ATHENS, Ohio – The frustrations of a seven-game losing streak came out on senior night against a rival Friday as the Ohio Bobcats blitzed Miami 95-65 at the Convocation Center.
Senior guard Javarez Willis tallied a career-high 34 points in the onslaught, while classmate Maurice Daly Ndour tallied 27 points and 11 rebounds. Will Sullivan led Miami (13-18, 8-10 MAC) with 19 points, while Eric Washington added 10.
Both teams will be on the road Monday for MAC tourney first round action. Miami (9-seed) is at Eastern Michigan (8-seed). Ohio (11-seed) is at Western Michigan (6 seed).
Ohio (10-19, 5-13) had lost to Miami 77-66 in the second of seven straight losses and was humbled by a 93-66 count Tuesday at Buffalo. The Bobcats, however, took control early in Friday’s regular season finale.
Senior guard Javarez Willis tallied a career-high 34 points in the onslaught, while classmate Maurice Daly Ndour tallied 27 points and 11 rebounds. Will Sullivan led Miami (13-18, 8-10 MAC) with 19 points, while Eric Washington added 10.
Both teams will be on the road Monday for MAC tourney first round action. Miami (9-seed) is at Eastern Michigan (8-seed). Ohio (11-seed) is at Western Michigan (6 seed).
Ohio (10-19, 5-13) had lost to Miami 77-66 in the second of seven straight losses and was humbled by a 93-66 count Tuesday at Buffalo. The Bobcats, however, took control early in Friday’s regular season finale.
After Will Sullivan’s 3-ball to open scoring, Ohio responded with the next 12 points. Six of those points came from long distance in an opening salvo of long distance bombs. By halftime, the ‘Cats had connected on 9-of-15 trey attempts.
It was a 17-5 Ohio lead before Miami made its third basket – a Kalif Wright 3-point play at 13:46.
The hosts led 22-12 after an L.J. Livingston layup at 12:04. Willis then hit a three at the other end to start a 21-4 Ohio run. The stretch included five 3-pointers. Ryan Taylor’s trey at 5:14 put Ohio up 43-16.
Eric Washington hit a pair of treys and added a layup in an 8-3 Miami spurt, but Ohio ended the half with seven straight points.
“They got going early and we never found an answer,” Miami head coach John Cooper said.
Four more OU points to open the second half gave the hosts a 57-30 lead and signaled there was more Bobcat offense to come. When the final horn sounded, Ohio had its second highest point total of the season. The ‘Cats defeated DePaul 99-78 in Diamond Head Classic action back on Dec. 23 in Hawaii.
Ohio connected on 32-of-56 (57.1%) from the field overall and was 17-of-31 (54.8%) outside the arc. The ‘Cats added 14-of-15 at the line.
Miami, which had been thriving at the line, got there for just seven shots and made three. The RedHawks hit 26-of-71 overall from the field and 10-of-20 3-point attempts.
It was a 17-5 Ohio lead before Miami made its third basket – a Kalif Wright 3-point play at 13:46.
The hosts led 22-12 after an L.J. Livingston layup at 12:04. Willis then hit a three at the other end to start a 21-4 Ohio run. The stretch included five 3-pointers. Ryan Taylor’s trey at 5:14 put Ohio up 43-16.
Eric Washington hit a pair of treys and added a layup in an 8-3 Miami spurt, but Ohio ended the half with seven straight points.
“They got going early and we never found an answer,” Miami head coach John Cooper said.
Four more OU points to open the second half gave the hosts a 57-30 lead and signaled there was more Bobcat offense to come. When the final horn sounded, Ohio had its second highest point total of the season. The ‘Cats defeated DePaul 99-78 in Diamond Head Classic action back on Dec. 23 in Hawaii.
Ohio connected on 32-of-56 (57.1%) from the field overall and was 17-of-31 (54.8%) outside the arc. The ‘Cats added 14-of-15 at the line.
Miami, which had been thriving at the line, got there for just seven shots and made three. The RedHawks hit 26-of-71 overall from the field and 10-of-20 3-point attempts.
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