Ohio’s not always going to have pretty wins.
The Bobcats (7-2) won the final road game of their nonconference slate after defeating Stetson 55-45 in DeLand, Florida, on Saturday. Despite winning by double figures, the Bobcats went on multiple stretches without making a field goal, and had their worst night for 3-pointers all season.
Here are the numbers to know from Ohio’s win over Stetson:
7
While the Bobcats struggled with shooting accuracy after halftime, Saturday wasn’t a season low. However, they did make just seven field goals after halftime, their least in a half all season.
It didn’t help that Ohio couldn’t knock down shots. It had three separate four-minute stretches in which it didn’t score a field goal. It didn’t even score a field goal until Mark Sears knocked down a jumper four minutes into the second half, and wouldn’t follow up with another one for another four minutes.
By the time the Bobcats got rolling again, the game was winding down. They scored 11 points in the final five minutes of the game, and relied on free throws to keep themselves afloat for much of the half.
26.3
The Bobcats have relied on their 3-point accuracy this season to put themselves in big leads, but that dependency can backfire. Against the Hatters, the Bobcats had their worst night for 3-pointers this season. Attempts from beyond the arc weren’t connecting. The Bobcats ended the game shooting a season-low 26.3% from 3-point range.
The problems weren’t immediate. Ohio entered halftime 4-for-12 on 3-point attempts. But it hit a brick wall after the break. Ohio missed six consecutive 3-point attempts after halftime, and its only successful shot from beyond the arc came after Tommy Schmock knocked one back with 1:33 left in the game.
9
It’s not a stretch to say that Sears is one of Ohio’s most dependable assets this season. The point guard leads the team in points per game and 3-point percentage. Even when the Bobcats underperform, Sears finds ways to keep himself scoring.
The sophomore kept his hot start to the season alive by scoring in double figures for the ninth straight game this season. Sears scored a team-high 13 points and tacked on seven rebounds and two assists. He was also the only one for Ohio to make a field goal in the first eight minutes of the second half.
Although he struggled from the field — ending the game 4-of-11 from the field and 1-of-3 from beyond the arc — he was perfect on free throws and provided boosts on offense when Ohio needed them.
