Ohio wants to improve its record above .500 on Saturday, but is taking its season in stride.
Despite having multiple losses in Ohio’s first four games for the first time since 2007, coach Saul Phillips says there’s no need to panic.
The Bobcats have lost to a pair of teams that will likely be in the NCAA Tournament and their most recent loss last Saturday against Belmont came on a game-winning shot in the final second.
“It’s funny, and I don’t know why it is, but it can feel like after one, one-point loss that all of a sudden you’re 0-6,” Phillips said. “As a coach, what you don’t want to do is get too quick with that trigger and go away from what you’ve built to this point.”
Ohio (2-2) has fallen behind by double-digit points during the first half in both of its losses, and experienced a similar deficit during its exhibition game against Marietta College.
Instead of waiting until the second half to attempt a comeback like they did during their loss to to the Florida Gulf Coast Bruins, the Bobcats were able to cut their deficit before halftime and hung with the Bruins until the finish.
Phillips blamed his pregame speech after the slow start in the exhibition game, but the struggles have carried over into the regular season. Ohio has been outscored by 18 points in first halves, an average of 4.5 points per game.
“You ever have a computer monitor that didn’t work great, you hit the side of it and it just started working? I think I’m gonna start doing that,” Phillips said. “Maybe I’ll go in, scream and yell for 40 minutes before the game starts. Maybe that’ll get them going.”
Much of the reason Ohio’s been struggling to start games has been a result of its shot selection. During Saturday’s loss, however, Ohio made 50 percent of its first half attempts and finished the game at about the same percentage.
Ryan Taylor, a freshman guard, scored 16 points against Belmont on 7-of-10 shooting. He’s averaging just over 11 points during his first four collegiate games and said the Bobcats are trying to avoid those early struggles by passing the ball.
“Coach always tells us to make the extra pass and that’s what we’re trying to do,” Taylor said. “He always tells us we’re one pass away from being a really good team. Everybody’s just buying into that.”
Ohio will welcome St. Bonaventure (5-1) to The Convo on Saturday after winning the most recent matchup two seasons ago. The Bobcats will need a solid start to move above the .500 mark, as the Bonnies are outscoring their opposition by 22 points in the first half and have five players averaging double-digit points.
Taylor said the result of Saturday’s game doesn’t “make or break” Ohio’s season, as the two losses have been learning experiences for the Bobcats.
“There’s no question as a group it would be really nice if we had something good to happen to us,” Phillips said. “I think our guys are hungry to be rewarded for their work, but shoot, we’re awfully young in this season.”
@chadlindskog
cl027410@ohio.edu
