 OHIO 74, TENNESSEE-MARTIN 65 In his first official game as a Bobcat, junior Walter Offutt led Ohio with 17 points, four rebounds and three steals. Junior Reggie Keely added 16 points and four rebounds, while classmate D.J. Cooper also had an impressive showing posting 12 points, 10 assists, three rebounds and two steals.
Offutt scored the first five points for the Bobcats and Ohio used a 12-0 run to move the score to 17-5 with 11:33 left to play in the half. All of the Bobcat points at that span come off UT-Martin turnovers.
Ohio increased the lead to 26-7 following a three-pointer by Cooper with 9:32 left in the half. The teams traded baskets the rest of the way and went into the locker room with Ohio leading, 40-21, over the Skyhawks.
The Bobcats came out firing in the second half with an 11-4 run, including a three-pointer by Ohio sophomore Nick Kellogg, quickly taking the lead to 51-25 with 17:21 left on the clock. The Skyhawks went on a 13-0 run in six minutes to narrow the gap to 60-46 with 7:56 left to play.
Despite the Skyhawks’ best efforts to close the 14-point gap, the final minutes of the game proved to be a free throw shooting match and the Bobcats were able to hold the lead and take the win 74-65.
Ohio shot 42.9 percent from the field but struggled beyond the arc (26.1 percent) and at the line (14-of-27). The Skyhawks shot 41.2 percent from the field and connected on only 2-of-13 behind the three-point line.
Ohio’s defense was stifling at times, coming away with 10 steals and forcing 23 turnovers. The Bobcats finished with 35 points off Skyhawk turnovers and also held a big edge in the paint, 36-20.
This meeting against the Skyhawks marked the first in program history and John Groce improved to 4-0 in season-openers with the Bobcats.
Ohio has not lost a season-opener since 2003 and has not dropped a season-opener at home since 1987, a span of 16 contests.
The Bobcats will face off against Lamar on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. at home in the Convocation Center.
Courtesy of Ohio Athletics
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