Ohio Men’s Basketball Falls to No. 23 Miami on the Road
Overall, Ohio shot 46.7 percent from the field, 23.8 percent from three and were 13-of-20 from the line, while Miami shot 51.7 percent from the field, 50 percent from three and were 21-of-28 from the line. Miami outrebounded the Bobcats, 38-29, while they dished out 15 assists to the Bobcats’ six.
Ohio was led by senior guard Jackson Paveletzke (Kimberly, Wis.) with a game-high 22 points, while grabbing four rebounds and dishing out three assists. Redshirt junior forward Javan Simmons (Columbus, Ohio) added 12 points and four rebounds, while senior guard Ajay Sheldon (Dublin, Ohio) finished with eight points.
Ohio won the tip and got on the board first with a jumper from freshman guard JJ Kelly (Chambersburg, Pa.). The two teams traded baskets before a Miami three put the RedHawks up one. After Simmons tied the game at 7-7, Paveletzke hit one of his own to tie the game. However, Miami would go on a 5-0 run to take a 15-10 lead entering the first media timeout. After. Miami free throw but them up six, a three from senior guard Dior Conners (Columbus, Ohio) stopped the run and cut the deficit to three, however, Miami responded with a jumper, taking an 18-13 lead with 11:25 remaining in the half.
After free throws from Simmons cut the deficit to two, free throws from the RedHawks brought the lead back to five. After a fastbreak basket from redshirt freshman forward Kiir Kuany (Melbourne, Australia), four-straight points from Miami brought the lead to six. The two teams continued to trade baskets, with a jumper from Paveletzke cutting the Ohio deficit back to four. After a free throw from Miami put them back up one, a jumper from Paveletzke once again cut the deficit to three, but Miami countered with a jumper, taking a 33-28 lead into the final media timeout.
Out of the break, a 5-0 run from Miami put them up 10, before a dunk from Kuany stopped the run. However, a three from the RedHawks put them up 11 before a jumper from Paveletzke and a three from Sheldon cut the deficit to 43-35 headed into halftime.
At the half, Ohio shot 51.9 percent from the field, were 3-of-11 from three and 4-of-8 from the line, while Miami shot 50 percent from the field, were 4-of-10 from three and 7-of-11 from the line. Both teams grabbed 17 rebounds, while Miami dished out six assists to the Bobcats’ four.
Miami opened the second half with five -straight free throws before a jumper from Paveletzke stopped the run. The two teams traded baskets, with a layup from Miami putting the RedHawks up 13, forcing Ohio to call a timeout with 17:24 to go in the half. Out of the break, a jumper from Kelly and a three from Sheldon helped cut Miami lead to 56-46 going into the media timeout. After free throws cut the Ohio deficit back to 10, Miami went on a 7-0 run to take a 17-point lead before free throws form Sheldon and a layup from Kuany cut the deficit to 65-52 with 11:44 remaining. Out of the break, Miami went on a 9-2 run to take a 19-point lead at the under-eight media timeout.
A jumper from redshirt freshman guard Jesse Burris (Delaware, Ohio) out of the break stopped the Miami run. However, a layup and a three from the RedHawks forced an Ohio timeout with under seven minutes to go. Out of the break, free throws from Paveletzke and a jumper and three from Burris cut into the Miami lead going into the final media timeout. The Bobcats were unable to chip away any further into the RedHawks’ lead, falling 90-74.
Up next, the Bobcats return to Athens on Tuesday, Feb. 17 when they host Ball State. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET inside the Convocation Center and can be seen on ESPN+.
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