Ohio (10-7, 4-1 Mid-American Conference) came into this past weekend on a six-game winning streak, running high as it looked to improve to 5-0 in conference play against Akron. However, with several key players out or injured, 2024’s MAC Champions ended the Bobcats’ streak.
Still sitting in the top three in the MAC, Ohio has a chance to distance itself from the rest of the pack against Eastern Michigan (8-9, 2-3 MAC) with a crucial road matchup. Here’s everything to know ahead of the matchup.
Game information
Opponent: Eastern Michigan Eagles
Location: Gervin GameAbove Center (Ypsilanti, Michigan)
Time: Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
Where to watch: ESPN+
Follow live stats here.
Meet the opponent
Head coach
Stan Heath (fourth season, 39-71 record)
Projected starters
No. 1, Jalin Billingsley
No. 2, De’Sean Nelson
No. 3, Jalen Terry
No. 30, Christian Henry
No. 44, Arne Osojnik
Statistical leaders
Points: Nelson (15.6 per game)
Rebounds: Nelson (5.3 per game)
Assists: Terry (3.3 per game)
Steals: Terry (1.4 per game)
Blocks: Billingsley (0.7 per game)
Field goal percentage: Nelson (52.7%)
Three-point percentage: Henry (37.4%)
Free-throw percentage: Osojnik (89.5%)
Eastern Michigan notes
Over the last handful of years, the Eagles have built a team with many talented players. However, fitting those pieces together into a competitive, contending team in the MAC has been harder than Eastern Michigan hoped.
Despite drawing in a pair of high-major transfers from the Big East in Terry and Nelson, as well as recruiting many productive underclassmen over the last two seasons, Heath’s squad has yet to finish over .500 in his four years. The Eagles 112.0 defensive rating is bottom-25 in the nation and the worst mark in the MAC. The claim to fame for Eastern has been their high-octane scoring talents like the MAC’s leading scorer from last season, Tyson Acuff, who now plays for Rutgers.
Ohio notes
The Bobcats’ recent road loss to the Zips was marked by one of the team’s worst-scoring halves and best-scoring halves of the season. Ohio scored just 29 points in the first half, shooting a shade over 21 percent from the field, before draining an efficient 51 points in the second for a too-little-too-late performance.
Despite this, the Bobcats are still one of the clear best teams in the MAC. Ohio coach Jeff Boals’ offense, led by seniors AJ Clayton and Shereef Mitchell as of late, ranks just outside the nation’s top 100, with a middle-of-the-pack defense still being enough for Ohio to be a positive overall team.
Player to watch: Jalen Terry
Coming out of high school, Terry was a consensus top-100 recruit. After spending his freshman season at Oregon before transferring to DePaul, the now fifth-year has broken out in the MAC. He’s a smaller guard at 6 feet tall, but with a strong handle and the willingness to be constantly firing from 3-point range, he’ll be a difficult offensive piece for Ohio to stop.
