In the early part of a conference schedule that has been defined by inconsistency, one element has remained consistent — home-court advantage matters for Ohio.
Four games into the conference slate, the Bobcats are 2-0 at home but 0-2 away from home. They average almost 14 fewer points per game when playing away from The Convo.
Home-court advantage figures to be a greater factor Saturday against rival Miami, as 13,000 fans are expected to watch Gary Trent’s No. 20 rise to The Convo’s rafters during a special halftime ceremony.
“Our guys are looking forward to it,” Ohio coach John Groce said. “Hopefully it gets them excited. If it doesn’t get you excited to play in front of that many people against your rival on Saturday, then you don’t have a pulse, and you should try another sport.”
The RedHawks enter the game in last place in the MAC East and are coming off a 65-57 loss to Bowling Green.
But Miami has won the last two editions of the Battle of the Bricks — something Ohio point guard D.J. Cooper says the team has not forgotten.
“It means a lot that they swept us last year,” Cooper said. “We want to come out and play hard. This game means a lot for us, not just because it’s Miami, but because it’s another conference game for us to move up in the rankings.”
Adding to the importance of Saturday’s game is the state of the MAC East. Five of the division’s six teams are within a game of one another in the standings and have a chance to grab a share of first place this weekend.
With that in mind, the Bobcats hope to capitalize against their reeling rivals.
One person who fully recognizes the advantages of playing at home is Miami coach Charlie Coles, who said he relishes any opportunity to steal a win on the Bobcats’ floor.
“Whether it’s full or not, it’s the best,” Coles said, referring to The Convo. “We never won at Ohio when I played at Miami. We had great teams, but we never won.”
Coles is notorious for his interactions with the O-Zone, Ohio’s student section that Coles said brings its A-game when the RedHawks are in town.
“I wish our students would get as upset about Ohio University as they do about us,” Coles said. “They kind of know that when Miami comes down there, they’re going to get on us.”
Cooper acknowledged that the crowd has played a role in Ohio’s success at home.
“In MAC play, it’s hard to win on the road,” he said. “Every team has good fans, and every team plays their best game at home. Playing in front of the O-Zone is just like a sixth man, especially since it’s going to be a good crowd here.
“I think they discourage the players coming in, knowing they’re going to have to face some crazy fans.”
Coles said he’s lucky that he gets to make another trip to Athens, though it might be his last as Miami’s coach, he added.
“At the mid-major level, you don’t find places like that very much,” Coles said. “That O-Zone has got to be one of the best in the country. Major, mid-major, whatever. That O-Zone is tough.”
ro137807@ohiou.edu
