Despite everything that has gone wrong for the Bobcats in their last three games, coach Tim O'Shea said he still believes his team can bounce back for a late-season run.
Right now we are positioning ourselves for the Mid-American Conference Tournament
O'Shea said. With four conference games to go we still have a shot at the bye and every game is going to be a lot of pressure because that is what we are fighting for.
After dropping a home game to Northern Illinois, losing to Akron by 31 points and then falling to New Mexico State, the Bobcats desperately need to find a way to get back on track. Not only do the three straight defeats mark Ohio's longest skid of the season, but they also came in deflating fashion.
The loss to the Zips was the biggest margin of defeat O'Shea has experienced at Ohio, and despite an 18-point lead at halftime, the Bobcats' foul trouble against the Aggies doomed Ohio in its BracketBuster matchup.
But O'Shea has his team focused on its next opponent, the Bowling Green Falcons, who the 'Cats will take on tonight in their third straight road game. O'Shea said his team will be playing in one of the toughest gyms to shoot at in the MAC.
You go into that gym and the sight lines are completely different; at one end you have a wall facing you and on the other end there is a backdrop so it is like playing in two different gyms in the same game
he said. For BG
it is a tremendous home-court advantage.
Guard Bubba Walther, however, doesn't anticipate making excuses when he plays there. After two off games, Walther found his shooting rhythm at New Mexico State, where he lit up the Aggies for 25 points.
Good shooters can shoot anywhere and make shots
Walther said. I played good individually last game
but it really didn't matter in the end because we lost. I was able to get hot and plan on staying that way.
The Bobcats already notched a 67-49 win over the Falcons earlier this season in Athens, but struggled shooting the ball against Bowling Green's physical defense. Ohio shot 37 percent for the game, but used a superior defensive performance to limit the Falcons to just 13 points in the first half.
Forward Jerome Tillman racked up a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds in the first meeting between the teams and knows what it takes to play against the Falcons.
We got to come with the mental toughness and bring the physicality and play right back at them
Tillman said. We have to play smart and not let anything get in our head.
Next up...
OHIO (16-10, 7-5 MAC)
at
BOWLING GREEN (12-14, 2-10 MAC)
7 tonight, Anderson Arena, Bowling Green, Ohio.
G
17
Archives
