During Ohio’s two-game skid against Toledo and Miami, its defense has been the deciding factor, leading to two close losses. Losing by a combined total of 7 points in the two games, Ohio’s defense has given up 86 and 73 points, respectively.
“There were a couple of times where (Miami) scored because we fouled,” Ohio coach Jeff Boals said following a loss against Miami. “We played great defense for 23-25 seconds and then they scored late in the shot clock or we couldn’t get a rebound. We need to lock in the last 3-4 seconds of the shot clock.”
In the dwindling moments of the Toledo game, Ohio’s defense seemed completely unable to get a much-needed stop. Against Miami, Ohio’s defense down the stretch had some success but it was too little too late after surrendering a 3-point barrage early on in the second half.
“When you play a team like that, your communication levels have to be on point when identifying shooters,” Boals said. “When you lose those guys they’re good enough to knock them in.”
Ohio’s defensive woes can’t be evaluated without considering the main storyline that follows the team – injuries. The Bobcats lost most of their height when both AJ Clayton and Aidan Hadaway went down with injury in the same week.
For the last three games, Ohio has rolled out a starting lineup of four guards and a forward. Although this combination worked against Kent State, an abysmal offensive team, it has not worked since.
The problem isn’t entirely the starting lineup. The lineup isn’t working, but there isn’t a better option. Ohio entered 2025 without a rostered center and only six players standing taller than 6-foot-5. Of those five players, two are hurt, and one, Kiir Kuany, is confirmed to be redshirting and won’t play this season.
The remaining options who provide any height are Ayden Evans, a freshman; Vic Searls, who has provided a handful of starts and Ben Nicol, who doesn’t get any meaningful playing time.
This sheer lack of size has caused a significant issue for Ohio as it takes on MAC teams that feature dominant big men and taller wings or guards. Standing at 6-foot-5-inch and 6-foot-6-inch, respectively, Miami’s backcourt of Peter Suder and Kam Craft combined for 29 of the Redhawk's 73 points.
Against Toledo, 6-foot-7-inch Javan Simmons had no problems scoring against the Ohio defense, while 6-foot-6-inch Sam Lewis contributed a team-leading 15 points.
Barring a decision to play 6-foot-9-inch Kiir Kuany despite an originally planned redshirt year or a breakthrough month by 6-foot-9-inch Vic Searls, help isn’t near for Ohio’s height problem.
Almost hilariously, Ohio’s second-leading rebounder is 6-foot-2-inch Jackson Paveletzke. Although the transfer guard has been an effective small-but-mighty contributor at the rim, Paveletzke is hardly a sustainable option against the MAC’s best.
In Ohio’s final 10 games, it will face dominant big men such as Akron’s 6-foot-8-inch James Okonkwo, Western Michigan’s 6-foot-9-inch Owen Lobsinger and Central Michigan’s 6-foot-6-inch Jakobi Heady. In all of these matchups, Ohio will have at least one glaring mismatch on both ends of the floor.
Ohio has a problem that quite literally isn’t solvable physically: The team can not add height down the stretch. What Ohio can do is learn how to play big despite being small, something they almost certainly will have to do if they want to compete in the MAC.
