Ohio (7-5, 0-0 Mid-American Conference) picked up its second road win of the season Wednesday night after it plucked a 95-76 victory from Delaware. Ohio floated to a win despite a steady comeback from Delaware (8-5, 0-0 Colonial Athletic Association) in the second half.
Here are the numbers to know:
2
The second half isn’t always the easiest for Ohio. Despite outscoring Delaware by 17 points in the first half, Ohio only outscored its opponent by two points in the second half — even with A.J. Clayton’s 17 points in the half.
The Bobcats did not have the same explosiveness in the game’s latter half. They snagged 24 rebounds in the first half and soared above the Blue Hens who had 12. However, they did not do that in the second half. The Bobcats and Blue Hens were even on paper, as both had 19 rebounds in the second half.
23
Clayton set a new career high by scoring 23 points Wednesday night. The sophomore has been consistently rewriting his career numbers with each game. Clayton highlighted his performance against Delaware by shooting perfectly from the free-throw line.
As a young starter, Clayton has had to tackle a lot, but he’s withstood the pressure. On Wednesday, he collected six rebounds and made 6-of-11 field goals. Clayton is on track to be more than just a name in Ohio’s lineup, but a true staple.
95
Ohio had an impeccable night from the free-throw line. It sank 20-of-21 free throws for a season-best 95%. Ohio has not shot that precise since its February win against Miami last season.
Oftentimes, the Bobcats need those extra points, however, they don’t always make them. The Bobcats’ free throw shooting fell off in mid-November but has been steadily improving through December. The Bobcats made over a 15% improvement between their games against Florida and Stetson and almost a 20% improvement from Stetson to Delaware.
