The Bulls outrebounded the Akron Zips 42-22 on Friday night, its biggest rebound discrepancy since UB held a 47-23 advantage against Nazareth in the third game this season. The 22 rebounds from the Zips were the fewest by a Buffalo opponent this season and the fewest by an opponent since Ohio had 22 boards against the Bulls on March 5, 2013.
With 54 steals on the season, redshirt sophomore Dontay Caruthers is on pace to move into the top 10 in single-season steals. Since 2010-11, only one UB players has had more than 54 steals in a season and that was the 56 that Shannon Evans had in 2014-15. Caruthers is five steals shy of 10th place in school history and just seven steals shy of ninth. Byron Mulkey set the school record with 85 in 2010-11.
Ohio is 18-9 on the season and 10-6 in conference play following a 70-67 loss at Kent State on Saturday night. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Bobcats, who are fighting for the number two seed in the upcoming Mid-American Conference tournament.
The Bobcats are led by Jaaron Simmons who is averaging 15.5 points per game and also has a MAC-high 185 assists. Simmons became the leading scorer for the team after Antonio Campbell was lost for the season 13 games ago. Jordan Dartis is adding 13.1 points per game, while freshman Jason Carter is averaging 11.9 points per contest.
In conference games only, Jaaron Simmons is averaging 17.8 points per game, while recording 100 assists to just 62 turnovers. In all, four Ohio players are averaging in double figures in conference play, including Jason Carter, who is averaging 12.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.
Saul Phillips enters his third season as head coach of the Ohio men’s basketball program in 2016-17. Ohio posted 23 victories in 2015-16 — including an 11-7 mark in Mid-American Conference play. The 2015-16 Ohio squad matched the 1998-99 team for the biggest turnaround in program history. Phillips came to Athens following seven seasons at North Dakota State, where he guided the Bison to a 134-84 record (.615) — including a 75-45 mark in The Summit League — and NCAA Championship appearances in 2009 and ’14. Phillips was an assistant coach at North Dakota State for three seasons.
from UBBulls.com via IFTTT
