After another tough non-conference loss, the Ohio men's basketball team sets out to meet the best in the Mid-American Conference East Division.
The Bobcats (3-9 overall, 0-2 MAC) conclude a six-game road stretch in tomorrow's match-up at Kent State (9-2, 3-0 MAC), after a 96-91 loss at Duquesne Wednesday. Ohio had a record-setting 20 3-pointers in the game but couldn't stop the hot-shooting Dukes - a twist from Ohio's previous struggles on offense.
We just have to put together a complete game
Ohio guard Whitney Davis said. Sometimes we play good defensively and can't make our shots but (Wednesday) we made shots and didn't play defense. We just have to get the whole game together and execute every time.
Ohio coach Tim O'Shea said he is still searching for a way to get over the hump, though.
Obviously Kent State on the road is not an easy task at all because they are playing so well and they've won just about all their games but we've got to continue to do the things I have been stressing in terms of pushing the ball
preparing to knock down shots when we get penetration
and we've got to get our post guys going
he said.
Kent State is coming off a 63-61 win at Marshall, which gave the Golden Flashes an early lead in the division.
Their confidence level at this point has got to be very high
O'Shea said. They've managed to win a lot of close games and they are going to be very tough on the road.
Part of Kent State's success has been the result of a dominating player in the pivot. Center John Edwards leads the team with 28 blocks and is averaging 12.3 points a game.
John Edwards is a guy that's gone from being a walk-on to probably the best center in the MAC
O'Shea said. He presents a real match-up problem for us.
Ohio has lost three in a row, but Ohio forward Terren Harbut said tomorrow's game is a good opportunity to step up and get past the disappointment of the slow start.
It's hard to lose this many games early in the season
Harbut said. It's kind of emotionally draining
but we just have to keep going strong and say that tomorrow is another day. This game is really important because of our record right now and because it's a conference game. These are the games we are going to have to win.
Ohio meets Kent State at 8 p.m. Saturday in the M.A.C. Center in Kent.
