Ohio (0-1 overall) fell in a hard-fought game against Sun Belt foe Arkansas State (1-0) in The Convo on Monday night by a final score of 89-85.
The atmosphere in The Convo was electric throughout the entire game, as the high-scoring contest was a back-and-forth affair, featuring many lead changes and scoring runs for both teams.
The first game of the season can always be volatile, with teams getting their first real look at what they look like on the floor after an offseason of transfer portal acquisitions and practice.
Despite the tough loss and up-and-down play, there was one constant factor during the entire duration of the game for Ohio, and that was the play of senior forward Aidan Hadaway.
The Lafayette, Georgia, native had a career-high 28 points in the season opener for Ohio while adding a team-high six rebounds and three assists. He was also very efficient, scoring those 28 points on 12-16 shooting from the field and 3-6 shooting from deep.
“I feel like my shot was just falling,” Hadaway said of his performance. “I was just getting to the rack, getting fouled, that’s pretty much it.”
He was dominant from the jump offensively, scoring Ohio’s second basket of the game on a fastbreak corner three perfectly set up by a pass from Appalachian State transfer guard Dior Conners.
His next bucket was entirely self-created. He found himself with the ball in the corner before working his way to the foul line, where he backed down his defender and created space for a smooth fadeaway jumper.
His ability to score in a multitude of ways was huge for Ohio against Arkansas State, as it felt like Hadaway was always there when the team needed a bucket.
“He's an inside-out matchup problem, and it was good to see him bounce back and have that type of game,” Ohio head coach Jeff Boals said. “But like I said, we have got to keep looking for him offensively and create some different opportunities for him.”
Hadaway had 12 of his 28 points in the first half, including two of his three threes. The second half was a showcase of offensive skill set down low, both in and around the post.
His size became a huge advantage, as his 6’8’’ frame is tied for the second tallest on the Ohio roster, allowing him to score inside at will and get some huge rebounds for Ohio. Due to the overall size disadvantage for Ohio, it lost the rebounding battle 41-25 and the offensive rebounding battle 13-7.
The Red Wolves snagged four quick offensive rebounds to start the second half as well, setting the tone for their eventual comeback win.
Despite Arkansas State having a productive half, Hadaway was consistently scoring and creating good chances for himself and others as he finished with a team-high three assists on the night.
Even with his solid passing it was down low where he was ultra-efficient scoring the ball, going 7-8 from the floor in the second half while keeping Ohio in the game.
“(We) probably should have went to him a little bit more just to create opportunities, because he will demand a double team at some point, or to get the ball where he wants it,” Boals said. “I thought he carried us in that stretch in the second half where he made a lot of shots at the rim.”
Even with his career night, Ohio wasn’t able to start the season with a win as Arkansas State exploded for 57 points in the second half en route to the win. Hadaway and the Bobcats are back home Thursday to take on another high-level mid-major in Illinois State.
