Ohio loves to hit the road.
It may seem backwards, but it’s true. The Bobcats have traveled 12 times this season and, besides one loss to Toledo on Feb. 13, they’ve had no complaints when they play as visitors — nor should they.
Ohio owns one of the best away records in the Mid-American Conference at 9-1 and went 2-0 in its two neutral-site games in November. The top three spots in the MAC have frequently shifted with a bevy of talented teams emerging this season, but the Bobcats have never fallen out of a top-two position.
That’s because of Ohio’s ability to win on the road. Some of its biggest wins, such as its Jan. 5 overtime win against Buffalo or Feb. 9 win over Central Michigan, have happened on the road in some of the toughest environments in the MAC.
But the Bobcats don’t mind that at all. They actually love it.
“It's just more fun,” Amani Burke said. “I think we compete at a higher level when we go on the road because I feel like we get this sense of it's just us against everybody.”
Shouldn’t Ohio be more comfortable playing in The Convo, though? The Bobcats have the biggest arena in the MAC, and the athletic department spent nearly $2 million to install a four-sided videoboard this offseason that has made the 50-year-old building feel a lot younger.
It’s not that the Bobcats don’t enjoy playing in The Convo. They certainly don’t mind watching their own introduction videos, playing in front of home fans and having the luxury of no travel after games.
But after nearly four months of daily practices and a game or two each week inside the venue, the Bobcats appreciate something new. It somehow sharpens their focus, and it’s why they play better in clutch situations, like when Burke made the go-ahead layup with 44 seconds left in front of 1,208 screaming fans Saturday against Kent State.
Coach Bob Boldon has obviously enjoyed Ohio’s consistent road success, but not even he has a true explanation for why the Bobcats, who are still 11-2 at home, have appeared to play a bit better when they’re not in Athens.
"I don't know,” he said. “It's a counter to what you think is going to happen. Like, I don't know.”
Burke believes some players have enjoyed hearing opposing fans taunt them. She’s heard plenty of comments about her brother, Trey, who’s in his seventh NBA season with the Dallas Mavericks, but she’s mastered the art of never taking an insult personally.
When Ohio traveled to Toledo, a fan sitting close to the court yelled “Shame on you!” to Burke, who simply turned around and stuck her tongue out.
The fan returned the gesture.
It occurred in the Bobcats’ only road loss of the season, but it still showed that Burke was unfazed and only having fun.
“Don't tell coach Bob that,” she said. “It was just fun little stuff like that because (for) some teams, it really gets under their skin. But I feel like with us, we kind of laugh about it. It's fun for us."
The true reason behind Ohio’s success, however, is its revamped chemistry. Players and coaches have constantly suggested Ohio’s chemistry is better than it was last year, when it went 16-15 and got bounced in the second round of the MAC Tournament.
Ohio was young last season, and it still is — three of its five main starters are sophomores or younger. But the Bobcats became a closer team after they learned from their struggles last season.
The refined chemistry is especially apparent when the Bobcats travel.
“You do feel like you’re in your own separate group when you go into restaurants and other people’s hometowns, in hotels,” Boldon said. “You very much stand out, so you very much need to stick together.”
Ohio will need its road success to continue into the last leg of the regular season and postseason. The Bobcats have two road games left on their schedule, including a crucial game against Miami on March 6 that may determine the No. 1 seed of the MAC Tournament.
The RedHawks defeated the Bobcats when they visited The Convo on Jan. 30, but now Ohio will be in the driver’s seat — literally.
And that may be for the better.
