ATHENS – Jaylin Hunter topped 20 points for the second straight game as Ohio defeated rival Miami 78-68 on Saturday afternoon in front of a crowd of 8,322 at The Convo.

Dwight Wilson II added 21 points and nine rebounds for the Bobcats (12-11, 4-6 Mid-American Conference).

Hunter hit a 3-pointer that gave Ohio a lead at 7-4, and it did not surrender it the rest of the way, though Miami stayed close. The Bobcats’ advantage in the first half ranged from one to six points and settled at 33-29 at halftime.

After the RedHawks cut their deficit to two, the Bobcats reached a new biggest lead of 41-34 at the 15:33 mark in the second half on an Elmore James basket. Ohio matched that margin multiple times after that before finally making a sizable run in the middle of the half.

Leading 53-51, Gabe Wiznitzer hit two free throws with 9:40 to go to begin a string of 10 straight points for the Bobcats. AJ Clayton hit a 3-pointer, Hunter made a pair of free throws and then a fastbreak basket before a single free throw from Ben Roderick put the score at 63-51 with 6:43 to go.

Miami (7-16, 1-9 MAC) got only as close as 70-63 on a Mekhi Lairy 3-pointer with 2:44 remaining.

Miles Brown and James scored nine points each for Ohio, which again was without AJ Brown. Wiznitzer had four points and six rebounds – but also four fouls – in just 10 minutes.

Lairy paced Miami with 24 points and five rebounds, while Morgan Safford finished with 18 points and five rebounds.

Ohio shot 44.8% from the field despite going just 4 of 18 from long range and cashed in on 22 of 25 free-throw tries. Miami shot 40% including just 26.1% on 3-pointers and was 18 of 25 at the foul line.

Ohio hits the road to face Northern Illinois at 8 p.m. Tuesday at the NIU Convocation Center.