A pair of foul calls turned a sure Ohio victory into a stinging defeat Wednesday at Toledo.
With Ohio leading 52-50 and 30 seconds remaining in the game, forward Jerome Tillman was called for an offensive foul on the Bobcats' inbound play, which guard Tyrone Kent converted to tie the game at 52.
An Ohio turnover gave the ball back to the Rockets, who hit two free throws after guard Allen Hester was called for a blocking foul to put Toledo ahead 54-52, which proved to be the final and left coach Tim O'Shea wondering what could have been.
On the road
sometimes you get what you might feel is a difficult whistle O'Shea said. It's a lot to overcome when you're playing in someone else's building and sometimes there can be a discrepancy in free throws. But we had our chances.
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O'Shea said. It was an opportunity lost
but we have to move on.
With Ohio leading 45-35 and 6:43 remaining in the game, the Bobcats looked well on their way toward claiming a much-desired road victory against the Rockets. But the game quickly unraveled from there.
After shooting a solid percentage for much of the game, the Bobcats went more than three minutes without a field goal, and Toledo responded with a 10-0 run to tie the game at 45.
During the Rockets' run, forward Leon Williams, who scored just six points, fouled out. O'Shea said the absence of Williams proved costly for the Bobcats down the stretch with the Bobcats losing their best rebounder.-
O'Shea said. We didn't get the rebounds
and we needed to get a rebound.
Although the double-digit deficit had been erased and Williams was watching from the sidelines, the Bobcats turned to guards Bubba Walther and Bert Whittington IV, who each hit key baskets to put Ohio up 52-48 with 41 seconds remaining.
Whittington's lay-up was the last basket the Bobcats would score though, and Ohio once again was left with a stinging road loss in the MAC. -
and it was a very winnable game
O'Shea said.
Bubba Walther scored 15 points on five 3-point field goals to lead the 'Cats as the team's only double-figure scorer. The Bobcats committed 24 turnovers as a team and attempted only 12 free throws to the Rockets 32.
I'm not going to say anything about the officiating
but when you have a 20 free-throw differential
it is tough to overcome on the road
