Ohio will face Belmont at home Saturday, after losing in Nashville, Tennessee against the Bruins two seasons ago.
Stevie Taylor is the only remaining Bobcat from when Ohio played Belmont two seasons ago.
Taylor, a senior guard, was in a different role then and came off the bench to provide a spark when the Bobcats were struggling at either end of the court.
He scored six points on a pair of three-pointers in just 11 minutes on the court during that ESPN BracketBusters game in Nashville, Tennessee.
Although Ohio (2-1) was coming off a five-game winning streak before the 2012 matchup, the Bobcats will enter Saturday after edging Arkansas-Pine Bluff for a victory Tuesday, which followed a road against Florida Gulf Coast the week before.
Belmont (5-1) lost its season opener on the road against Wright State, but hasn’t lost since.
Taylor, who was playing behind former Bobcats stars D.J. Cooper and Walter Offutt two seasons ago, will now get the chance to get lead Ohio after losing to the Bruins 81-62 in 2012.
The Gahanna-native is coming off a scoreless night against the Golden Lions on 0-for-7 shooting and seven turnovers.
Coach Saul Phillips joked and said the headband Taylor has revamped into his game day attire is constricting his blood flow.
“You look at the roles he’s played in this program over the years and he’s always been that spark off the bench, that ‘burst’ guy,” Phillips said. “He’s probably pressing a little bit … as a coach, you can’t marry them when they’re good and divorce them when they’re bad. I’ve got to stick with him and he’s got to stick with it.”
Although turnovers were the key of emphasis after Tuesday’s game — Ohio turned the ball over 11 times in the first 12 minutes — it again played better in the second half when by committing just two in the final eight minutes.
Javarez “Bean” Willis, a redshirt senior guard, said his biggest problems come from trying to get the ball out to his teammates too quickly. Willis was second to Taylor with five turnovers Tuesday.
“I think we need to slow down, I think we’re moving too fast and making decisions real fast,” Willis said. “I think it’ll make it easier if we slow down and make people actually come to the ball.”
Senior forward Maurice Ndour has recorded double-doubles in two of Ohio’s three games and was just one rebound shy in the other. He wants to continue to approach every game as if he can influence the outcome with his approach and influence on the team.
“This is our last season, so every game counts,” Ndour said. “Us seniors have to come out every day and be aggressive and try to lead the team early, set the tone early for the team.”
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