Let’s not sugarcoat it: The Bobcats played terribly Tuesday night.
They suffered their worst loss of the season when they badly needed a win.
Coach Saul Phillips emphasized two strategies heading into Tuesday’s matchup with Toledo: defend the 3-pointer and regain footing offensively. Ohio responded by allowing its highest opponent 3-point percentage of the season and scoring its second fewest points.
How do we make sense of this? Here are three takeaways that attempt to explain the 91-57 loss Ohio suffered at home to Toledo at The Convo.
1. Injuries, injuries, injuries
Add Jordan Dartis and Gavin Block to the list of bruised bodies on the Ohio roster. Dartis played just 22 minutes on Tuesday and Block played 26, both well below their season averages.
The reason why is part blowout, part rest. Dartis injured his hip in the preseason, aggravated it against Maryland and has struggled with it since. After scoring 27 and 23 points in the two games that followed, he’s been a less frequent participant in practice and a lesser version of himself.
Block’s injury is harder to pinpoint. Phillips said Monday that it could just be an accumulation of the punishment Block takes during games. No one takes more charges or is quicker to dive on the floor than Block.
Neither will make excuses, but it’s apparent that something is wearing down two of the key pieces of Ohio’s starting lineup. They are both shooting below 40 percent over the past five games. Block is below 30.
Phillips said Tuesday’s game may have marked the beginning of a cut back in minutes to help soothe their pain.
2. Bobcat bench help (or lack thereof)
Nobody from the bench recorded a point until the 6:12 mark of the second half. If Phillips is going to restrain Dartis' and Block’s playing time, someone needs to step up in their place.
"I'm looking for the guys who are on the bench to step up and give me more," Phillips said. "Who came in there tonight and screamed 'I need more minutes?' I didn't see it."
Kevin Mickle has been a revelation this season. He finished 0-for-6.
James Gollon set multiple career scoring highs during the first semester. He’s scored 12 points over the past five games.
Zach Butler is improving, but his flashes of potential are still too few and far between. A.J. Gareri hasn’t converted a field goal in 23 minutes of playing time.
And that’s it. That’s the rotation.
Jason Carter and Ben Vander Plas still aren’t wearing jerseys in warmups.
Ellis Dozier has scarcely played non-garbage time minutes and the next seats on the bench belong to walk-ons.
One of, or more likely multiple players from that group need to expand their roles if Ohio wants any chance at a championship.
3. That Doug Taylor
The lights might as well have been out in The Convo all night. Except for one faint glimmer: Doug Taylor.
With 17:05 remaining, Taylor hedged on a pick-and-roll to impede the ball handler’s progress; the right play except that it left Toledo forward Taylor Adway open for a dunk.
Or so he thought.
As Adway was about to slam the ball through the rim, Taylor leapt into the air and swatted the attempt away. As the Bobcats recovered the loose ball and brought the ball up the court, Taylor wagged his finger towards the crowd.
The crowd never had more energy throughout the second half, and no one wearing green and white had half as much as Taylor did on Tuesday. Taylor scored a career-high 15 points, and his dunk-saving block was the third of his eventual six blocks, which also tied a career high.
It didn’t matter, but Taylor’s heightened activity over the last few games is a welcomed sign.
“That’s how I need to play all the time now,” Taylor said.
Taylor’s 15 blocks in five conference games are already more than he registered in non-conference play.
Taylor won’t be a consistent volume scorer. It’s not his role, no matter how much James Gollon advocated on Taylor's behalf for more paint touches in the postgame press conference.
But Taylor will have chances to impact the game. His rim protection and creation of extra possessions (three offensive rebounds on Tuesday) are his way of doing so.
