Ohio defeated Mount St. Mary’s 73-59 on Monday night in The Convo.
After a clunky first half in which it sank only one 3-pointer, Ohio recovered and outscored Mount St. Mary’s 41-33 after halftime. Five Bobcats finished in double figures for the second time this season.
Here are a few fast reactions to Ohio’s win over Mount St. Mary’s:
Work from up close
Before Monday, the Bobcats shot from 3-point range 29.5 times per game. That number cratered against the Mountaineers. The Bobcats made just five 3-point attempts in the first half. A.J. Clayton made the lone completion from beyond the arc before halftime. Ben Vander Plas, Ohio’s perennial 3-point shooter, didn’t even attempt a shot from long range until the second half.
Instead, Ohio settled in and fought Mount St. Mary’s in the paint. It worked. Ohio scored 48 points in the paint by the end of the game.
Starting five scoring rout
For the second time this season, the Bobcats have had five players score in double figures. Ohio’s entire starting lineup were responsible for all but 13 of Ohio’s points Monday. Mark Sears, who’d been the only player in double digits after the first half, scored four points after halftime while his teammates surged to catch up with him.
Vander Plas sank his two 3-pointers of the night in the second half, and Ben Roderick scored 11 of his 12 points after halftime.
Mark Sears showing up again
Sears has developed into the player Ohio needs him to be. The sophomore was the only Bobcat to score in double figures by the end of the first half, and he ended the night with 15 points and shot 33.3% from the field. Sears was also responsible for seven of Ohio’s 12 total assists.
The guard has developed into a valuable asset for the Bobcats this season after showcasing glimpses of his talent in a starting role last season. Sears has scored in double digits in every game this season, and he hasn’t shown many signs of slowing down.
