Trying to get back to the NCAA Tournament: 2022-23 Ohio Bobcats basketball preview

Kyle Brown, Cincinnati Enquirer
·6 min read

Head coach Jeff Boals led the Ohio Bobcats to a 25-10 record and an appearance in the College Basketball Invitational Tournament last year.

This season, the Bobcats will have plenty of new parts, as only two starters and one key reserve return from last season.

Ohio coach Jeff Boals directs the team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., Friday, Nov. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/James Crisp)
Ohio coach Jeff Boals directs the team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., Friday, Nov. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

Seniors Miles Brown and Ben Roderick are returning starters and sophomore forward AJ Clayton returns after averaging 10 minutes per game.

However, the biggest return for the Bobcats will be forward Dwight Wilson III, who was a starter on the 2021 NCAA Tournament team, but did not play last season due to injury.

Ohio will welcome six freshmen and three transfers into the program.

Boals is 59-33 in three seasons with the Bobcats, including the NCAA trip in 2021.

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Here are 3 things to know about the 2022-23 Ohio Bobcats basketball team:

A trio from Ohio’s 2021 NCAA Tournament team return

Guard Miles Brown came off the bench and forwards Ben Roderick and Dwight Wilson III were starters for the 2021 Bobcats that made it to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament.

Brown, a 6-foot-1 senior entered the starting lineup for Ohio last season and is the leading returning scorer after averaging 6.9 points per game.

Roderick, a 6-5 Powell native who went to Olentangy Liberty High School, averaged 6.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game last season.

Wilson, who played his first three seasons at James Madison, was star for the Bobcats in 2020-21. The 6-foot-8 post player averaged 14.4 points per game and led the team with 7.6 rebounds per game. He also broke Gary Trent’s record by shooting .644 from the field. A knew injury sidelined him for the entirety of last season.

Ohio University basketball newcomers for 2022-23

A trio of transfers will join the Bobcats this season — guards DeVon Baker and Jaylin Hunter and center Gabe Wiznitzer.

Tulane guard Devon Baker (20) passes the ball in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Houston in the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, March 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Tulane guard Devon Baker (20) passes the ball in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Houston in the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, March 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Baker, a Dayton native, spent last season at Tulane after playing his first three years at UNC Asheville. He averaged 6.2 points per game for the Green Wave last season.

Hunter is a junior transferring in from Old Dominion. He averaged 9.7 points, 4.0 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game.

Wiznitzer, a 6-11 big man, appeared in 17 games over two seasons at Louisville.

Six freshmen, including a trio from the Buckeye State, will also be at Boals’ disposal.

Dublin Coffman's Ajay Sheldon
Dublin Coffman's Ajay Sheldon

Guards Quinn Corna (Columbus/Upper Arlington), Elmore James (Cleveland/Brush) and Ajay Sheldon (Dublin/Coffman) are all in-state recruits.

Additionally, guards AJ Brown from Florida and Ben Estis from Texas and Georgia forward Aidan Hadaway will all be joining the squad.

Ohio basketball schedule includes trips to Belmont, Michigan and Florida

The Bobcats will be doing a lot of traveling in the non-conference, including trips to Belmont, Detroit Mercy, Michigan, Marshall, Youngstown State and Delaware, as well as a game against Florida in Tampa.

Belmont has a 77-19 record in the past three seasons, and two Ohio Valley Conference regular-season championships, but Ohio was able to defend its home court and beat them last season, 92-80. The two teams will meet in the regular season opener, Nov. 7 in Nashville.

Nov. 20 will be an away game in Ann Arbor against Michigan. It will be only the second time the two teams have met — the Bobcats came away with a 65-60 win in the NCAA Tournament on March 16, 2012.

Dec. 14 will be a game against the Florida Gators in Tampa. This will also be the second time the Bobcats have faced Florida. The Gators were victorious in the only other meeting, March 18, 2005 in the NCAA Tournament.

The non-conference home slate begins Nov. 12 against Cleveland State, and also features games against Eastern Illinois, Alabama State, UC Clermont, Stetson and Chicago State, before the MAC season begins.

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2022-23 Ohio University basketball roster

NO.       NAME   POS.      CL.         HT.        WT.       HOMETOWN / HIGH SCHOOL

0            Ajay Sheldon     G            Fr.          6-1         185        Dublin, Ohio / Dublin Coffman

1            Elmore James    G            Fr.          6-3         205        Cleveland, Ohio / Brush

2            Miles Brown      G            Sr.          6-1         180        Rochester, N.Y. / Northstar Christian Academy

3            Ben Roderick     F            Sr.          6-5         205        Powell, Ohio / Olentangy Liberty

4            Dwight Wilson III F         Gr.         6-8         250         Tallahassee, Fla. / Lincoln Community

5            Olumide Adelodun G     So.         6-6         215        Calgary, Canada / Canada Topflight Academy West

10          Aidan Hadaway F            Fr.          6-8         190        Lafayette, Ga. / Lafayette

11          Gabe Wiznitzer C            Jr.          6-11      240        Walhalla, S.C. / Hargrave Military Academy

12          Jaylin Hunter     G            Jr.          6-0         195        Manchester, Conn. / East Catholic

14          Ben Estis             G            Fr.          6-1         170        Southlake, Texas / Southlake Carroll

15          Quinn Corna      G            Fr.          6-3         170        Columbus, Ohio / Upper Arlington

21          IJ Ezuma             F            So.         6-8         240        Raleigh, N.C / Hargrave Military Academy

22          DeVon Baker     G            Sr.          6-2         190        Dayton, Ohio / SPIRE Academy

23          AJ Clayton          F            So.         6-8         225        Roseville, Ohio / Philo

24          AJ Brown            G            Fr.          6-4         195        Orlando, Fla. / Orlando Christian Prep

2022-23 Ohio University basketball schedule

Date           Time         At        Opponent                  Location

  • Nov 3 (Thu)    7 p.m.       Home      Capital (Exhibition)      Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center)

  • Nov 7 (Mon)    6:30 p.m.    Away      Belmont                   Nashville, Tenn.

  • Nov 12 (Sat)   1 p.m.       Home      Cleveland State           Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center)

  • Nov 16 (Wed)   7 p.m.       Away      Detroit Mercy             Detroit, Mich.

  • Nov 20 (Sun)   7:30 p.m.    Away      Michigan                  Ann Arbor, Mich.

  • Nov 25 (Fri)   2 p.m.       Home      Eastern Illinois          Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center)

  • Nov 27 (Sun)   2 p.m.       Home      Alabama State             Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center)

  • Nov 30 (Wed)   7 p.m.       Home      UC Clermont               Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center) 

  • Dec 3 (Sat)    TBA          Away      Marshall                  Huntington, W. Va.

  • Dec 11 (Sun)   2 p.m.       Away      Youngstown State          Youngstown, Ohio

  • Dec 14 (Wed)   7 p.m.       Neutral   Florida                   Tampa, Fla

  • Dec 17 (Sat)   2 p.m.       Home      Stetson                   Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center)

  • Dec 21 (Wed)   TBA          Away      Delaware                  Newark, DE

  • Dec 30 (Fri)   7 p.m.       Home      Chicago State             Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center)

  • Jan 3 (Tue)    TBA          Away      Buffalo                   Buffalo, N.Y.

  • Jan 7 (Sat)    5 p.m.       Away      Bowling Green             Bowling Green, Ohio

  • Jan 10 (Tue)   7 p.m.       Home      Ball State                Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center)

  • Jan 13 (Fri)   6:30 p.m.    Home      Kent State                Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center)

  • Jan 17 (Tue)   7 p.m.       Away      Toledo                    Toledo, Ohio

  • Jan 21 (Sat)   2 p.m.       Home      Central Michigan          Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center)

  • Jan 24 (Tue)   7 p.m.       Home      Western Michigan          Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center)

  • Jan 28 (Sat)   TBA          Away      Akron                     Akron, Ohio

  • Jan 31 (Tue)   7 p.m.       Away      Eastern Michigan          Ypsilanti, Mich.                 

  • Feb 4 (Sat)    2 p.m.       Home      Miami                     Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center)

  • Feb 7 (Tue)    7 p.m.       Away      Northern Illinois         DeKalb, Ill.

  • Feb 11 (Sat)   TBA          Home      Akron                     Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center)

  • Feb 14 (Tue)   7 p.m.       Home      Buffalo                   Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center)

  • Feb 18 (Sat)   TBA          Away      Central Michigan          Mount Pleasant, Mich.

  • Feb 21 (Tue)   7 p.m.       Home      Northern Illinois         Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center)

  • Feb 25 (Sat)   TBA          Away      Miami                     Oxford, Ohio

  • Feb 28 (Tue)   7 p.m.       Away      Kent State                Kent, Ohio

  • Mar 3 (Fri)    7 p.m.       Home      Bowling Green             Athens, Ohio (Convocation Center)

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio University basketball: What to look for in 2022-23 season