Jan. 26, 2008

Box Score |  Quotes |  Notes

ATHENS, Ohio-Senior forward Leon Williams (Baltimore, Md.) posted 23 points and 12 rebounds to lead a stirring comeback by the Ohio men's basketball squad in a 61-59 win over a pesky Ball State team Saturday at the Convocation Center. The Bobcats improved to 13-6 overall and 4-2 in the Mid-American Conference, while the Cardinals dropped to 3-15 and 2-4 in the league.

The double-double was Williams' 35^th of his career and eighth this season.

Junior guard Bert Whittington (Temecula, Calif.) also had 14 points and three steals, while senior guard Bubba Walther (Cincinnati, Ohio) made his return to the lineup with seven points and four assists off the bench

Ball State was led by Anthony Newell's 24 points and eight rebounds, while Melvin Goins had five assists.

The Bobcats held a commanding 38-26 advantage on the glass and turned it into a 15-6 edge in second chance points. Ohio was powered most of the day by 13 of those caroms coming on the offensive end.

Both teams struggled mightily from the free throw line all day as Ohio made 13 of 19 (68.4 percent) to just 47.1 percent (8-17) for the Cardinals. Ball State had no such problem, however, as it made 43.8 percent (7-16) after entering the contest as the league's worst from beyond the arc (26 percent). A big reason the Cardinals jumped out to a 12-point halftime advantage can be traced to their 6-7 showing from 3-point range up to that point.

Ohio overcame a subpar showing in the first half (9-31 FG, 23 points) to shoot 61.9 percent in the second half to outscore the visitors 38-24.

The two teams traded baskets early and it looked like Ohio's last lead in the entire game would be at the 14:01 mark of the first half when Whittington connected on a jumper to put the Bobcats ahead 10-9. From there until the half, though, Ball State regained the lead a minute later and gradually pushed the advantage into double digits.

Ohio would not see the lead again for 30 minutes and seven seconds of game action when Williams knocked in a pair of free throws with 2:43 remaining to put Ohio ahead 51-50.

Ohio increased its lead to four, but Ball State chopped it back to one (57-56) on a three-point play by Newell with 36 seconds left. The game found itself knotted again at 59 when the Cardinals matched Walther's two free throws with a 3-pointer from Newell from the left wing with 26 seconds left.

Ohio's Jerome Tillman (Beavercreek, Ohio) then hit what would become the game-winner on a jumper from the right wing with five seconds left when Newell's fall-away 3-pointer in the left corner went awry at the buzzer.

The Bobcats will be back in action Tuesday at 7 p.m. (GTN, ESPN Full Court) when Central Michigan (8-10 overall, 3-3 MAC) comes to town The Chippewas will enter the game fresh off a 65-64 upset over Akron Saturday afternoon.