Michael Allen takes it personally when his team begins a game with low energy. As the Bobcats' primary playmaker, the point guard said that he cannot let Ohio come out with low energy against Kent State, even though the team will be playing less than 48 hours after last night's game with Akron.
I think that's a big role
and I try to give everybody more energy Allen said. At Bowling Green we came out with low energy
and I take that upon myself.
Anything I do, clap, yell, is to get everybody going.
Like Allen
point guard Bert Whittington IV said that fatigue cannot be a concern for Ohio following the team's quick turnaround.
In big games like these, that's not an issue at all, Whittington IV said.
One difference coach Tim O'Shea has noticed when comparing this season's team to last year's is the high energy and focus they maintain during difficult stretches of games
which he attributes to the addition of two natural point guards.
Our guard play is obviously more solid at the point guard position, he said. We have two guys that are definitely natural to that position.
Despite their perceived diminutive size (Whittington IV is 5-foot-11
Allen is 6 foot)
O'Shea has not shied away from playing the pair together
which Whittington IV sees as an advantage over other teams.
Playing with another guard that can bring the ball up makes it a lot easier for me, he said. We have a really good chemistry between both of us, and we read each other on offense and defense.
Allen added that they can take more chances when they play together on the floor.
I like playing with Bert because we get to gamble, Allen said. We can get more steals with our quickness, and the tempo increases.
O'Shea also has inserted guard Allen Hester on the floor with both point guards
giving Ohio three quick guards that Miami coach Charlie Coles praised following the Bobcats' game against the RedHawks last Saturday.
Their guard play is so much quicker, and they can put two or three of them in the game, Coles said.
Around the Rim
O'Shea said that switching the Akron and Kent State games from a Wednesday-Sunday schedule to a Thursday-Saturday one was a good idea because of the potential publicity generated from playing on the ESPN networks.
In both cases we were in a position to be on national TV, and we're in no position to turn that down, he said. It was a no-brainer for us.
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