Ohio began Wednesday night’s game at Toledo with a 15-0 lead. But that was the end of the good news for the Bobcats.
Ohio (19-5, 7-3 Mid-American Conference) turned in what is arguably its worst performance of the year in a 77-73 loss to Toledo (11-13, 3-7 MAC).
For the first four minutes of the game, everything seemed to go Ohio’s way, but the tables turned quickly.
After trailing 19-4 early in the game, Toledo went on a 34-15 run to take a four-point lead into the locker room at halftime.
Not much changed in the second half for the Bobcats.
Toledo opened up its largest lead of the game at 61-48 with just more than six minutes remaining, but Ohio did not fall to defeat quietly. The Bobcats went on a 12-2 run to take a 73-72 lead with less than one minute to play. Junior point guard D.J. Cooper scored eight consecutive points for the Bobcats to hand his team the lead.
But Cooper’s final bucket was also the last for his team, as Toledo scored the final five points of the contest.
The Rockets shot 43 percent from the field — just four percent better than the Bobcats — but the rebound differential was costly for Ohio.
Toledo out-rebounded Ohio 43-32 and grabbed 20 offensive boards compared to 19 defensive boards for Ohio.
“We gave up 20 offensive rebounds to one of the worst offensive rebounding teams in the entire league,” Ohio coach John Groce said. “That’s the first time we’ve been that soft since we played at Bowling Green. I was really disappointed how soft we were.”
The loss ends a six-game winning streak for the Bobcats and a three-game losing streak for the Rockets.
Ohio also failed to earn its 20th win of the season and will not earn a sweep of the MAC West — something it has never done.
It was not the first time in conference play Ohio’s offense was off the mark, but it was the first time Ohio’s defense did little to bail its offense out. For the first time all season, Ohio allowed a MAC opponent to surpass 70 points.
“I didn’t think our defense was very good,” Groce said. “The last six or seven minutes of the game our guys played with a sense of desperation. I credit our guys for a valiant comeback at the end. But it just wasn’t enough to overcome their extraordinary toughness and our soft play.”
Toledo’s Rian Pearson entered the game as the conference’s leading scorer and third-best rebounder. He lived up to that reputation Wednesday night as he finished with 18 points and 16 rebounds, including nine offensive boards.
“He’s one of the best players we’ve played so far,” Groce said. “He could be a candidate for player of the year.”
Cooper led the way for the Bobcats with 18 points and five assists.
With the loss, Ohio falls into a tie for third place in the MAC East. Ohio trails division-leading Akron by two games.
Ohio will visit Eastern Michigan Saturday.
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