Jan. 2, 2009
Complete release in PDF format
ATHENS, Ohio - The Ohio University men's basketball team will face Bucknell on Saturday in its final contest before the start of Mid-American Conference play. The Bobcats have won 25-straight non-conference home games, and a victory over the Bison would give Ohio a 5-0 start at home for the fifth year in a row.
Ohio (6-6, 0-0 MAC)
vs.
Bucknell (3-9, 0-0 PL)
Saturday, Jan. 3, 2009 ... 2 p.m. ET ... Convocation Center ... Athens, Ohio
THE TIP-OFF
Ohio is set to face Bucknell on Saturday in its final contest before the start of MAC play ... A win over the Bison would give Ohio a 5-0 start at home for the fifth season in a row ... The Bobcats have won 25-straight non-conference home games, and 18 of their last 20 overall outings at The Convo ... Ohio's defense has been stout at home this season, allowing an average of just 56.0 points and forcing its opponents into 81 turnovers - an average of 20.3 per contest - compared to just 39 assists.
WHO'S HOT
Senior forward Jerome Tillman recorded his fifth double-double of the season, and the 23rd of his career, with 19 points and a game-high 12 boards against St. Francis ... Freshman guard Steven Coleman is tied for the MAC lead with an average of 2.00 steals per game ... He has tallied at least two thefts in five of Ohio's last seven games ... Senior guard Michael Allen has reeled off a 2.7-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in the Bobcats' last three games, improving his overall season mark to a MAC-best 1.91-1 ... Senior forward Justin Orr has connected on 6-of-13 shots (46.2) from long distance in Ohio's last three game.
NOTABLES FROM THE ST. FRANCIS GAME
With the victory, the Bobcats extended their non-conference home winning streak to 25 games ... Ohio made five its first six three-point attempts on the night en route to shooting 71.4 percent from long distance in the first half ... The Bobcats forced 18 St. Francis turnovers on the night, marking the fourth time in as many home games this season that Ohio has induced 17 or more turnovers from its opponent ... Ohio shot better than 40 percent from the field for the seventh time this season, and the third time in the last four games.
UP NEXT
The Bobcats will kick off MAC action on Sunday, Jan. 11, when defending league regular-season and tournament champion Kent State comes to town ... Ohio holds an 84-40 lead in the all-time series after splitting two games a year ago ... The Bobcats have won four-straight MAC home openers.
TILLMAN SCORCHING THE TWINE IN OHIO'S LAST THREE OUTINGS
If senior forward Jerome Tillman has felt any lingering effects from a 4-of-14 day from the floor at Delaware on Dec. 13, they haven't shown on the court. The MAC's second-leading scorer has hit 17-of-21 field goal attempts on Ohio's last three games, an eye-popping shooting performance of 81.0 percent.
Tillman hasn't missed more than two field goal attempts in any of the last three games, going 7-of-9 at Marshall, 4-of-4 against Holy Cross and 6-of-8 versus St. Francis (N.Y.).
He has also been locked in from the line during that stretch, converting on 15-of-17 attempts - a smoldering clip of 88.2 percent.
WASHINGTON EMERGING AS DUAL THREAT
After chipping in with nine points on 4-of-7 shooting in the victory over St. Francis, sophomore forward DeVaughn Washington is averaging 13.0 per game over Ohio's last four games, while shooting 59.0 percent (23-of-39) from the floor.
He has also been active on the glass at both ends of the floor, averaging a team-high 7.0 rebounds per game during that stretch, leading the team in three of the four outings. Thirteen of Washington's 28 boards (46.4 percent) in that stretch have come on the offensive end.
BOBCATS MUDDYING THE WATERS AT HOME
One of the key factors in Ohio's 4-0 start at home is the fact that the Bobcats are turning their opponents over at a rate of 20.3 times per game at The Convo this season. The Green & White forced Holy Cross into a season-high 27 miscues on Dec. 22, while none of four teams to visit Athens this season has been able to escape The Convo with fewer than 17 turnovers.
Visiting teams have also seen their efficiency numbers decline after meeting the Bobcats on their home court, collecting a combined 39 assists in response to the 81 turnovers - an assist-to-turnover ratio of just 0.35-1.
GETTING IT DONE AT HOME
With their 70-53 win over St. Francis (N.Y.) on Dec. 30, the Bobcats extended their non-conference home winning streak to 25 games, a run that dates back to Nov. 29, 2004. During that time, Ohio has registered victories over the likes of Butler, George Mason, New Mexico State and Tulsa at The Convo.
TILLMAN IN MIDST OF LENGTHY DOUBLE-FIGURE STREAK
Dating back to last season, senior forward Jerome Tillman has scored in double figures in 17-straight games, and 20 of his last 21 outings overall.
The last time Tillman was held below 10 points was March 1, 2008 at Miami, when he netted a half dozen on just six shots attempts.
DOUBLE-DOUBLES STACKING UP FOR TILLMAN
Ohio's leader in both points and rebounds per game, senior forward Jerome Tillman has registered a double-double in five of the Bobcats' 12 contests this season.
Since notching his first-career double-double in the 2005-06 season opener, Tillman has accomplished the feat 23 times in 77 outings, or roughly one time in every three contests.
TILLMAN CLIMBING OHIO'S CAREER SCORING LIST
With a team-high 19 points against St. Francis (N.Y.) on Dec. 30, senior forward Jerome Tillman moved past former teammate Sonny Troutman for 18th place on Ohio's career scoring list with 1,291 points.
Already one of just 21 players in school history with 1,200-career points, Tillman will look to gain ground on Kirk Lehman against Bucknell on Saturday. The following is a snapshot of where Tillman currently stands on the program's all-time chart:
16. Gerald McKee (1966-69) 1,310
17. Kirk Lehman (1978-82) 1,297
18. Jerome Tillman (2005-Pres.) 1,291
19. Sonny Troutman (2003-07) 1,272
20. Don Hilt (1962-65) 1,252
21. Jerry Jackson (1961-64) 1,205
TILLMAN KEEPING ELITE COMPANY IN OHIO RECORD BOOKS
During his ascent up Ohio's career scoring chart this season, senior forward Jerome Tillman has moved past six members of the Ohio Athletics Hall of Fame on the program's all-time ledger.
Tillman began to make his move when he passed both Lewis Geter and Frankie Baumholtz - Ohio's first All-American - in the win over Austin Peay. He proceeded to surpass John Canine, Bunk Adams and Jerry Jackson before his 14 points against Marshall on Dec. 17 propelled him ahead of Don Hilt and into 19th place on the program's career list.
With 1,291 points to his credit, the next Ohio Hall of Fame member on Tillman's radar is Robert Tatum, who currently stands in 14th place with 1,348-career points.
TILLMAN CLOSING IN ON ANOTHER TOP-10 LIST
Already in 17th place on the program's career scoring chart, senior forward Jerome Tillman has his eyes on Ohio's career rebounding chart, as well.
With a game-high 12 against St. Francis (N.Y.) on Dec. 30, Tillman increased his career total to 712 boards, and needs 71 more to tie Don Hilt's total of 783 for 10th place in program annals.
SECOND VERSE DIFFERENT THAN THE FIRST
Despite trailing at the half in eight of their 12 contests this season, Ohio is +34 in the second half this season, outscoring its opponents, 444-410, after the break.
Tied at 26-26 with Holy Cross on Dec. 22, the Bobcats battled to a 32-27 advantage after the break to extend its non-conference home winning streak to 24 games.
The 17-point second-half cushion Ohio enjoyed against William & Mary in the season opener was its largest since doubling up George Mason, 50-25, on Feb. 23, 2008.
BOBCATS SEEING BALANCE FROM BALLHANDLERS
Through 12 games this season, Ohio's primary ballhandlers have each taken a prominent role in directing the offense. Senior Michael Allen has led the Bobcats or shared the team lead in assists seven times, while freshman Steven Coleman has paced the squad five times and fellow rookie Frankie Dobbs has done so on three occasions.
Prior to the Xavier game, when sophomore forward DeVaughn Washington handed out a team-leading four assists, at least one member of the triumvirate had led or shared the team high in seven-straight games to open the campaign.
OHIO TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS FROM THE LINE LATE IN GAMES
Ohio is shooting is 73.2 percent from the line as a team in the last five minutes of games this season, knocking down 41-of-56 attempts. Senior guard Michael Allen has been the catalyst for that late-game success, hitting all nine of his shots from the charity stripe with five minutes or less on the clock.
The Bobcats' home victory over Tulsa on Dec. 3 was secured at the line in the latter stages of the game, as Ohio knocked down 9-of-11 attempts in the last 2:25 of regulation to capture a 12-point win.
TOMMY THREE-MAN
Sophomore guard Tommy Freeman has taken well to his new role as one of the Bobcats' sharpshooters this season, as evidenced by the fact that 20 of his 26 field goals (76.9 percent) and 47 of his 68 field goal attempts (69.1) have come from beyond the arc.
Freeman also displayed his knack for knocking down trifectas in limited playing time as a freshman last year. In 42 career games, Freeman has made 75.0 percent (33-of-44) of his field goals and taken 73.9 percent (82-of-111) of his shots from long distance.
