In a season that was supposed to be a rebuilding process, the Ohio men's basketball team has already surpassed last season's win total with more than a month of games left.
The Bobcats, (12-8, 7-5 Mid-American Conference), who lost three seniors, including their leading scorer, guard Jaivon Harris, were picked to finish at the bottom of the MAC East Division this season. But coach Tim O'Shea and company have other plans.
O'Shea said he didn't pay attention to preseason polls and was focused on improving his young team.
I never thought that any of those polls were accurate
O'Shea said. I have thought from day one that we were going to make significant improvements and I thought with our younger players coming in we really added talent to our program.
It didn't take long for O'Shea to fill the gaps in his roster as he recruited two impact freshmen and an offensive powerhouse junior college transfer, guard Mychal Green.
Green, who is averaging a team-high 15.3 points per game, led the Bobcats to two big MAC victories against Bowling Green and Western Michigan at home by hitting clutch shots to clinch each game.
Guard Jeremy Fears and forward Leon Williams are the two freshman who earned starting positions for the Bobcats early in the season. Fears' tremendous defense and ball pressure has led to an average of two steals per game; he is also dropping in 10 points per game.
Fears said the team was happy with its record, but there are still goals to be met.
We like our record but we want to get some more conference wins so we can get a better seed in the postseason
Fears said. Our goal is to get a bye or at the least a first-round home game in the MAC Tournament.
Williams, who is averaging 10.9 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, is giving the Bobcats another presence under the basket, aiding Terren Harbut and Clay McGowen. Williams has collected five double-doubles this season and has found himself double-teamed by most opponents' defense.
Senior forward Harbut said he likes the way the team is playing and is impressed by the new recruits.
We've had our ups and downs
but the season is turning out a lot better than last year's
Harbut said. The talent the coaches are recruiting and have recruited keeps getting better
and this team ought to do well down the road
even when I'm gone.
With the new additions to the team, the Bobcats have surprised their competition by defeating some of the MAC's top teams and will look to close the gap in the MAC East with a win this Saturday when first-place Miami visits The Convo.
Along with 'Cats' wins against last year's MAC champs, Western Michigan, and their three-point victory against Bowling Green, they have also picked apart Marshall, Kent State and Toledo in The Convo. They squeezed past Buffalo -picked to win the MAC East -by two on the road as well as giving Central Michigan a 20-point shellacking away from Athens.
Even though Ohio suffered early in the season on the road against MAC teams Akron, Ball State and Northern Illinois, the team had a chance to steal a game against Miami at Millett Hall. Unfortunately for the Bobcats, Green's last second three bounced out to leave the 'Cats with a 59-57 loss after coming back from a 17-point deficit in six minutes.
The Bobcats, who are undefeated at home, currently find themselves in third place in the MAC East and have a chance to improve on their standing with four of their final seven games in The Convo.
O'Shea said he is confident in his team and, despite their youth, they have a chance to go far in the MAC Tournament.
We're still a very young team
and I think we're laying down the foundation for some really good years
he said. I think we have a great chance to make a serious run here before the season ends.
