Bobcats look to regroup against Chippewas

by Joe Arnold
Staff Writer

After two lackluster road performances in their last three games, the Ohio men’s basketball team returns to The Convo tonight for a showdown with preseason Mid-American Conference favorite Central Michigan.

Home never looked more inviting to the Bobcats. Coming off a 79-55 road loss to Miami, Ohio (13-8 overall, 8-5 MAC) slipped to fourth place in the MAC East division behind Kent State, Bowling Green and Miami.

The Bobcats are 2-2 in their last four games, with both wins coming at The Convo. In the losses, Ohio coach Tim O’Shea said the team is still searching for a cure for its inconsistency.

“We’ve got a consistent pattern going on right now,” he said. “I wish I could break it. I don’t know what to do. Athens has a very occult reputation to it. Maybe I can go see the local witch-doctor or something to see if there’s something we can do to break the spell we’re under right now.”

The spell is the team’s 4-6 road record. Ohio is 7-2 inside The Convo, however, including wins against MAC West leader Ball State.

Some of O’Shea’s black-magic worries might be soothed by the fact the Bobcats play four of their final five conference games at home, beginning with Central Michigan (7-13, 4-8).

Guard David Webber and his 19.3 points per game lead the Chippewas, and 7-foot center Chris Kaman averages 12.5 ppg and 8.1 rebounds per game.

Having already played against Kaman last season, Ohio center Patrick Flomo knows what to expect from the big man, he said.

“He’s a promising big-man,” Flomo said. “He’s mobile, and he’s got a nice little jump hook.”

Guard Jaivon Harris said the team needs a more intense approach.

“We notice (the lack of intensity),” he said. “At home, we’ve got the O-Zone cheering us on. We’re a little more intense on the defensive end. And when we do make mistakes, our intensity makes up for it. On the road, it’s hard when you’re not bringing that intensity on the defensive end.”

The Chippewas bring the MAC’s worst three-point percentage defense into a game against the conference’s third-best three-point shooting team. The Bobcats are shooting 48.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Ohio’s road woes aside, O’Shea said four early-season road wins are keeping the Bobcats in the conference championship hunt.

“We’re fortunate we started out the year by winning four of our first six games on the road,” he said. “That’s why we’re in the position we’re in right now.”

The Bobcats and the Chippewas tip off 7 tonight at The Convo.