Ohio playing nasty defense

The facts shout that Ohio University is one of the top men’s basketball teams in the Mid-American Conference.

Coach John Groce, though, says the Bobcats must keep passing tests to get one of the top four seeds for the conference tournament. The top two seeds receive byes to the semifinal round. The third and fourth seeds get first-round byes.

“We are in the mix to get one of those seeds,” Groce said. “We’ve worked hard to get this far. But we have five more league road games, and that begins against Toledo on Wednesday. Do we keep getting better? Do we maintain our intensity? Do we keep the same mindset?”

It was supposed to be a given that Ohio, which is 19-4 overall and 7-2 in the conference and one game behind Akron in the East Division, would score points from everywhere on the court and in bunches.

But a gritty defense that is forcing an average of 18.2 turnovers per game has made up for some awful shooting. The Bobcats rank third in the MAC in scoring defense (61.0), fifth in opponents field-goal percentage (40.9) and first in opponents three-point field-goal percentage (28.5) and steals per game (9.1).

The tone has been set by junior guard Walter Offutt, a transfer from Ohio State.

“Walter dives for loose balls, takes charges and just really gets after it,” Groce said. “Our defense, quite frankly, has taken on his personality. Our guys really go after it in practice. That’s where it starts. We sometimes play as many as nine to 10 guys in double-digit minutes, and that has helped. Our guys also have the mentality that every game matters.”

The true test will come the final 10 days of the regular season with games against Buffalo, Akron, Kent State and Miami University. Only Akron will be in the Convocation Center.

“I still think we can clean up a few more things,” Groce said. “I’m being picky, but we need to be communicating a little better on defense and we have to rebound better. We have to start shooting better, of course.

“We’ll know a lot more about our team very soon. You have to have a mature approach, and I think we’ve had that so far. I credit our guys. They put themselves in position to do some good things.”

Capital winning with ‘good people’

Capital was supposed to be the team that others beat up to compete for the Ohio Athletic Conference championship.

With two weeks remaining in the season, the Crusaders (14-7, 11-3) have a one-game lead over John Carroll and a two-game lead over defending champion Marietta and Wilmington.

Told that this might be his best coaching job, Damon Goodwin deferred to his players.

“These guys are going to be good accountants, good insurance people, good teachers and whatever else they set out to do,” Goodwin said. “They are a smart group. This is a group that plays hard. They realize we don’t have the burly center we’ve had in the past who can dominate a game for 30 minutes. We don’t have that All-American. We’re playing three point guards. But our guys give teams nothing.”

The Crusaders are forcing 13.6 turnovers per game and limiting teams to 42.7 percent shooting (32.5 from three-point range).

The biggest thing, Goodwin said, is the players have accepted their roles.

“So many guys are OK with playing 10, 12 and 14 minutes – whatever they are given,’’ he said. “It has been a long year (grinding it out this way). But we keep growing and keep going. The guys know it can get away from you quickly if you don’t keep at it. They play together.

Capital, which has won nine of its past 10, begins the final stretch at home against Otterbein on Wednesday. Then there are road games against Baldwin-Wallace and Marietta and a home game against Muskingum.

“I like our chances if we keep playing this way,” Goodwin said of clinching the top seed for the OAC tournament.

Columbus State in showcase game

Columbus State, which is ranked third in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II poll, will play its most important game to date against 10th-ranked Lakeland (17-3) at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at home.

“I think it’s going to be the NJCAA game of the week in the nation,” Cougars coach Pat Carlisle said. “This is a really big game for our program.”

Columbus State (21-2) defeated Lakeland 76-75 on Jan. 18 in Kirtland, Ohio, a Cleveland suburb.

The Cougars are led by Glenn Cosey (18.5 points) and Darnell Tubbs (16.7).

mznidar@dispatch.com