To be successful in the Mid-American Conference a team has to win games on the road.
Tonight, the Ohio men's basketball team will have its first chance to do so facing Eastern Michigan in Ypsilanti.
The Bobcats (8-2, 2-0 MAC) have started conference play with a pair of wins in The Convo and could start out 3-0 in the MAC for the first time since the 2001-02 season.
The best teams win on the road
guard Jeremy Fears said. We want to prove that we can do that and play stronger on the road than we have at home.
The key match up of the game will be the meeting between what Ohio coach Tim O'Shea said is the best two big men in the MAC. Ohio forward Leon Williams will be paired against the MAC's leading scorer and rebounder, John Bowler.
Bowler is averaging 20.2 points and 9.2 boards a game and will pose the largest threat inside for the Bobcats through the course of the MAC season.
What makes them so dangerous is that they have a legitimate player-of-the-year candidate in Bowler O'Shea said. These are the two best big men in the league we depend on Leon a ton and they depend on John even more. It is a great matchup.
The Bobcats know they must limit Bowler's touches in order to be in position to win the contest.
Coach doesn't want him to touch the ball at all
but we know that is unrealistic
Fears said. He will get some touches
but we have to dig it out of his hands and make the other players try to beat us.
Though the Bobcats are intent on keeping the ball out of Bowler's hands, they will also employ their usual strategy to keep their opposing big men under control.
We will treat him like every other big man we play
guard Mychal Green said. We will help down on the catch when we can and help off our man if necessary - we won't let him beat us.
While the Bobcats held off the Eagles last year in The Convo 68-65, the young maturing team could cause some problems on their home court with Bowler and a balanced scoring attack from their supporting cast.
They are a tough team
but Bowler is my biggest concern. He is going to make a ton of money playing professional
if not the NBA
then in Europe
O'Shea said. Without him
