There seemed to be a sense of relief in coach Saul Phillips press conference.
The Bobcats had just beaten Radford, a 2018 NCAA Tournament participant, and improved to 6-0 at home this season. Not only was there relief, there was optimism. This week, Ohio won’t play any weekday games. Instead, it’ll focus on practice and finals.
Entering winter break, the Bobcats sit at 6-3 on the season. Still a young season, but for the first time in a year or two, there seems to be forward momentum. Last season, the injury-plagued season was starting to show on the wall; a season before, the Bobcats were just a few games away from the season-ending injury to Antonio Campbell.
Here are three reasons to be optimistic for Ohio entering the academic Winter Break:
Strong defense
On Saturday, the Highlanders couldn’t find success in the paint because of Doug Taylor’s defense. His presence was enough to break up a few plays, but just 22 points in the paint is a source of pride for Ohio.
Taylor finished the day with 16 rebounds and a block, a strong day for the senior. Along with him, Ohio forced 13 turnovers, which resulted in 15 points. Possibly the best stat, Ohio only allowed Radford to score eight points on fast breaks and seven on second chance opportunities.
“We had a lot on our plate last year, and this feels a lot different,“ Phillips said. “It feels different because of we’re playing good defense and generating points at the rim.”
Healthy Bobcats
Entering Saturday afternoon’s game against Radford, the Bobcats were down two players due to injury: James Gollon and Jordan Dartis. While those two don’t have an exact timetable for when they’ll get back on the court, it’s remarkable that Ohio’s down two players at this point.
“We’re a healthy program, with a healthy team, in a healthy spot right now,” Phillips said.
Yes, Dartis and Gollon are great threats from downtown, but think about the absence of Taylor and what that would do to Ohio. It’s been able to adapt, and some of the young players have filled in to knock down 3s, the best example being Ben Vander Plas.
The best part for Phillips and Ohio? There’s a chance Gollon and Dartis may be back this season. Even getting one back would be a boost with their leadership and court presence.
Undefeated at the roundhouse
Taylor put it best in the postgame press conference — The Convo shouldn’t be an easy place to play.
This season, Ohio is making sure that statement stands intact. Last season, too often were the Bobcats pushed around at home. Now, just a few weeks away from the new year, Ohio is undefeated at The Convo. It’s a point of pride for the Bobcats to win games in front of their home crowd.
Not only is the undefeated streak one of pride, a look at the quality of wins is promising, too. Radford is a quality win, as well as wins against Iona, arch-rival Marshall and Austin Peay.
That should be enough to make one optimistic in favor of Ohio. But if that’s not good enough, listen to Taylor after his career-high day.
“It’s a great time for Ohio basketball right now.”