It's been a while since I've done one of these, so be nice. Haha! 
Ohio University Bobcats
Location: Athens, Ohio
Founded: 1804
Enrollment: 34,443
Colors: Hunter Green & White
Conference: Mid-American
Head Coach: Jeff Boals 6th season (92-64 .590)
Schedule (3-0)
NOV. 9 vs. BELMONT W, 92-80.
Nov. 13 at Cleveland St. W, 67-56
*NOV. 15 VS. ROBERT MORRIS W, 85-71*
* common opponent
Probable Starters
#1 Mark Sears G 6-1 185 So. 19.3pts 4.0reb 3.3ast 1.6stl
#2 Miles Brown G 6-1 180 Jr. 7.3pts 2.0reb 1.6ast 1.3stl
#3 Ben Roderick F 6-5 205 Jr. 10.0pts 3.3reb 1.3ast
#5 Ben Vander Plas F 6-8 232 R-Sr. 15.0pts 8.7reb 3.3ast 1.3stl
#30 Jason Carter F 6-8 227 5th 15.3pts 8.7reb 3.0ast 1.6stl
Key Reserves
15 Lunden McDay G 6-3 185 Jr. 6.3pts 1.3reb
11 Sam Towns F 6-9 190 So. 3.5pts 4.0reb 2.0ast
22 Tommy Schmock G 5-11 180 Sr. 2.7pts 2.6ast
23 AJ Clayton F 6-8 225 Fr. 3.0pts 1.3reb
Team Stats
Points Per Game 81.3
Scoring Margin 12.3
Field Goal Pct .445
FG% Defense .447
3 POINT FG-ATT 36-94
3PT FG Pct .383
3PT Made Per Game 12.0
FREE THROWS-ATT 30-36
FT Pct .833
FT Made Per Game 10.0
Rebound Margin 3.7
Assists Per Game 17.3
Turnovers Per Game 10.0
Turnovers Margin 3.7
Assist/Turnover Ratio 1.7
Steals Per Game 7.3
Blocks Per Game 3.3
KenPom Best Numbers
ft% 83.3% #13 nationally
turnover% 14.0% #33 nationally
Steal% 7% #58 nationally
Block% 5.7% #59 nationally
Offensive efficiency #68 nationally
Worst KenPom numbers
FTA/FGA #324 nationally (they don't get to the line)
2PT FG% Defense 52.8% #238 nationally (they don't defend 2pt FG well)
Analysis: Ohio comes into tonight's game with Kentucky with a 3-0 record and getting some attention from local and national sports journalists as a team which may give the Wildcats a run for their money. If you look at the numbers, it is clear Ohio is a pretty solid team. They are #68 nationally in offensive efficiency and have been outscoring opponents by an average of 12 points per game.
Looking at the personnel, the Bobcats are led by their point guard Mark Sears, the 6-1 185lb sophomore who is leading the team in points, assists and steals. He has some help from their frontcourt, Ben Vander Plas and Jason Carter, both 5th year players and both 6-8 and around 230lbs. Vander Plas is averaging 15.0 pts and 8.7 reb per game while his frontcourt mate Jason Carter is doing slightly better at 15.3 pts and 8.7reb. Both of those guys are also averaging about 3 assists per game, so they are also facilitating as well as anyone on the team. Carter is the big addition to this team- he's a transfer from Xavier and has played very well early on. Mark Sears' running mate in the back court is Miles Brown, a 6-1 180lb guard who is averaging 7.3pts, 2.0reb, 1.6ast, and 1.3stl. The third forward in the starting lineup is Ben Roderick, a 6-5 205lb Junior averaging 10.0pts and 3.3reb. This is a more traditional lineup (though not a traditional offense) with the 2-guard, 3-forward look. They have been excellent shooting free throws, though they don't get to the line. They have also done a good job shooting the three, and everyone in that starting line-up shoots the three pretty well. They will shoot them early and often, averaging 30+ attempts per game as a team.
So, this game will be a challenge for UK in several ways. This is the most versatile team UK has faced and they are also a team who forces you to guard all the way out to the 3pt line on every player and which can also beat you on the inside with two 6-8 forwards who have experience, strength, and skill. Ohio has shown that they can beat a name opponent like Belmont and also a team that has been stronger in recent season in Cleveland St. This is the kind of team which could stick around with UK if they do not pay attention to details of closing out and boxing out. If these guys get open looks, they will likely knock down a good number of threes, which will be the primary gameplan. And if history tells us anything, someone for Ohio will likely go off for a career high of some kind and somebody who hasn't shot the ball very well is likely to have a breakout game. Our common opponent on the season is Robert Morris and that should tell us something- UK beat them 100-60 in a blowout that was never really very close. Ohio also won fairly comfortably, but it was a game that was still in single digits still with under 8 minutes to play and Ohio never led by more than 16.
Having said all this, it should be noted that Ohio has played 2 of their 3 games at home. In their one away game, the 3pt shooting came back to earth. That Belmont win is impressive mainly because Belmont has been decent in recent years and has developed a good national reputation for being a normally good shooting team, but Belmont had an average shooting night. But it was Belmont's first game, a road game, and Ohio made 17 threes in the game. If they make 17 threes on UK, we will have a long night, but I don't see how Ohio is going to surprise Kentucky with the 3pt shooting. We will be ready for them on that front. I also know they haven't seen anything like the rebounding of Oscar or the speed and quickness of Wheeler and they will struggle with both. They will also have to choose their poison on the defensive end, between helping and stopping penetration or staying with our shooters. I believe Ohio will make some threes and the game may be pretty close for a while, but UK ratchets up the D and stretches this game out in the 2nd half to win comfortably. KenPom says UK 80 Ohio 68. Vegas has the line at UK -12.5
My Prediction: Kentucky 86 Ohio 66
Ohio University Bobcats
Location: Athens, Ohio
Founded: 1804
Enrollment: 34,443
Colors: Hunter Green & White
Conference: Mid-American
Head Coach: Jeff Boals 6th season (92-64 .590)
Schedule (3-0)
NOV. 9 vs. BELMONT W, 92-80.
Nov. 13 at Cleveland St. W, 67-56
*NOV. 15 VS. ROBERT MORRIS W, 85-71*
* common opponent
Probable Starters
#1 Mark Sears G 6-1 185 So. 19.3pts 4.0reb 3.3ast 1.6stl
#2 Miles Brown G 6-1 180 Jr. 7.3pts 2.0reb 1.6ast 1.3stl
#3 Ben Roderick F 6-5 205 Jr. 10.0pts 3.3reb 1.3ast
#5 Ben Vander Plas F 6-8 232 R-Sr. 15.0pts 8.7reb 3.3ast 1.3stl
#30 Jason Carter F 6-8 227 5th 15.3pts 8.7reb 3.0ast 1.6stl
Key Reserves
15 Lunden McDay G 6-3 185 Jr. 6.3pts 1.3reb
11 Sam Towns F 6-9 190 So. 3.5pts 4.0reb 2.0ast
22 Tommy Schmock G 5-11 180 Sr. 2.7pts 2.6ast
23 AJ Clayton F 6-8 225 Fr. 3.0pts 1.3reb
Team Stats
Points Per Game 81.3
Scoring Margin 12.3
Field Goal Pct .445
FG% Defense .447
3 POINT FG-ATT 36-94
3PT FG Pct .383
3PT Made Per Game 12.0
FREE THROWS-ATT 30-36
FT Pct .833
FT Made Per Game 10.0
Rebound Margin 3.7
Assists Per Game 17.3
Turnovers Per Game 10.0
Turnovers Margin 3.7
Assist/Turnover Ratio 1.7
Steals Per Game 7.3
Blocks Per Game 3.3
KenPom Best Numbers
ft% 83.3% #13 nationally
turnover% 14.0% #33 nationally
Steal% 7% #58 nationally
Block% 5.7% #59 nationally
Offensive efficiency #68 nationally
Worst KenPom numbers
FTA/FGA #324 nationally (they don't get to the line)
2PT FG% Defense 52.8% #238 nationally (they don't defend 2pt FG well)
Analysis: Ohio comes into tonight's game with Kentucky with a 3-0 record and getting some attention from local and national sports journalists as a team which may give the Wildcats a run for their money. If you look at the numbers, it is clear Ohio is a pretty solid team. They are #68 nationally in offensive efficiency and have been outscoring opponents by an average of 12 points per game.
Looking at the personnel, the Bobcats are led by their point guard Mark Sears, the 6-1 185lb sophomore who is leading the team in points, assists and steals. He has some help from their frontcourt, Ben Vander Plas and Jason Carter, both 5th year players and both 6-8 and around 230lbs. Vander Plas is averaging 15.0 pts and 8.7 reb per game while his frontcourt mate Jason Carter is doing slightly better at 15.3 pts and 8.7reb. Both of those guys are also averaging about 3 assists per game, so they are also facilitating as well as anyone on the team. Carter is the big addition to this team- he's a transfer from Xavier and has played very well early on. Mark Sears' running mate in the back court is Miles Brown, a 6-1 180lb guard who is averaging 7.3pts, 2.0reb, 1.6ast, and 1.3stl. The third forward in the starting lineup is Ben Roderick, a 6-5 205lb Junior averaging 10.0pts and 3.3reb. This is a more traditional lineup (though not a traditional offense) with the 2-guard, 3-forward look. They have been excellent shooting free throws, though they don't get to the line. They have also done a good job shooting the three, and everyone in that starting line-up shoots the three pretty well. They will shoot them early and often, averaging 30+ attempts per game as a team.
So, this game will be a challenge for UK in several ways. This is the most versatile team UK has faced and they are also a team who forces you to guard all the way out to the 3pt line on every player and which can also beat you on the inside with two 6-8 forwards who have experience, strength, and skill. Ohio has shown that they can beat a name opponent like Belmont and also a team that has been stronger in recent season in Cleveland St. This is the kind of team which could stick around with UK if they do not pay attention to details of closing out and boxing out. If these guys get open looks, they will likely knock down a good number of threes, which will be the primary gameplan. And if history tells us anything, someone for Ohio will likely go off for a career high of some kind and somebody who hasn't shot the ball very well is likely to have a breakout game. Our common opponent on the season is Robert Morris and that should tell us something- UK beat them 100-60 in a blowout that was never really very close. Ohio also won fairly comfortably, but it was a game that was still in single digits still with under 8 minutes to play and Ohio never led by more than 16.
Having said all this, it should be noted that Ohio has played 2 of their 3 games at home. In their one away game, the 3pt shooting came back to earth. That Belmont win is impressive mainly because Belmont has been decent in recent years and has developed a good national reputation for being a normally good shooting team, but Belmont had an average shooting night. But it was Belmont's first game, a road game, and Ohio made 17 threes in the game. If they make 17 threes on UK, we will have a long night, but I don't see how Ohio is going to surprise Kentucky with the 3pt shooting. We will be ready for them on that front. I also know they haven't seen anything like the rebounding of Oscar or the speed and quickness of Wheeler and they will struggle with both. They will also have to choose their poison on the defensive end, between helping and stopping penetration or staying with our shooters. I believe Ohio will make some threes and the game may be pretty close for a while, but UK ratchets up the D and stretches this game out in the 2nd half to win comfortably. KenPom says UK 80 Ohio 68. Vegas has the line at UK -12.5
My Prediction: Kentucky 86 Ohio 66
