For the second consecutive game, Ohio went on the road in search of its 20th win, and for the second consecutive game, the Bobcats were denied.
Ohio (19-6, 7-4 Mid-American Conference) recorded one of its worst offensive outputs of the season on Saturday and fell to Eastern Michigan (11-4, 6-5 MAC) 68-55.
Saturday’s loss comes three days after the Bobcats were upset by 11-14 Toledo.
For the second consecutive game, Ohio fell to a team that had previously lost three consecutive games.
Ohio struggled from outset of the game, and trailed 9-0 nearly ten minutes into the first half.
At the break, the Bobcats had managed only 17 points, and trailed 27-17.
With 2:45 remaining in the game, Ohio cut the Eagles’ lead to five at 56-51, but Eastern Michigan closed out the game on a 12-4 run to hand Ohio the 13-point loss.
It is the worst defeat the Bobcats have suffered this season. Ohio connected on just 31 percent of its field goal attempts while Eastern Michigan made half of its attempts.
The Bobcats were also outshot in the 3-point department, where the Eagles made eight of 12 attempts while Ohio connected on only six of 26 attempts.
Ohio was outrebounded 34-28, and made only 61 percent of its free throw attempts.
The 55 points scored by Ohio were the second least it has scored all season and the 68 allowed were tied for the second most the Bobcats have allowed in Mid-American Conference play.
Ohio usually prides itself in its defense, but Saturday’s game was the first time Eastern Michigan has scored 68 points or more since a Dec. 1 game against Colgate. The Eagles entered the game averaging less than 53 points per game — the lowest average in the MAC.
“At the end of the day, our calling card in games like this has been our defense,” Ohio coach John Groce said. “But I didn’t think we guarded particularly well today. We’ve got to figure out a way to get our defense back prior to Wednesday’s game.”
Eastern Michigan’s Derek Thompson led all scorers with 23 points. D.J. Cooper recorded 15 points while Reggie Keely added 14 for Ohio.
Following the loss at Toledo on Wednesday, Groce questioned his team’s toughness. But on Saturday, Groce said toughness was not the issue.
“It was more of a defensive execution issue in my mind,” Groce said. “Our defense was atrocious both halves. This team has to defend and affect field goal percentage to win.
“We’re not that team that’s going to score 80 or 90 points. At the end of the day that hurt us more than anything else on the road trip.”
ro137807@ohiou.edu
