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Ohio University redshirt sophomore guard Jaaron Simmons (#2) drives to the net against the Northern Illinois defense at the Convocation Center in Athens, Ohio on Saturday. The Bobcats defeated the Huskies, 80-69, and Simmons recorded his fifth double-double of the season. (Nicole Raucheisen/WOUB)

Ohio Looking for Second Road Win in MAC Play

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Ohio basketball will have a chance to snag its second road conference this season when it travels to Ball State Tuesday night.

The matchup will be the second of the year between the two teams. In the first, the ‘Cats beat Ball State 79-73. Tony Campbell played a huge part in the win, scoring 27 points. One of the reasons he was so effective was that he was able to score from different areas of the court, hitting four 3-pointers on his way to a career performance.

Ohio is coming off an 80-69 win against Northern Illinois on Saturday. The Bobcats lit up the first half scoreboard, shooting almost 61 percent and scoring 49 points. However, a sluggish start to the second half found them trailing before a 19-4 Ohio run sealed it for the Green and White.

Jaaron Simmons regained form after an uncharacteristic outing Tuesday night, in which he recorded eight turnovers in Ohio’s 80-68 loss to Akron. Against Northern Illinois, Simmons finished with 24 points and 12 assists, and scored or assisted 15 of the Bobcats final 16 points.

Ball State also saw excellent guard play in its 75-71 win against Western Michigan on Saturday. Guards Jeremie Tyler and Francis Kiapway finished with 19 and 14 points, respectively, and combined to shoot 64 percent from beyond the arc. The Cardinals hit 15 3-pointers in their win over Western, shattering their season average of eight long balls a game.

Their narrow victory over Toledo is the Bobcats’ one MAC victory on the road this season, and Ball State boasts a 10-3 record in Worthen Arena. To nab a victory in Muncie, Ohio will have to look to its two main contributors.

Coach Saul Phillips called Ohio’s “sledge hammer” offense in the second half of the earlier win over the Cardinals a game changer, so the Bobcats will likely use an aggressive offensive approach Tuesday night. “Touching it to Tony a little more” was able to spark this aggressive style of play, and was able to “get Jaaron going.”

Ohio will look to pick up its second MAC road win in an attempt to sweep the Cardinals Tuesday night in Muncie at 7 pm.