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Bobcats Face UMass in First MAC Home Game of Season
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The Ohio Bobcats (8-7,2-1 MAC) return to the friendly confines of the Convocation Center on Tuesday,january 6,to host the UMass Minutemen (9-6,0-3 MAC) in their first Mid-American Conference home game of the season. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.ET and will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network, with Dave Ryan and John Henson calling the action.
Fans can also tune in to the Ohio Sports Network from Learfield, presented by Holzer Health System.Jason Toy is in his second season as the voice of the Bobcats, and will be joined by veteran college basketball analyst Dave Cecutti. WXTQ (Power 105) in Athens serves as the flagship station for the 11-station network, and the broadcast is also available on the Varsity Network App.
A Challenging Series History
This matchup marks the fourth all-time meeting between Ohio and UMass.Historically,the series favors the Minutemen,who hold a 3-0 advantage. The last contest between these two teams took place on December 18, 2013, resulting in an 83-71 victory for UMass.
In Ohio’s most recent game, the Bobcats secured a hard-fought 77-73 win at Bowling Green on Saturday. Senior guard Jaylin Hunter led the way with 22 points and nine assists, supported by senior forward Aidan Hadaway’s 13 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists.
Scouting UMass
UMass enters Tuesday’s game with a 9-6 overall record and an 0-3 mark in MAC play. the Minutemen recently suffered a narrow 101-100 overtime loss at home on Saturday.
Offensively, umass averages 80.5 points per game, shooting 46.3% from the field, 33.9% from three-point range, and 65.9% from the free-throw line. they are outscoring opponents by an average of 7.2 points. The team is averaging 39.1 rebounds, 18.4 assists, 6.9 steals, and 2.3 blocks per game,forcing 13.5 turnovers and scoring 14.4 points off those miscues.
leading the charge for UMass is Leonardo Bettiol, averaging 16.5 points and 7.8 rebounds while shooting an notable 60.7% from the field. Marcus Banks, Jr. adds 15.9 points per game, shooting 42.0% from the field and a remarkable 85.7% from the free-throw line.
Bobcats Breakdown
Ohio is averaging 76.7 points per game, shooting 46.4% from the field, 28.9% from beyond the arc, and 67.1% from the free-throw line. The Bobcats are averaging 35.0 rebounds, 13.9 assists, and 6.7 steals per game, capitalizing on 13.3 opponent turnovers for an average of 15.2 points.
Individually, Paveletzke leads Ohio with 17.0 points and 4.1 assists per game, shooting 52.6% from the field and 37.0% from three-point range. Hadaway contributes 13.1 points and 7.8 rebounds, shooting 46.5% from the field,while Simmons adds 12.7 points and 4.8 rebounds, shooting 48.0% from the field.
Key Stats and Rankings
Currently, the Bobcats hold a NET ranking of 197, while UMass is slightly ahead at 191. Akron currently leads the MAC in NET rankings with a score of 50. Paveletzke is currently ranked 20th nationally in minutes per game, while Hadaway ranks 68th in rebounds, 51st in defensive rebounds per game, and 91st in total rebounds. Simmons is 67th in the nation in free throw attempts.
Convocation Center Advantage
Ohio boasts an impressive 583-188 (.756) all-time record at the Convocation Center, which opened
