Although a win over lowly North Carolina A&T will not help Ohio's Rating Percentage Index, it did move the Bobcats' record to 11-1, their best start since the 1940-1941 season.
Stevie Taylor scored 14 first-half points and finished with a career-high 19 points to lead all scorers as Ohio defeated the Aggies 82-66 at the Convo.
"Coach defined my role as being the spark," Taylor said. "I try to do that coming off the bench. I'll do whatever will help the team win."
The Aggies were able to stay close in the first half by shooting nearly 70 percent from the field. They were hampered by 13 first-half turnovers but trailed by only three points, 42-39, at the half.
Ohio coach John Groce said the fact that his team allowed its opponent to shoot so well was disheartening.
"We didn't play very well today," Groce said. "The first half, our defense was absolutely atrocious. Our effort got better in the second half. I thought we played harder."
The Bobcats came out strong in the second half and extended their lead to double digits. North Carolina A&T fought back and eventually cut the lead to five with just over 10 minutes to play before Ohio was able to pull away for good.
"Coach came out and told us we needed to play better defense," Taylor said. "That's what we needed to do, and every one grasped that in the second half."
Five players scored in double figures for Ohio. Nick Kellogg and Walter Offutt each scored 14 points while Ivo Baltic and Reggie Keely had 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Baltic finished one rebound shy of a double-double.
"Tonight we found a way to make enough plays at the end to get it done," Groce said. "We didn't make a lot of half-time adjustments. It was about effort, attitude and competing defensively."
The Aggies committed 24 turnovers compared to 10 for the Bobcats.
Ohio came into the game with the eighth-ranked R.P.I. in the nation, and even with the win tonight, its ranking is not likely to rise.
Ohio began the 1940-1941 season with 11 wins before dropping its next two.
One more win for the 2011 Bobcats will match the program's best start since the 1920-1921 season.
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