Boals gets 150th win as Ohio tops Bowling Green
Ohio extends winning streak to 4
By Lonnie McMillan / Contributor Friday, March 1, 2024
ATHENS – Coach Jeff Boals got his 150th career win as Ohio delivered a 66-59 senior night victory against Bowling Green on Friday night at The Convo.
Jaylin Hunter hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 2:44 left, his only made field goal on the night, while AJ Clayton’s trey with 30 seconds left was the clincher for the Bobcats’ fourth straight victory and their eight in their last nine Mid-American Conference games.
In his final game in Athens, Miles Brown led Ohio (17-12, 11-5 MAC) with 16 points, while fellow senior Hunter scored just eight points on 1-of-8 shooting but had five rebounds and four assists. Shareef Mitchell and Aidan Hadaway scored 13 points each, and Clayton finished with 11.
Rashaun Agee paced the scuffling Falcons (17-12, 8-8 MAC) with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Trey Thomas scored 15 points, and Marcus Hill scored 12 points.
Bowling Green tied the game with 2:59 left by making four free throws, including two for an administrative technical foul. Hunter answered right back by putting the Bobcats on top just 15 seconds later.
After three straight turnovers and then a missed shot by each team, Clayton finally converted from long range to make it a six-point game. Hill scored a layup for Bowling Green with 18 seconds to go, but Ohio made three free throws to put it away.
Ohio had a slow start to the game offensively and trailed 13-7 just beyond the midway point in the first half. That is when the Bobcats got going with an 8-0 run that include 3-pointers from Brown and Hadaway.
Bowling Green moved back in front 28-21 late in the first half, but a 7-0 run that included a pair of Mitchell 3s tied it at halftime.
The Bobcats moved in front 47-41 on a Hadaway dunk following an Elmore James steal nine minutes into the second half. The Falcons tied the game at 51 and then later at 57.
Ohio forced 21 Bowling Green turnovers and turned them into 18 points. It also had a 17-2 advantage in fast-break points.
A trip to last-place Buffalo is next for Ohio at 7 p.m. Tuesday on CBS Sports Network.
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