When Ohio was left out of the NCAA Tournament last season, it was clear the Bobcats would have to play against a stronger slate of opponents to qualify in the future. In response, Ohio scheduled games against five Power 5 teams, all on the road.
The first of those games is Tuesday as the Bobcats travel to play No. 21 Syracuse. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. from the Carrier Dome.
Here is everything you need to know before Ohio’s season opener:
Syracuse report:
Syracuse is beginning its 2019-2020 season with a bitter taste in its mouth after it was upset in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season in a 75-64 loss to South Dakota State.
Last season, Syracuse was the third-highest scoring team in the ACC averaging 77.2 points per game. It went 25-9 last season and was a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The Orange are returning four starters from last year’s team, including senior Tiana Mangakahia who was sixth in scoring in the Atlantic Coastal Conference last season — averaging 16.9 points per game. Mangakahia also has been First Team All-ACC the last two seasons and was an AP All-American Honorable Mention last season.
Things to watch from Ohio:
The Bobcats will need to shoot much better than they did in their exhibition game against Walsh if they want to keep up with Syracuse’s scoring. Ohio was just 8-for-29 from beyond the arc and shot 41.7% from the field.
Katie Barker will likely play a big role in the offense for the Bobcats. She was 2-for-4 from three on Saturday.
Caitlyn Kroll played well in the exhibition, too, after sitting out her first year at Ohio due to transfer regulations. She played 30 minutes and had 20 points. She may have a tough time cracking the rotation, though, as she sits behind Cece Hooks and Amani Burke.
