobcats' win at Kent State, scoring 16 points, while grabbing four rebounds, dishing out five assists and grabbing four steals.
Mitchell added another strong game to his resume on Jan. 30 against Buffalo, scoring 15 points, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out three assists.
Mitchell put together a 16-point performance on Feb. 3 against Miami, while also grabbing six rebounds, dishing out four assists and going 3-for-3 from three.
Mitchell recorded a career-high nine rebounds against Kent State on Feb. 20.
Mitchell helped lead the Bobcats on Tuesday, March 5 at Buffalo, scoring 21 points, grabbing five rebounds and snagging three steals in the process.
Mitchell added another 20-point game on March 8 at Miami, scoring 20 points and grabbing eight rebounds in the win.
Mitchell was named the MAC Player of the Week on March 11.
In the MAC Quarterfinals, Mitchell grabbed a career-high six steals and scored a team-high 15 points.
So far this season, Mitchell is second on the Bobcats in scoring with 13.3 points and 4.2 rebounds a game, while shooting .475 from the field.
HADAWAY SEEING MORE TIME
Sophom*ore forward Aidan Hadaway has been seeing his minutes increase as the season has gone on.
On Nov. 25 against MTSU, Hadaway grabbed a season-high four rebounds in the win.
On Dec. 2 against Delaware, Hadaway put together 22 solid minutes on the court, scoring a season-high seven points, while grabbing a career-high seven rebounds in the win.
Hadaway continued his strong play on Dec. 6 against Delaware, scoring a career-high 14 points in 24 minutes.
Hadaway made his first career start on Dec. 18 against Defiance, scoring 11 points and going 5-for-5 from the field.
In his second career start against Austin Peay on Dec. 22, Hadaway grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds and dished out a career-high five assists.
Hadaway added another solid performance on his resume on Jan. 16 in Ohio's win over CMU, scoring 11 points and grabbing five rebounds.
Hadaway had a career night on Jan. 20 in Ohio's win over EMU. Hadaway scored a career-high 20 points, while going 3-for-3 from three and 8-of-10 from the field.
Hadaway recorded his first career double double on Feb. 6 at Ball State, scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in the win.
Hadway had a stellar game at NIU on Feb. 24, scoring 17 points, while going 6-of-6 from the field, 1-of-1 from three and 4-of-4 from the line.
Hadaway had a solid performance against Akron on Feb. 27, scoring 10 points, going 4-of-4 from the field and grabbing six rebounds in the win.
Hadaway tied his career-high with 20 points on March 8 at Miami, going 4-of-8 from three and grabbing six rebounds.
Hadaway grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds against WMU on March 14 in the MAC Quarterfinals.
Hadaway currently averages 8.5 points and 4.6 rebounds, while shooting 53.0 percent from the field.
ONE LAST TRIP FOR MILES
Fifth year guard Miles Brown is looking to make the most of his final season in the Green and White.
Brown was steady in his season debut, adding nine points, a steal and a block in Ohio's win over Troy.
After missing a month, Brown made is return to the lineup on Dec. 18 against Defiance, scoring 12 points in 12 minutes on the court.
On Dec. 30 against Davidson, Brown nearly recorded a double double, with nine points and nine rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench.
Brown had his best game of the season on Jan. 16 against CMU, scoring 17 points in the win.
Brown was back in action on Jan. 20, scoring seven points, while grabbing nine rebounds and dishes out five assists.
Brown had a solid game at Toledo on Feb. 16, scoring 12 points, recorded two steals and went 7-of-9 from the line.
Brown tied his season high with 17 points at NIU on Feb. 24, going 6-of-8 from the field, 3-of-4 from three and had three steals.
On his Senior Night against BGSU on March 1, Brown scored 16 points, going 6-of-11 from the field, 3-0f-3 from the line and grabbed four rebounds in the win.
Miles was stellar in the MAC Quarterfinals, scoring 13 points in the win.
Since returning to the starting lineup, Brown averages 9.4 points and 3.8 rebounds a game.
UP NEXT
With a win, the Bobcats would advance to the MAC Championship game on Saturday, March 16 to take on the winner of No. 5 Bowling Green/No. 8 Kent State. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
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