Ohio’s 2024-25 season was one full of disappointment and hardship. The Bobcats, who were selected to win the Mid-American Conference in the preseason coaches poll, were eliminated in round one of the MAC Tournament.
After finishing third in the 2023-24 season, Ohio entered 2024 with a promising roster full of returning players and exciting transfers. When the Bobcats entered games with their full team, they looked like a team that could win the conference. The problem for Ohio was staying healthy.
Going into a crucial road game at Akron in mid-January, Ohio had a perfect 4-0 MAC record and looked to be the team to beat in the conference. During the game, Ohio junior forward Aidan Hadaway suffered an injury that sidelined him for the rest of the regular season. The Akron game was the first of a brief stint without sixth man Elmore James.
Ohio lost against Akron, starting a stretch of four losses in its next five games. In the stretch, Ohio lost forward AJ Clayton for an extended period and suffered one of its worst droughts in recent memory. Going into February, the Bobcats were in a hole they struggled to get out of.
As Ohio rapidly fell down the rankings, Akron surged as one of the best teams at the mid-major level. The Zips started an impressive 13-0 in the MAC, essentially locking up the regular season conference title before March.
Ohio had a chance to turn its season around on the road against Miami, a team that sat No. 2 in the conference going into the matchup. Amid a road rivalry game, Ohio fought for momentum and position but couldn’t do enough to get a win.
Ohio avenged its road losses against Akron and Miami later in the season in The Convo, but it wasn’t enough to overcome an early season deficit in the MAC standings.
The Bobcats effectively used their home-court advantage late in the season to stay among the top of the conference. To end 2024-25, Ohio had an impressive 12-3 home record.
After beating Miami in The Convo, Ohio didn’t win another game the rest of the season. The Bobcats had an opportunity to control their destiny and get into the MAC Tournament as the No. 3 seed. Instead, it lost games to Eastern Michigan and a second game to Toledo before heading to Cleveland for the final stretch.
Although the win against Miami signified the final high of the Ohio season, it was also the last game Ohio played with star guard AJ Brown, who went down with an injury in the first half.
It wasn’t apparent at the time, but the season-ending injury to Brown was the final straw in an underwhelming Ohio season.
By losing the final two games of the season, Ohio fell in seeding and ended up matching up with Toledo in the first round of the MAC Tournament. The Bobcats entered the matchup on a seven-game losing streak to the Rockets, making it just about the worst possible first-round matchup.
Following the 90-85 loss to Toledo in the MAC Tournament, Ohio coach Jeff Boals shared that seniors AJ Clayton and Shereef Mitchell weren’t playing at 100% and were pushing through injuries in their final seasons.
Despite Ohio’s season not meeting expectations, there was plenty for fans to cheer about throughout the season.
Transfer guard Jackson Paveletzke broke out in his first season wearing the green and white, averaging 13.8 points per game and ranking third in the MAC in assists.
Freshman guard Elijah Elliott quickly found a spot in the starting lineup and proved to be a valuable asset for the Bobcats for years to come.
Seniors AJ Clayton, Shereef Mitchell and Vic Searls all dealt with injuries at different points in the season but had overall successful final college seasons. Boals claimed all three have the potential to play pro basketball if they choose down the road.
Expectations for the 2025-26 season should remain high despite an uninspiring finish. The Bobcats are set to return four of their top six scorers next season and will be an attractive location for potential transfers.
