March 19, 2010

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Ohio-Tennessee Game Notes

Providence, R.I. - The Ohio Bobcats will take on the Midwest Region's No. 6 seed, Tennessee, on Saturday afternoon in the second round of the NCAA Tournament from Providence, R.I.

14th-seeded Ohio launched a 3-point attack all night to drub the third-seeded Georgetown Hoyas, 97-83, in first-round action giving the Bobcats their first NCAA Tournament win since 1983.

Ohio's Armon Bassett (Terre Haute, Ind.) led all scorers with 32 points on 9-17 shooting. D.J. Cooper (Chicago, Ill.) also chipped in 23 points and a game-high eight assists and three steals on 8-12 shooting and 5-8 from 3-point range. DeVaughn Washington (Virginia Beach, Va.) added a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards, while Tommy Freeman (Muncie, Ind.) had 11.

Ohio connected on an astounding 13 of 23 3-point attempts (56.5 percent) and 58.2 percent (32-55) of its field goal attempts as a whole.

This is the 12th appearance in the NCAA Tournament for Ohio as the Bobcats won their fifth MAC title last weekend in Cleveland,  The Bobcats have a 5-12 all-time record (lost a Regional Third Place Game in 1960) and are making their first trip to the tournament under Head Coach John Groce.  This is also the 50th anniversary of the first Ohio team to ever qualify for the NCAA Tournament back in 1960.

This is the fifth time in program history that Ohio has been a double-digit seed in the NCAA Tournament and the second time they have been a No.-14 seed. The only other occurrence was in 1985 when the Bobcats lost to Kansas, 49-38.

Bassett is coming off a tremendous run during the MAC Tournament in which he earned MVP honors.  The junior guard averaged 41.3 minutes, 29.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals during four MAC tournament games.  Bassett also broke Earl Boykins' MAC tournament record for points scored in a single year.

Washington was the second-leading scorer and rebounder for the Bobcats with averages of 15 and 6.3 per contest.  Kenneth van Kempen (Weert, The Netherlands) finished with 10 points and nine rebounds in the MAC Championship and averaged a team-high 7.8 boards in the tournament.  Cooper, the MAC Freshman of the Year, had his best performance in the MAC Championship with 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists. 

NCAA Notes

 - Ohio is second among Mid-American Conference teams in NCAA Tournament wins, one behind Miami. 

 - Ohio is currently ranked second among MAC teams in Ken Pomeroy's College Basketball Ratings and the Bobcats rank third in their conference with a 95 RPI and a 113 SOS (strength of schedule) rating.

 - The last No. 14 seed to win in the Midwest Region to win a game has Buckeye State ties as well.  Xavier, located in Cincinnati, defeated Nebraska, coached by former Bobcat leader Danny Nee, 66-50 in 1991.  Only two other No.14 seeds in the Midwest Region have earned victories; Murray State (78-75 over NC State in 1988) and Arkansas-Little Rock (90-83 over Notre Dame in 1986).

 - The last victory for Ohio over a ranked team from the SEC was also the Bobcats' first win in program history against a ranked team.  Ohio defeated No. 4 Kentucky in the 1964 Mideast Regional Finals in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 85-69.  The Bobcats have four wins against competition from the Southeastern Conference, two of them have come against Tennessee.  

- On December 21, 1987, the Bobcats handed Tennessee their first loss ever in the newly-opened Thompson-Boling Arena.  The stadium remains the home to the Vols this very day.

- The last No. 14 seed to advance to the Sweet 16 was Chattanooga in 1997.  The Moccasins topped the No. 3 seed, Georgia and the No. 6 seed, Illinois.  Cleveland State was the first team to accomplish the feat with wins over the No. 3 seed, Indiana and the No. 6 seed, St. Joseph's.  Ironcially, this second round game will match two teams from the state of Tennessee and Ohio.

 - The broadcast team of Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery provided commentary during the Bobcats' last trip to the Big Dance in 2005.

 - Nine MAC schools have reached the Sweet 16 during their program's history.  Kent State was the last team to reach the round in 2002 and Ohio will be looking to reach the regional semifinals for the first time since 1964. 

 - The last MAC team to receive a No. 14 seed was Miami in 2007.  The RedHawks fell to Oregon, 58-56 in the first round.