Jerome Tillman did everything but personally escort the RedHawks out of Millet Hall yesterday.
The senior forward scored a career-high 35 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds to give Ohio a 66-62 win over Miami - its first in Oxford since 2003.
I was just in the flow of the game
Tillman said. I just kept playing hard and made one play after another.
Miami held Tillman to six points in the first half, but the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year candidate didn't stay down for long.
Tillman scored 29 of Ohio's 37 second-half points, including one astonishing stretch to open the half when he scored 18 straight.
Tommy Freeman's two free throws with 9:10 to play were the first two points that someone other than Tillman scored in the half for Ohio.
The way he can just take over is not something a lot of guys I've seen have been able to do said Freeman, who added seven points and four rebounds.
Prior to the game, coach John Groce noticed that Tillman had taken just six shots in last year's 73-49 loss at Miami.
He wouldn't let that happen this time.
It starts and stops with (Tillman) Groce said. I thought Jerome certainly had a statement game tonight.
So did the Bobcats.
Ohio came into the game having won just one of six road games.
Making things worse was that Miami came into conference play with the most impressive resume in the MAC.
Even with all of that going against the Bobcats, they found a way to win.
We wanted to win this one for our seniors
Freeman said.
Ohio led by just four with less than four minutes to play, but Miami couldn't find an answer for Tillman.
With 3:48 remaining, he hit a 3-pointer - his fourth of the game - to give the Bobcats a 60-53 lead.
Michael Bramos - the MAC's fourth-leading scorer coming in - was virtually non-existent in the first half after picking up two quick fouls. But the senior wouldn't go down without a fight.
After a critical turnover by Miami and two Steve Coleman free throws, Bramos buried a 3-pointer with five seconds to play to get Miami back within two at 64-62.
But fittingly, it was Tillman who went to the line and hit the final two free throws to give Ohio the win.
I'm happy for our guys
Groce said. It was maybe our most complete game today.
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Sports
Matt O'Donnell
