After a 10-win season a year ago, Ohio went 20-10 in the 2015-16 regular season, giving the Bobcats the fourth-highest turnaround in the NCAA this campaign.
With Friday’s 67-65 win over Miami, Ohio earned the No. 2 seed in the Mid-American Conference Tournament.
The Bobcats walked up and down the aisles of Millet Hall in Oxford celebrating not only a win over their rival, but also the program's rapid turnaround.
What started as a rebuilding year has transformed into a year of being a legitimate title contender.
After a 10-win season a year ago, Ohio went 20-10 in the 2015-16 regular season, giving the Bobcats the fourth-highest turnaround in the NCAA this campaign.
"It gave me chills,” forward Antonio Campbell said after the Miami win. “It felt like we won the championship or something. I’m anxious now. I don’t care when we play, where we play or who we play. I’m just ready to play."
Ohio will play Thursday night against the winner of the No. 7 Northern Illinois vs. No. 10 Western Michigan matchup slated for Monday night. A MAC title run in Cleveland would give Ohio its first banner in four years.
But rather than looking ahead, it's important to look back at this season — a season that began with skepticism.
Before the year started, Ohio coach Saul Phillips was coming off his worst coaching season (10-20) of his nine-year career. Pieces like Maurice Ndour, Stevie Taylor, Ryan Taylor and Javarez “Bean” Willis left holes in the roster.
Phillips then added the unfamiliar faces of Kenny Kaminski, Jaaron Simmons, Jordan Dartis and Gavin Block before the regular season — all of whom either sat out because of NCAA transfer regulations or came in as freshmen.
All four have helped lead Ohio’s cultural change.
Those four have average double digit points this season, including Simmons’ 231 assists — the third-most in program history — providing a rigorous attitude at the point guard position.
"It’s a really tough group that really doesn’t care who gets it done and really just wants to win for the sake of winning the game,” Phillips said.
But even as the team gelled throughout the season, there was still doubt entering Friday's game against Miami.
Ohio needed three teams — Kent State, Ball State and Central Michigan — to lose to receive a bye.
The three teams did.
So with the improbable final scores Friday, Ohio can look toward Cleveland, where its postseason future will be determined.
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“There are things this team soaks up so quickly that I do marvel at,” Phillips said. “They take to coaching very quickly. Smart teams are fun to coach, and I got a smart team."
That “smart” team will also most likely have to beat Akron, however, a team that has been its weakness. Ohio has lost to Akron — the No. 1 seed in the tournament — twice, with one of those losses coming this past Tuesday, and the two teams may meet once again for a third time.
But regardless of the outcome in Cleveland in the upcoming weekend, the Bobcats have had a special turnaround.
@Lukeoroark
Lr514812@ohio.edu
