The Bobcats are all at a loss when asked to explain their slow starts in recent games. They haven't been taking bad shots, and they've never played poorly enough to be out of any of the past six games after the first half, but they've also led only once heading into the break.
Yes, Ohio has managed to storm back in the latter portion of almost all of those games, but the three successful comeback attempts all came in The Convo, where the team won't be this weekend.
I don't know what it is
guard Bubba Walther said. I don't know if we're pressing too much when we have those open shots in the first half ' I just can't figure it out.
We did the same thing at Kent, and we didn't find a way to come back in that one, he continued. Going to Miami this weekend we have to find a way to score and hopefully not just in one half.
The Bobcats (18-9 8-5 Mid-American Conference) are acutely aware that they can't risk a misstep against Miami (13-13 7-6 MAC) in Oxford tomorrow ' the stakes are too high.
Win and Ohio guarantees itself at least the fourth seed and a first-round bye in the rapidly approaching MAC Tournament. Lose and they'll need help from other teams to snag one of the precious byes.
Ohio's just 2-5 on the road against MAC opponents heading into their final conference away game of the season
and the Bobcats would rather not have to play catch-up against the low-possession RedHawks.
There's no question we need to find a way to start games better, coach Tim O'Shea said. But at the same time I'd rather it be that way: first half slow, second half strong rather than a great first half and a terrible second.
It's been almost two months since Ohio defeated Miami in Athens Jan. 12. So long ago that O'Shea calls the game when the Bobcats threw the RedHawks' offense off its axis by smothering Tim Pollitz a previous lifetime.
Miami has stabilized since starting MAC play 0-3. Pollitz is averaging 16.2 points per game
guard Michael Bramos adds 15.6 ppg of his own and the RedHawks are holding opponents to a conference-best 61.6 points.
Besides
O'Shea added
this time around the Bobcats must find a way to contain RedHawks junior college transfer guard Kenny Hayes
who has hit his stride in the MAC. Hayes scored a career-high 30 points in Miami's BracketBuster game against Valparaiso last weekend and is averaging 19.8 points over his last nine games.
Miami hasn't had an explosive guard who can break you down off the dribble, and he can do that, so it's really a different look to the rest of the league, Walther said. Everybody's used to Pollitz and Bramos, and he's given them a third option. Other than Al Fisher, I think he's the best guard in the league.
The Bobcats have spent a good deal of time this week concocting ways to limit Hayes' effectiveness
while still keeping Miami's other offensive threats in check. But what may ultimately be the best motivation to have as strong of a performance against the RedHawks in Oxford that they did in Athens
may be what comes with a victory.
We know if we win this one, Walther said
that it essentially sews up a bye for us, and we definitely want that.
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