Although Ohio has shown ability to shut down opponents defensively, that effort hasn’t been apparent during its past three contests.
Ohio coach Jim Christian said at this point of the season players must fight through fatigue if they still want to be effective on defense.
“I think our energy level on the defensive end hasn’t been as great as it was,” Christian said. “We’ve had some guys who have logged a lot of minutes, and I think that sometimes takes its toll in little things. … The one thing that’s been standing out is that we’ve been giving up a lot more easy baskets than we were.”
Locking down the opposition will be especially important for the Bobcats (17-6, 7-3 Mid-American Conference) Wednesday, when they take on the Rockets (20-3, 8-2 MAC.) Toledo averages 83 points per game — good for 10th in the nation — and has won back-to-back contests. It also sits atop the MAC West.
Ohio has performed poorly on defense during its past three games, allowing opponents to average 85 points per game and shoot 50 percent from the floor. This comes after Bobcats allowed an average of just 59 points per game and held their opposition to 36 percent shooting during their first seven MAC contests.
Ohio redshirt junior guard Javarez “Bean” Willis said the Bobcats can overcome their recent defensive shortcomings by communicating better, also noting that he has no doubt that the team can curtail its recent slide.
“I think toward the end we just kind of break down, so I just think everybody needs to basically ... talk more,” Willis said.
The Bobcats’ field goal percentage defense ranks 29th in the NCAA, and their blocked shots per contest places them in 44th place in the nation.
When Ohio plays stout defensively, it shows in terms of wins and losses. The Bobcats are 14-1 when holding an opponent to 70 points or fewer and 12-1 when opposing teams shoot less than 40 percent from the floor.
Ohio junior guard Stevie Taylor said though it is difficult to win on the road, the Bobcats can’t use playing away from their home court as an excuse for poor play. Their most recent road loss against the Broncos, he said, is still fresh in their minds.
“I think we know the importance of how to start, and we need to keep that going,” he said. “With that being a big game, I think our guys will raise up their level of play.”
Toledo junior point guard Julius Brown, who is second on the team with 14.5 points per game, is ranked sixth in the nation in assists. Justin Drummond, a junior and the Rockets’ leading scorer, will not play against the Bobcats because of a one-game suspension after being arrested on Saturday for driving under the influence.
Christian said Drummond’s absence shouldn’t affect Toledo, which he thinks has the best depth in the conference, bolstered by bench players who can have a major impact offensively.
“Other guys (from Toledo) will step up,” Christian said. “It’s like if you got in foul trouble, it affects the game but does it really have a big effect? No, you have time to prepare, time to get ready.”
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