With the score tied at 62 and just 2.2 seconds left on the clock, Stevie Taylor converted a three-point play as he drove the lane, scored and was fouled, which was reminiscent of his game-winning three-pointer against Kent State last season.
The junior guard provided the game-winner Wednesday, as Ohio’s (3-1) won 65-62 at Morgan State (0-4) and secured its first nonconference road win since Dec. 20, 2011 against Northern Iowa.
After Taylor missed a shot from downtown during the final minute, he told coach Jim Christian during an Ohio timeout that he wanted another chance to avenge his mistake.
“I told coach, I said I got this,” Taylor said. “Coach has total confidence in me and I’ve got total confidence in the team and I just came out there and I just made a layup.”
On a night where the Bobcats shot 43 percent from the field, 25 percent from beyond the arc and were 20-of-31 from the foul stripe, Ohio escaped with a win.
Morgan State led the majority of the contest and led by as much as eight points, but the Bobcats outscored the Bears 35-31 in the second half to eek out their first road victory.
The Bears shot just 37 percent from the field and were even worse from the foul line at less than 24 percent, but were led by redshirt senior center Ian Chiles and senior guard Justin Black, who scored 17 points apiece.
“We talked about it before the game, it was going to be a very physical game based on how they play,” Christian said.
Senior guard Anthony Hubbard rebounded the second miss, though, and made a basket to tie the game at 62 before Ohio’s game-winning possession.
“Coach (Christian) said in the locker room togetherness wins this game,” Taylor said. “We were down pretty much down the whole game and we stuck together.
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