Ohio looks to start win streak at Central Michigan.
Ohio hasn't had the best of luck in the Mid-American Conference this season.
The Bobcats have played multiple opponents, who've gone into matchups shooting poorly, only to shoot lights out against Saul Phillips and company.
That being said, MAC titles are won by winning games, not by waiting for good luck to fall into your lap.
Ohio (11-6, 2-3 MAC) is coming off a Tuesday night performance in which it crushed Western Michigan, 82-64, and unleashed its best defensive effort of the conference season.
On Saturday, it’ll push for a similar result as it will travel to Central Michigan to visit a team that has lost back-to-back games and now carries the same MAC record as Ohio (2-3).
"They're a really good 3-point shooting team," Kenny Kaminski said. "They have been for the past couple of years. Some of their numbers haven't been as good as it has been last year, but I could look at myself and say that my first half of the season hasn't been as good as in the past few games."
Now, eyes will be on Central Michigan, a team that has scored well this season but has allowed the most points per game of any team in the MAC (75.1). Ohio has the second-worst mark at 74.2 points per game.
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The Chippewas (9-9, 2-3 MAC) had their struggles going through the non-conference part of their schedule, but seemed to have found their footing in the MAC.
They've knocked off two of the conference’s better teams in Akron and Bowling Green by double-digit margins. They’ve since hit a skid, again, falling to Buffalo and Northern Illinois on the road.
It’s difficult to imagine a better circumstance for Central Michigan to right the ship, however, playing at home against a struggling young defense. Eight of the Chippewas’ nine wins this season have come at home.
Like Kaminski said, one of the most important aspects of the game could be if Central Michigan can hit its looks from long range.
The Bobcats are the worst team in the conference at defending the three, allowing opponents a 39 shooting percentage from behind the arc.
The Chippewas, meanwhile, possess two of the conference’s better sharpshooters in Braylon Rayson and Josh Kozinski. Central Michigan also attempts more 3-pointers as a team than any other team in the MAC other than Akron.
If Central Michigan cannot get itself established from outside, the game could tilt toward the Bobcats significantly, who will have a clear size advantage and have one of the best rebounding margins in the conference. Conversely, the Chippewas have suffered a net loss in rebounding this season and don’t shoot free throws as well as Ohio.
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