Ohio worked on just a day of rest and blew Eastern Michigan out of the water 81-68 inside The Convo on Thursday afternoon.
The Bobcats notched their 18th win of the season behind a dominant performance from beyond the arc. They opened the game by knocking down four quick 3-pointers and buried the Eagles before they could mount a response.
Here are a few quick reactions to Ohio's win over Eastern Michigan:
Hot start from beyond the arc
For the first four minutes of the game, the Bobcats were perfect from 3-point range. After Mark Sears missed a layup to open the game, the Bobcats took a step back and focused on long-range shooting. It worked. The Bobcats ended the first half 7-of-13 from beyond the arc, with Sears, Jason Carter and Ben Vander Plas knocking down two 3-pointers apiece.
Ohio made 3-pointers with ease while Eastern Michigan missed its first five shots from beyond the arc.
The Bobcats often catch themselves in situations where an over-reliance on 3-point attempts causes grief after halftime. But they kept themselves collected Thursday and shot with precision.
Good return to the lineup
Ben Roderick has been fighting a slump all season. He missed Ohio's games against Buffalo and Ball State due to injury, and he'd only scored in double figures in five games before Thursday.
That rest did him well. Roderick ignited in the second half, shooting confidently and leading the Bobcats in points scored after halftime. He finished the game with 19 points, went 8-of-10 from the field and was 3-of-4 on 3-pointers.
No signs of wear yet
Ohio has been working on short rest for the past week. Thursday's game was originally supposed to be played Dec. 28, 2021, but was rescheduled to Thursday due to a stoppage in Eastern Michigan's program. As a result, Ohio has played three games in the past seven days and is set to play a fourth game Saturday against Western Michigan.
Still, the fatigue hasn't set in yet. The Bobcats knocked the Eagles around and had the time of their lives while doing it. If they were able to beat the Eagles by 13 points on a day of rest, they're in good shape for their next game Saturday.
