Mid-American Conference Basketball

Ohio University is located in Athens, Ohio, a small town about an hour south of Columbus.

Over 20,000 students study at Ohio University, is the home of the prestigious E.W. Scripps School of Journalism (boasting alumni like Sports' Illustrated writer Peter King, ESPN broadcaster Jay Mariotti, and NBC's Today Show host Matt Lauer) and the College of Business (Fox News President Roger Ailes is a famous alumnus), and the Princeton Review awarded the university with its prestigious "Top Party School" honor in 2011.

Playing in a Division 1 mid-major conference, Ohio University lacks a strong national reputation for the school's athletic teams.  However, the success of the of the school's football team, and the men's basketball team's recent run in the 2012 NCAA Tournament has put a spotlight, albeit dim, on the school tucked away in Appalachia.

John Groce took the head coaching job at OU after serving as an assistant coach under Thad Matta at both Butler University and later, Ohio State University.  He guided the Bobcats to the MAC Championship in 2009, despite a 7-9 regular season record, and upset a heavily favored Georgetown University team in the first round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament.  The team appeared in the CIT Tournament the following season, failing to capture a second consecutive MAC Championship.

This year, Ohio beat the Akron Zips 64-63 to claim the MAC Championship and an automatic No. 13 seed bid to the NCAA Tournament.  The team upset a No. 4 seeded Michigan and fought hard for a victory against No. 12 seeded South Florida.  In the Sweet 16 round (the best an Ohio University team has done since 1964), junior DJ Cooper barely missed a last-second half-court shot that would have secured a victory against the No. 1 seeded North Carolina Tar Heels.  North Carolina ultimately won in overtime, ending Ohio's season and advancing to the Elite 8 round.

Cooper, along with sophomore Nick Kellogg and red-shirt junior Walter Offutt emerged as big-time play makers for the young Ohio team.

Cooper is widely regarded as the team's leader.  The Illinois native turned down offers from Baylor and California and chose Ohio in hopes of more immediate playing time.  He was the 2010 MAC Freshman of the Year, selected to the All-Mid-American first-team and named an honorable mention to the Mid-Major All-American team in 2011, and named to the All-Mid-American team this season.  Cooper averages just under 15 points a game and shoots around 35 percent from the field and 30 percent from beyond the arc.  He looks poised to have a huge senior year for the Bobcats in the MAC.

Kellogg, son of former Ohio State standout and first-round NBA draft pick Clark Kellogg, also played strong for Ohio.  He shot 80 percent (4-5) from the field and 80 percent (4-5) from three-point range against the Tar Heels and pulled down eight rebounds.  He was named to the All-Mid-American All-Rookie Team last season.  Kellogg shoots at about 45 percent and just under 43 percent from field-goal range and beyond the arc respectively.  Kellogg displayed a knack for hitting clutch shots in the tournament, and is looking for a breakout junior season in 2012-2013.

Red shirt junior Walter Offutt shot 77.8 percent (7-9) from the field and 100 percent (4-4) from three-point range in the second round and scored a team-high 26 points against North Carolina.  After transferring from Ohio State University and later Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, Offutt looks to have found a place to stay with the Bobcats.  The junior guard should be settled in nicely with the team and add to his 12.4 PPG average next year.

The Bobcats' roster contains only one senior, forward/center Kenny Belton who saw no action in the tournament.

OU's defense ranked among the top in the nation in several categories.  They ranked tenth in the nation in allowed three-point field goal percentage, allowing only 29.4 percent, and fifth in the nation with a +4.4 turnover ratio.

Ohio has three more scholarships to award next year, which might attract some more quality players to the improving program.

The only negative surrounding Ohio University basketball is the potential of head coach John Groce leaving.  He has reportedly been approached by the University of Illinois.  It'll take some real convincing to have Groce turn down an offer from a Big 10 school to stay with a MAC team with a lot of potential, but Groce has some unfinished business with Ohio, which might convince him to stay.

The Bobcats making noise in the tournament was no mistake and with Cooper, Kellogg, Offutt and, hopefully, Coach Groce returning next season (and a little...okay a lot of luck) the Bobcats might advance even further.

The state of Ohio is enjoying unprecedented success in the NCAA Tournament.

For the first time ever, a quarter of the Sweet 16 is from one state. No. 2 Ohio State, No. 6 Cincinnati, No. 10 Xavier and No. 13 Ohio all play in different conferences and win with different styles of ball, but all of them are connected in one way or another.

Buckeyes coach Thad Motta came from Xavier, Ohio Bobcats coach John Groce was an assistant for Ohio State, and the Bearcats and Muskies may hate each other more than any two teams in the nation.

But all of the Ohio love can’t last.

It’s impossible for all four to advance since Ohio State and Cincinnati play in the East Region on Thursday, but I do see two teams advancing from the 17^th state to enter the union.

No. 2 Ohio State 67, No. 6 Cincinnati 62

Did you watch the Bearcats win over No. 3 Florida State?

It was one of the most physical games I’ve ever seen and the Bearcats prevailed because they were more mentally tough.

Now they play a Buckeyes team that is also predicated on physicality and good defense, but with much more offensive firepower.

The ‘Cats don’t have a shooter like Aaron Craft or a scorer like William Buford and that’s going to ultimately doom them when baskets become such a premium down the stretch.

I have a feeling Jared Sullinger is able to handle the bully that has become Yancy Gates and ensure his team doesn’t get bounced in the Sweet 16 for the third-straight year.

Fun fact: The game in Boston will mark the 50^th anniversary of Cincinnati beating Ohio State for the second-straight time in the National Championship.

No. 1 North Carolina 75, No. 13 Ohio 63

As a proud OU alum it pains me to say that the talent difference in this matchup is much too hard to ignore.

Despite likely losing Kendall Marshall to a broken wrist, the Tar Heels size in the post is going to suffocate the undersized Ohio bigs.

The only way the Bobcats can stay with the Tar Heels is by shooting a white-hot percentage from three-point range while DJ Cooper destroys the backups for Marshall.  

No. 10 Xavier 65, No. 3 Baylor 64

The big upset of the Sweet 16 will belong to the Muskies.

Tu Holloway is one of the 10 best players in the nation and is shooting over 50-percent from three-point range in the tournament. This has allowed him to attack off the dribble and create wide-open looks for his sharp-shooting teammates.

There is no doubt that Perry Jones III and Co. is terrific defensively in the post, but the guards are susceptible to speedy opponents, and Holloway and teammate Mark Lyons fit the bill.

The Bears have been incredibly inconsistent this season and endure painfully long offensive draughts far too often.  I see Xavier going on a monster run at some point to really distance themselves.

They already have two appearances in the Elite Eight since 2004, and this non-BCS power is more than capable of getting back there.

Click here for the updated bracket

The Ohio Bobcats have a great chance at upsetting the North Carolina Tar Heels.

The Bobcats are the Cinderella team of the tournament. They came in as the No. 13 seed, but have played well enough to be considered a top team.

Ohio is led by their junior point guard D.J. Cooper. He leads the team in points and assists averaging 14.9 points and 5.7 assists per game.

Cooper will be going against an injured Kendall Marshall. Marshall broke his wrist during his game against Creighton and had to get surgery on his non-shooting hand. With the limited work that Marshall can do if he even plays, Cooper will have a big advantage.

Marshall will have trouble getting around Ohio's pick and roll and will not be able to reach for deflections as much with the hurt wrist. Cooper will be able to get through the lane and cause the Tar Heels to help defensively, which will lead to open shots.

Also, Nick Kellogg will be a key factor in another upset win for Ohio. He is the best three-point shooter for the Bobcats, shooting at 41 percent behind the arc. Kellogg will be another player who will have a better game due to Marshall's injury. Kellogg will be open around the perimeter when help defense covers the attacking Cooper.

Kellogg has proven he can hit the big three when needed as he did against South Florida. Expect more of the same from Kellogg as North Carolina has had trouble defending the three at times this season.

The Bobcats have been shooting the ball well, which is good for any team. However, it is especially good going against North Carolina. The Tar Heels are great at defending the low post with Tyler Zeller and John Henson.

Henson is also coming off a wrist injury, but seemed to be fine in the win over Creighton. He had four blocked shots and was a force down low. Ohio's great shooting ability will make them able to stay away from Henson and Zeller as much as they can as they hit mid-to-long-range jumpers.

If Ohio can stop the transition game for the Tar Heels, they should be able to win this game. The transition game is where North Carolina is at its best. Ohio will struggle to run in transition with the injury to Marshall and may have to rely on Harrison Barnes to create an open shot in the half court.

The Bobcats have a great opportunity to make it to the Elite Eight this season and could be well on their way to making their first Final Four appearance.

Athens, OH, home to Ohio University, a quaint school with a big reputation that hasn't seen anything like this basketball team since 1964. And even that team can't compare.

Ohio University's men's basketball team is moving on to the Sweet 16 for the first time in nearly 50 years, and they're playing with the type of swagger that has made them an infectious team to watch.

Now, normally, I stick to scribbling about the NBA—I know it, I live it and I breathe it—but this is something so near and dear to my heart that I can't bear to keep quiet about it.

Call it the love of the underdog, call it the love of my school. But what it really is is the love a community, of which the Bobcats are a huge part of.

Living in Athens for the past four years brings you into a community setting that big cities just can't rival. It's why so many people want to stick around after graduating, and why so many people keep coming back. Growing up in Columbus brought me close to Ohio State, but as I speak to you today, no team is closer to me than my Bobcats.

As a part of a community that nobody seems to speak positively of, these Bobcats are shedding a positive light on what is a great corner of Ohio. This is showing off a hard-working and slightly lucky shade of green that emits from a city of just over 20,000 people (not including the semi-permanent college population).

Playing the role of giant killers for the second time in three years, Ohio took down Michigan in the second round when few people gave them much of a chance (though a few more than back in 2010 when the Bobcats took down Georgetown). Now, after a rough battle with South Florida, Ohio is going onto the Sweet 16 to take on what might be their toughest opponent in two years (they were throttled by Kansas in 2010).

It's easy to look at this team and think that there's no way they can take down North Carolina, even with an injury to John Henson and, now, Kendall Marshall. It just doesn't seem to be in the cards.

We're talking about a team whose tallest everyday player is possibly shorter than UNC's small forward, Harrison Barnes. 

This is a team with 14 guys just looking to graduate and move on to the real world, going up against a team with at least five guys looking to make it to the NBA (two of which should be first-round picks in this year's draft). However, none of that will matter to the Bobcats when they go to St. Louis on Friday.

The theme of this year's tournament has been the lower seeds not having the "we're just happy to be here" mentality. Norfolk State has showed it, as has Lehigh, VCU, NC State and Colorado—but nobody has showed it like Ohio.

Sure, North Carolina has taken down Michigan State, Wisconsin, Virginia and Duke at one point this season, but for one shining moment, who knows what can happen?

All I know is this Bobcats team is not just happy to be in the Sweet 16, and they're going to play the game of their lives this Friday. They don't mind being a long-shot, and they don't mind being on the big stage playing the one-seeded Tar Heels. At this point, the only thing they mind would be taking a flight back to Athens. They want to celebrate with their people, but not quite yet.

In Coop we trust.

The Ohio Bobcats have already proven they can handle a big-name powerhouse in the NCAA tournament, taking down fourth-seeded Michigan in the second round. Tonight, they’ll get a chance to show how they deal with facing a fellow underdog.

The 13th-seeded Bobcats will take on 12th-seeded South Florida, the only winner of a First Four game that survived the round of 64. South Florida has won twice in this tournament despite having one of the nation’s worst offenses—leading scorer Augustus Gilchrist averages a paltry 9.6 points a night.

The Bulls’ punishing defense will be a very different challenge for Ohio than finesse-oriented Michigan, but the Bobcats will use the same answer they did in beating the Wolverines: D.J. Cooper. Ohio’s superlative junior point guard had 21 points and five assists in beating Michigan, and even the fearsome South Florida D won’t keep Cooper from putting up numbers.

As physical as the Bulls are, 6'1" PG Anthony Collins isn’t going to be able to body up on Cooper to any great effect. Cooper’s ability to penetrate defenses and create opportunities for his teammates has keyed the Ohio offense all year, and that formula won’t change against South Florida.

Just as important, Cooper is an outstanding defender who averages 2.3 steals per game. South Florida has already shown how easy it is to get them out of sync on offense—they shot 3-of-27 in the first half against Temple—and Cooper’s disruptiveness at the point will make life miserable for South Florida all day.

Obviously, the Bulls have survived wretched offensive performances before, but they won’t be able to get past the combination of another lousy scoring effort and the points Cooper puts up. Look for the Bobcats to make their first Sweet 16 trip since 1964.

A pair of teams with NCAA Tournament dreams took center stage in Humphrey Coliseum Wednesday night. When the final horn sounded, we had gotten a glimpse of a team likely to obtain the Cinderella moniker when March comes around.

The Akron Zips, a perennial MAC front-runner, jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. This was a team predicated on defensive intensity, and it showed. The Zips turned countless turnovers into scoring opportunities, dominated the interior and created fast break buckets.

Coming into the game, Zeke Marshall and Renardo Sidney were set for a matchup that had scouts salivating. In the end, it was Quincy Diggs who stole the show.

Diggs, a junior forward for the Zips, averaged just 5.3 points per game last season. In the road opener, the Kansas native put up a game-high 19 points. The athletic wing consistently saw the ball in transition and carved through the Bulldogs defense.

Also producing for Akron was point guard Alex Abreu. The sophomore from Puerto Rico pushed the pace offensively and created numerous fast break opportunities with his six steals.

As far as Marshall and Sidney were concerned, it appeared to be a clear win for Marshall. Marshall finished the game with 10 points, six rebounds and five blocks. However, this stat line doesn't tell the whole story. While in the game, Marshall created a presence of his own inside, altering the shots of everyone who dared penetrate the lane.

On the other end, Sidney left something to be desired. At times, the highly touted big man impressed with the ball. Unfortunately, he failed to take over the game like a star should. What was most disheartening was his presence, or lack thereof, at the end of the game. 

For some reason, Mississippi State head coach Rick Stansbury chose to let Sidney sit for the final minutes of a close game, a time when he should have dominated the post. Marshall fouled out with several minutes left, and without his presence, the Zips had little to combat Sidney inside.  Did Stansbury feel his center lacked the conditioning to be a force late in the game, or has he already lost faith in his big man to lead this team?

Mississippi State will need to bounce back quickly. While an early loss hurts, they faced a quality opponent that won't hurt their RPI down the stretch. 

Senior point guard Dee Bost led the Bulldogs in scoring with 13 points. Unfortunately, it took a 2-9 outing from the field to get there. Also in double figures were Sidney (12) and highly touted freshman Rodney Hood (10). Arnett Moultrie produced an eight-point, 15-rebound effort.

The Bulldogs will look to improve from this game on Saturday when they take on South Alabama.  Akron will also see action Saturday, as they face Division III opponent Hiram College.



The party in Athens can be heard from miles around and will probably go on until they play Tennessee Saturday.

Nobody gave this team a snowball's chance to come within sniffing distance of beating the mighty Hoyas of Georgetown, yet the green and white are celebrating their first NCAA Tournament win since 1983.

A team that could only be described as, at best, the other, other, other, other basketball team in Ohio, after Ohio State, Xavier, and Cincinnati, just showed that they can hang with the big boys.

The Hoyas were too big for the Bobcats to beat, yet Ohio held their own, grabbing 24 rebounds to Georgetown's 31.

Georgetown was on too much of a hot streak to be cooled down, and yes, they did shoot a respectable 50 percent, but the Bobcats shot an astonishing 58 percent from the field and scorched home 13 threes.

ESPN's Joe Lunardi said before the tournament of Ohio, "What an achievement to make the field, but I don't see any way that Ohio U gets through with a first round upset."

The Bobcats did just that and threw the words right back in Lunardi's face with every three-pointer they drained.

They were confident, but not cocky, that they had a chance in this game and played with the poise you would not expect a team that was clobbered by 25 by Pittsburgh in December to have.

An old basketball saying that clearly defines the success of teams in the tournament says that if you live by the three, you die by the three, and it seems that OU has showed the nation exactly how a team can live by the three, even if they are dead before the tip-off.

Not once did I think that this ragtag bunch of scrappy players could come together to beat the giant that is Georgetown, yet for the whole game I sat on the edge of my seat, refusing to get up because it might ruin the team's mojo, and I believed.

They stunned the MAC world when they beat the regular season MAC champion Kent State, they angered the kids in Miami when they beat their rival RedHawks, they went on to upset the MAC Tournament hometown favorites Akron, and now they have showed the nation what they are capable of after handing Georgetown one of their most surprising losses in a while.

The most astonishing thing about this team is that it is so young. The only senior on this team is big man Kenneth Van Kempen. Armon Bassett and DeVaughn Washington are juniors, and little D.J. Cooper is the MAC Freshman of the Year.  This team is surprising this year, but next year they will be downright good.

It completely screwed up my bracket, and I don't care, because this is what college basketball is all about.

So watch out Tennessee, because Cinderella has her dancing shoes on, and she's looking to boogie the night away.

If they do manage to boogie their way past Tennessee, we could be looking at an OU-OSU Sweet 16 matchup. How's that for in-state pandemonium waiting to happen?