The Bob Boldon Era began with a technical foul.
Less than two years later, it’s produced Ohio’s first Mid-American Conference regular season title in two decades.
The team’s 67-47 win over Bowling Green (9-18, 2-14 MAC), combined with Ball State’s 51-50 loss at Western Michigan, gave the Bobcats (23-4, 14-2 MAC) their first regular season title since the 1994-95 season.
“It feels great to be the No. 1 seed in the MAC Tournament because you want to put you team in the best situation to succeed,” Ohio coach Bob Boldon said. “The fact that we guaranteed we only need to win two games to be in a national tournament is pretty exciting and a small reward for your body of work.”
The title comes just two years after Ohio’s worst season in program history, when it finished 6-23 with a lone MAC victory.
With two games remaining in the regular season, the Bobcats have already clinched the No. 1 seed in the MAC Tournament in Cleveland. They were the 11 seed just a year ago.
Securing the top seed means the team will have a triple bye in the tournament and won’t play its first game until the semifinals.
Despite all the reasons to celebrate and relax, after the Bobcats’ victory on Saturday the second-year coach kept his stereotypical mantra of never being completely satisfied, reiterating that they still have two games remaining in the regular season.
“These are usually accomplishments you get in the last game of the regular season, or something like that,” Boldon said. “It’s definitely uncharted waters for this program and myself, too. We’re just trying to be thankful for it but be dissatisfied enough to go to practice on Monday.”
The Bobcats will close the season with the two of the three worst teams in the MAC East Division — Kent State (5-22, 3-13 MAC) and Miami (7-20, 4-12 MAC). Bowling Green sits at the bottom with a 2-14 conference record.
“The irony of it, or what tempers my excitement about it is that we still have a week of regular season basketball left,” Boldon continued. “So you don’t want to start puffing out your chest and thinking you’re better than you are when you still have work to do in the regular season.”
Satisfied or not, the Boldon Era has given a reason to update The Convo’s dusted women’s banners. Even he noticed that hasn’t been done recently.
@charliehatch_
gh181212@ohio.edu
