A key difference between Ohio and Eastern Michigan was pitted in the teams’ respective frames of mind Wednesday.
Ohio coach Jim Christian said heading into the game that he was glad the Bobcats were competing through the Mid-American Conference bye week because of the cancellation of their game against the Eagles that was initially scheduled for Jan. 30.
Eastern Michigan’s Rob Murphy lamented the fact that his team had to take a second trip to Athens — its second-straight road game, being that his team could use the rest.
The opposing points of view showed on the court in Ohio’s 73-50 win.
Eastern Michigan’s formula consisted of slowing the game and stretching the shot clock, but it took too much of its own medicine early on, as it had a pair of shot clock violations in less than five minutes. In the meantime, Ohio (20-6, 11-1 MAC) crept to a three-point lead that was quickly expanded upon after the stoppage.
The Eagles (12-14, 5-7 MAC) didn’t score for the next 5:43, while the Bobcats blazed their way to a 14-point lead behind a pair of three-pointers and the interior efforts of senior forward Reggie Keely, who Christian credited for opening up lanes for the Bobcats’ shooters.
“Once we made our first push at them it kind of put them on their heels maybe a little bit and they had to play more aggressively,” Christian said.
Ohio senior guard D.J. Cooper sunk any hopes of an Eastern Michigan comeback early in the second half when he made three three-pointers in a span of 4:30 to widen the Bobcats’ lead to 25.
Cooper had 16 points and 10 assists, which gave him his fifth double-double of the season. He also broke into the NCAA Top 25 in all-time steals with five on the night.
Cooper is now ranked No. 24 in NCAA history with 316 career steals, and is also tied for 13th in the all-time assist ledger with 894.
Tensions began to boil over inside the five-minute mark when Ohio redshirt senior guard Walter Offutt was charged with a technical for reacting to a hard foul against Keely, who retaliated a minute later with an intentional foul.
Eastern Michigan senior center Matt Balkema then shoved Offutt and was whistled for a technical of his own.
Christian pegged the on-court friction to competitive nature that comes with late-season conference play.
“There was a hard foul earlier, which led to a hard foul later,” Christian said. “That’s basketball.”
QUICKSTATS
OHIO (20-6, 11-1 MAC) 73, Eastern Michigan (12-14, 5-7 MAC) 50
— Ohio senior guard D.J. Cooper moved to a tie for No. 13 on the NCAA all-time assist list, and jumped to No. 24 in its all-time steals ranks.
— The Bobcats out-rebounded the Eagles by seven, and their 42-grab total was their highest of the season.
— Ohio senior forward Reggie Keely led all scorers with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting.
jr992810@ohiou.edu
