Ohio's bench against Buffalo Friday, received national attention.
Watch out Monmouth, there may be another bench in the NCAA taking over.
Against Buffalo on Friday, Ohio's bench made headlines across the nation when James Gollon, Sam Frayer and Drew Crabtree celebrated flamboyantly during the Bobcats' 94-75 win over the Bulls.
At one point during the national broadcast, guard Jordan Dartis hit a 3-pointer from the corner when ESPN's cameras zoomed in on Frayer swinging his right arm wildly in his best air guitar impersonation.
From there, Crabtree put two "3-point fingers" in the air, after the Bobcats drained one of its 14 3-pointers, as Frayer hugged him from behind and pulled open his Ohio warmup shirt like Superman.
Even forward Treg Setty joined in the fun, celebrating with his peers and tweeting out signs Buffalo fans wrote after game, as Crabtree and Frayer could be seen performing “the whip” and dancing during the blowout win.
Ohio coach Saul Phillips said Crabtree has been “a glue guy” within (Ohio’s) locker room since he joined the program in 2013.
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“There isn’t a guy that hasn’t invested more emotionally into this program than Drew,” Phillips said. “And Sam has talked more than anyone in the history of this program. … Sam goes into this because he wants to be a coach someday. He has a real passion for the game.”
Frayer, a sophomore from Cincinnati, has also been known for his wit and humor within Ohio's locker room this season, often jovially yelling, "No interviews, please" when the media scrums for players after practices.
“It’s great, especially when we’re winning,” forward Antonio Campbell said. “I love to see bench excitement. Everyone loves to see bench excitement.”
Monmouth's bench antics have been broadcasted often throughout the college basketball season too, playing off popular culture references during the Hawks' 21-5 season.
The Bobcats' roster is also filled with a variety of characters, including Phillips, this season.
At one point during a non-conference, Monday practice, the Bobcats played a game of wiffle ball, proving their shift in culture from last season.
Ohio (16-8, 7-5 Mid-American Conference) has already won six more games than it did in 2015, only notching 10 wins in Phillips' debut season.
Phillips has been recognized for his personable quips during press conferences in his tenure with Ohio.
And maybe, that change is just foreshadowing of what's to come during Phillips' tenure with the Bobcats. Phillips' contract is set to expire in 2019 after signing a five-year contract in 2014 with Ohio.
“That’s what they do, man,” Dartis said of the bench. “Every time we get buckets or making a good play, (the bench) is making it that much more fun.”
@Lukeoroark
Lr514812@ohio.edu
