Central Michigan University Athletics
Ohio Pulls Away from CMU, 62-47
1/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
ATHENS, Ohio Mid-American Conference Player of the Year candidate Leon Williams led the Ohio Bobcats to a 62-47 win over the visiting Central Michigan Chippewas on Tuesday night in the Convocation Center.
Williams finished with a double-double of 22 points and 12 boards, with eight of his rebounds coming on the offensive glass.
The win kept Ohio undefeated on its homecourt this season with a 8-0 record. OU improved to 14-6 overall and 5-2 in the MAC. The Chippewas fell to 8-11 overall and 3-4 in the MAC.
Facing a pair of All-MAC post players in Williams and Jerome Tillman, CMU relied on outside shooting all night long. Over half of CMU’s field goal attempts came from the arc as CMU attempted 54 shots on the night with 29 of them coming from three-point range.
The game was tied at 28 at halftime, but CMU hit just three of its first 22 shots in the second frame as Ohio pulled away on a 27-10 run during the stretch.
“We did a good job defensively in the first half,” coach Ernie Zeigler said. “But, you are not going to beat people on the road when you are not able to hit shots from point blank range. We had guys not taking open looks and then we were hurried around the basket. We had opportunities to score in the second half.”
Giordan Watson led CMU with 18 points and Robbie Harman had 11. Nine of Harman’s points came in the final three minutes of the first half as he drained three-pointers on three straight Chippewa possessions helping to erase a 10-point deficit.
Ohio shot 50 percent in the second half compared to CMU’s 21 percent. The Bobcats finished the game shooting .440 from the floor compared to CMU’s .296. CMU made 10-of-29 three-point attempts for a .245 clip.
Tillman finished with 11 points and six boards for OU and Bert Whittington IV added 13 points and six rebounds.
The Bobcats held a 40-35 advantage on the boards and both teams had 20-plus turnovers with CMU committing 24 and Ohio 21.
“At the start of the game our focus was the best it has been in a MAC road game this year,” Zeigler said. “That was a step forward. We now have to go back and defend the home court.”
CMU returns home on Saturday, Feb. 2, to host Buffalo in the nightcap of a doubleheader. The Chippewa women host Miami at 4 p.m., while the men welcome the UB Bulls at 6:30 p.m.
NOTES:
Guard Jordan Bitzer did not make the trip to Athens (flu).
CMU’s 47 points were a season low and the five made free throws tied a season-low.
Giordan Watson drained four three-pointers in the game moving him up to fourth on CMU’s career chart with 172. The school record is 186 set by Sander Scott (1989-93).
CMU used its 13th different starting lineup of the season Giordan Watson, Robbie Harman, Eddie Spencer, Nate Minnoy and Justin Blevins.
CMU’s 10 bench points were a season low. Only three reserves scored in the game.
Ohio’s Leon Williams shot more free throws (13) than CMU’s entire team combined (10).
CMU’s 10 free throw attempts were one shy of the season low (9 vs. Illinois-Chicago).
