Wednesday will definitely mean more than hump day for the Ohio men's basketball team.
Not only will tonight's game be the Bobcats' last home game of the regular season -and senior night -but they will also be playing a vital game in the Mid-American Conference race.
This meeting will involve just two of the six teams in the MAC that hold a 10-6 conference record. With two games left for almost every MAC team, the final week of regular season play will be crucial and add extra pressure to the remaining games.
The Bobcats (16-9 overall, 10-6 MAC) will host the Buffalo Bulls (18-7, 10-6 MAC) and try to be the first team to sweep the Bulls this season. Ohio is the only MAC East Division team to win at Buffalo, but the Bulls will be hungry for revenge after their 92-90 loss to the Bobcats a month ago.
I guess the stakes are higher now because both teams are in the mix for anywhere from a conference championship to a first round road game
coach Tim O'Shea said. To me there isn't a more competitive conference race in the country right now than what is going on in the MAC. It's unbelievable.
One reason the Bobcats were successful in Buffalo was guard Jeff Halbert, who scored a season-high 17 points against the Bulls while shooting four-of-seven from 3-point range. With Halbert in the lineup, the Bobcats forced the Bulls' size to match up with the Bobcats' quickness.
It is senior night and it's a big game so everyone is going to have a lot of energy Halbert said. Last time we got a lot of good looks in transition
we were able to run a lot. It was a high-scoring game -this time we have to play better defense -but if we can get out and run at home we ought to be fine.
Despite the Bulls' size advantage under the basket, their offense came mostly from the perimeter from guard Turner Battle. The Bulls' senior leader poured in a game-high 29 points and shot five-of-six from behind the arc. O'Shea said containing Battle would be a key of the game.
Battle's not the type of guy you can shut down; you just want to do the best job defensively on him as possible
O'Shea said. He's definitely a conference player of the year candidate.
The other factor to the game will be rebounding, something the Bobcats did well against Buffalo last month. The 'Cats out rebounded the Bulls 34-31 in Buffalo and are focused on doing it again.
Guard Mychal Green, who had an off night against the Bulls but pulled down five rebounds, said everyone has to hit the glass.
We have to box out
and all the guards are going to have to come down and help Leon (Williams)
Clay (McGowen) and Terren (Harbut) get rebounds
Green said. We've got to keep them off the offensive glass.
The Bobcats and Bulls will tip off at 7 p.m. tonight in The Convo.
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