If you ask players from the Ohio men's basketball team to describe the squad's next two games, the answers will be short and to the point.
Crucial
Ohio forward Johnnie Jackson said. They are crucial and that about sums it up.
After the Bobcats defeated the Buffalo Bulls, 85-72, in The Convo on Wednesday night, the team's attention shifted directly to its next game at Akron. It is just one of the two back-to-back road Mid-American Conference contests the Bobcats (16-8, 9-6 MAC) have ahead of them.
We still have to focus because Akron is at the top of the league and we need to keep playing well and building more confidence
guard Mychal Green said. We don't have many games left
and we know we need to come out with urgency.
Urgency was something the Bobcats had when they took down the Bulls by getting out to a 23-9 lead seven minutes into the game. The game was a reminder to many on how the Bobcats could play when their defense and offense was working in sync.
However, Ohio now must face an Akron team that has only lost three MAC games this season - one of them being the 66-63 victory the Bobcats managed against the Zips last month in Athens.
The Zips (19-7, 12-3 MAC) will be looking to bounce back after their 63-60 loss to Miami on Wednesday by getting even with the Bobcats on ESPN2.
The nice thing about TV games is you tend to get top-rate officiating crews
coach Tim O'Shea said. Also
not too many teams in our league get to play on ESPN2
so it will be added motivation.
The Bobcats are seeking to flip the script on the Zips with a win for the sweep this season after dropping both games to them last year. In Ohio's favor is its momentum after winning two straight games over Samford and Buffalo. Conversely, Akron's two recent losses against Nevada in the ESPN BracketBuster matchup and Miami might have the Zips reeling on national television.
I'm not making any predictions about our future
but I like the way we played our last two games
O'Shea said. We've shown good chemistry
good energy and have been playing good defense. We have a real test with these next two games on the road.
Also working for the Bobcats is the return of the team's offensive rhythm, mainly from Green, who has been playing with multiple injuries. Green put up 14 against Samford and exploded for 21 points in the contest with Buffalo. Having his team's leading scorer perform well is something O'Shea said his team needs.
We are honestly a much better team when Mychal is making shots
