OHIO 79, EASTERN MICHIGAN 65
ATHENS, OH -- DeVaughn Washington tied his season high with 20 points as Ohio cruised to a 79-65 win over Eastern Michigan Wednesday night, ending a three-game skid.
The Bobcats (9-11, 2-4 MAC) also snapped a four-game home losing streak while shooting a season-high 54 percent from the field (27-of-50). Ohio also hit a season-best 58.3 percent from beyond the arc.
OHIO WINS BATTLE OF THE BOARDS
For the first time in MAC play, Ohio won the battle of the boards and did so dominantly, giving up a season-low 23 rebounds while grabbing 36. It also had a points-in-the-paint advantage of 32-10.
Ohio's lead was just one with 10:59 remaining in the first half, but it then scored seven-straight points to take command.
Following a Derek Thompson jumper that cut the Bobcats' lead to five with 6:09 left in the first half, Ohio went on a 19-8 run to close out the period.
Freshman Ethan Jacobs connected on two free throws to give the Green and White a ten-point lead at 32-22. He was one of 11 Bobcats who entered the game before intermission.
DOUBLE FIGURES BY HALFTIME
Washington, Nick Kellogg, and D.J. Cooper all reached double-figures by halftime. The Bobcats were 7-of-10 from three-point range in the first half and shot 52.2 percent (12-of-23) from the field. They also connected on 14-of-18 free throws and generated 11 assists while only converting six turnovers en route to a 45-29 halftime lead.
Ivo Baltic, who played only seven first-half minutes due to foul trouble, scored the first six points of the second half to immediately give the Bobcats a 22-point lead.
Ohio, which led by as many as 28 points in the second half, was outscored 14-2 in the last 3:54 for the final margin. The Bobcats led 69-41 with 9:23 remaining and still led by 26 with 4:16 to play.
Kellogg added 15 points and three assists for the hosts, going 5-of-7 from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 on trifectas. Washington scored 20 points earlier this season against Temple, and his nine rebounds Thursday were his most since December 12.
Cooper finished with 12 points, seven assists and five rebounds for the Green and White, and seven other players scored. Baltic added nine points and five rebounds. T.J. Hall scored his most points in MAC play since the opener against Miami, while Ricardo Johnson had his best offensive game in his early MAC career.
BOWDRY HELD TO EIGHT POINTS
Thompson, who scored 13 points, was the lone player in double figures for Eastern Michigan (5-14, 2-4), which shot 44.9 percent (22 of 49). Team scoring leader Brandon Bowdry was held to eight points on 3-of-11 shooting in 20 foul-plagued minutes.
Ohio faces MAC West Division leaders Ball State, undefeated in its first five MAC games, at 2 p.m. on Saturday in Muncie, Ind. Eastern Michigan travels to Bowling Green Saturday (3 p.m.)
Courtesy of Ohio Athletics
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