Ohio defeated Iona 89-65 on Tuesday night in The Convo behind 20 points from Jason Carter and a double-double from Doug Taylor, his second of the season.
Here are fast reactions from the game:
Better defense
Ohio forced 17 turnovers on Tuesday, scoring 19 points off of them. Teyvion Kirk forced two steals, and Doug Taylor added two blocks.
Taylor’s presence around the rim was felt on both sides of the ball, but specifically on the defensive side of the ball. The two blocks were also complemented by six defensive rebounds. For stretches of the second half, the Gaels had multiple three minute scoreless stretches, while the Bobcats were on runs, such as a 17-3 one over the span of five minutes.
Ohio also held the Gaels’ leading scorer, E.J. Crawford, to just four points.
“Big three”
Ohio’s bigs continue to impress, as Taylor, Ben Vander Plas and Jason Carter combined for 47 points and 28 rebounds.
Vander Plas continues to be the burst of energy needed off the Ohio bench, making his case for a starter position. Carter’s highlight of the night was a coast-to-coast one-handed slam in the first half, while Taylor’s was an alley-hoop.
While coach Saul Phillips can’t get them all on the court together at once, he feels more comfortable with at least two guards, their presences have been felt. Growing pains are still there, too, such as a few air balls from Vander Plas.
Slim pickings
Phillips chose to roll with seven players for most of Tuesday’s game, five of whom scored in double-digits. Not until the 2:30 mark in the second half did he really open up his bench, but that wasn’t until Phillips was comfortable with his lineup. While the short bench may work in nonconference play, he’ll have to go deeper in Mid-American Conference play. There’s no timetable on the return of Jordan Dartis and James Gollon, though, Ohio’s best 3-point shooters.
Ohio plays Marshall on Saturday at The Convo. Tip-off is set for 3:30 p.m.
