PREGAME
Ohio (4-1) takes on 2013 NIT participant Mercer (4-2) Tuesday night at 7:00 in the third game of the Ohio Classic.
The Bobcats are riding a three game winning streak after defeating Heidelberg Saturday as redshirt senior forward Jon Smith chipped in 17 points. Mercer has won two games in a row and boasts an impressive resume in their non-conference schedule. They narrowly lost to Texas before defeating Seton Hall and Yale. Senior point guard Langston Hall, who averages 16 points a contest, paces the Bears in scoring. Mercer returns four starters from last year’s squad.
Ohio starters: junior guard Stevie Taylor, senior guard Nick Kellogg, senior guard Ricardo Johnson, redshirt senior forward Jon Smith, junior forward Maurice Ndour
Mercer starters: senior point guard Langston Hall, senior guard Anthony White Jr., senior guard Bud Thomas, senior forward Jakob Gollon, senior center Daniel Coursey
FIRST HALF
Ndour opens the contest with a bucket. Ohio jumps out to a quick 2-0 lead.
Nodur picked up his first fould of game. Coursey converted on both free throws for the Bears. Mercer lead 7-5 with 15:18 remaining in the first half.
Mercer sophomore guard Jibri Bryan with a three for the Bears. Ndour answered back with a basket. Mercer leads 12-7 with 14:00 left in the first half.
With 11:31 remaining in the first half, Mercer leads 14-9. Taylor tried to find Smith for a basket but pass went out of bounds.
Smith with a basket as Bobcats cut Mercer lead to 19-11 with 9:24 left in the half. Taylor picked up second foul. Bears point guard Langston Hall made one of two attempts.
Smith converts a two with a pass from Ndour. Mercer leads 19-17 as Nick Kellogg picks up his second foul. 7:51 remaining in the first half.
Smith fouled by Mercer's Thomas. He made both attempts. Bears lead 21-19 with 5:58 left in the first half.
Bobcats redshirt junior guard Bean Willis fouled. He made both attempts. Ohio leads 25-23 with 4:25 left in the first half.
Timeout on the floor with 3:32 remaining in the first half. Ohio and Mercer are tied at 25.
Ndour made a three and Mercer traveled on the other end. Bobcats up 28-25 with 2:35 left in the first half.
Smith with a dunk and Mercer proceeded to call a timeout. Ohio leading 32-25 with 1:58 remaining in the first half.
Ndour converted another three and Mercer answered with a basket of its own. Smith respoded for Ohio with a basket of his own. Bobcats leading by ten, 37-27 with 35.2 seconds left in the first half.
Mercer sophomore guard Phil Leonard made a three directly before the buzzer. At half, Bobcats lead by nine. 39-30.
Maurice Ndour leads the Bobcats at the half with 15 points, seven rebounds and an assist. Jon Smith is also in double digits for the Bobcats with ten points. Ohio is shooting 33 percent and 20 percent from behind the arc.
SECOND HALF
Ohio's Taylor opened half with a three pointer. Bobcats then get defensive rebound as Ndour rocks the rim following a Ricardo Johnson assist. With timeout on the floor Ohio leads 44-30.
Kellogg jut hit a three pointer. Mercer's Coursey answers with a two, then Ohio's Smith makes a layup at the other end. Bobcats lead 49-34 with 15:51 left in the second half.
Another basket for Smith before a foul on Ohio's Willis. Bobcats lead 55-37 with 14:05 remaining in the contest.
Ricardo Johnson with a steal and is fouled by Mercer senior guard Kevin Canevari on an attempted layup. Johnson made one of two. Bobcats lead 57-39 with 11:23 left in the game.
Ndour with a basket in the paint and Hall answers on the opposite end for the Bears. Ohio leads 60-45 with 8:37 remaining in the contest. Ohio's Johnson to the life after a foul by Mercer's Bud Thomas. He made one of two.
Bobcats Kellogg hit another triple for his tenth point of the contest. Bobcats lead 63-49 with 7:00 left in the game.
Taylor fouled. Made one of two attempts and got his own rebound to keep Bobcats posession alive. He finished his effort with a layup. Ohio leads 66-51 with 5:39 remaining in the game.
Taylor has ball poked away and Mercer scored a quick layup. Bobcats lead cut to ten points. 3:57 left in the contest.
Bobcats Hall answers Mercer's comeback with a basket of his own. Timeout on the floor with 3:28 left in the game. Ohio leads 70-58.
Ohio's Hall with an up and under and is fouled by Mercer senior forward Daniel Coursey. He failed to capitalize on a three point play. with 2:57 left in the game Ohio leads 73-62.
Bears senior Langston Hall made a three. Timeout on the floor as Mercer cut Ohio's lead to 73-65 with 2:14 remaining in the contest.
Mercer timeout with 15 seconds in the game. Ohio leading 75-67.
FINAL: Ohio wins 76-67
