Ohio might have found the future.
Unfortunately for coach Saul Phillips and the Bobcats, the future wasn't able to help them Tuesday night.
Freshman Jason Carter scored a career-high 20 points and added 7 rebounds, but it wasn't enough as Toledo beat Ohio 79-76 at The Convo.
Carter had a wide open chance to tie the game in the final seconds, but his shot went long and rang off the back iron.
The Bobcats (12-5, 4-2 Mid-American Conference) fell behind as the Rockets went on a 16-2 run in the second half, a run from which Ohio was not able to recover from. Ohio took the lead after the Toledo (10-9, 3-3 MAC) run, but was never able to capitalize off of the lead it had in the first half.
Toledo out-scored Ohio 45-37 in the second half.
Neither team defended the paint well, as Ohio and Toledo combined for 86 points in the paint. Toledo had 46 of those points and out-rebounded Ohio 35-27. The Rockets had 19 second-chance points, compared to the Bobcats 10.
But it was Ohio, not Toledo, that owned the first half.
The Bobcats led for 17:44, compared to the just 50 seconds for the Rockets. Ohio led 39-34 at the half.
Carter continued his impressive stretch of three games and led the Bobcats with 11 points and went 4-of-9 from the field. Simmons and Dartis added six and eight points in addition, respectively.
Ohio shot 50 percent from the field (15-of-30), with 22 points in the paint. While Carter got the start once again in place of injured Antonio Campbell, Doug Taylor added five points and five rebounds in the first half as well.
Carter was the most impressive starter for Ohio, however, routinely making solid defensive plays and grinding down low for layups.
Shot selection was spread out well throughout the first 20 minutes, as seven of the eight Bobcats that played earned at least a point. The only one who didn't score was Rodney Culver, who didn't attempt a field goal.
