CLEVELAND (Interstat) — Jackson Paveletzke scored 25 points and Ohio outscored Saint Bonaventure by five in overtime to earn an 88-83 men’s basketball victory Saturday at Rocket Arena. The Bobcats improved to 4-6. The Bonnies fell to 10-2. Frank Mitchell led all scorers with 27 points for Saint Bonaventure. The Bonnies forced overtime by erasing a late second-half deficit, but Ohio controlled the extra period. The Bobcats shot 56.5% from the field and committed only 10 turnovers. Javan Simmons added 17 points for Ohio. Dasonte Bowen scored 15 for the Bonnies.

CLEVELAND, Ohio (Interstat) — In a game defined by offensive efficiency and a dramatic late collapse, the Ohio Bobcats stunned the Saint Bonaventure Bonnies 88-83 in overtime Saturday at Rocket Arena, overcoming a significant pregame disparity in both records and projections. The Bobcats, who entered the contest with a 4-6 record, executed with precision down the stretch to hand the Bonnies, now 10-2, just their second loss of the season. Ohio’s victory was fueled by a blistering offensive rating of 121.9, scoring 88 points on just 72 possessions, while Saint Bonaventure managed an offensive rating of 103.7 on 80 trips. The game’s most critical sequence unfolded in the final seconds of regulation and carried into the extra period. Saint Bonaventure, which had led by as many as eight points in the second half, held a 70-68 lead with under 20 seconds to play. Ohio’s Jackson Paveletzke, who finished with 25 points, then drew a foul on a 3-point attempt with 15 seconds remaining. The junior guard from Kimberly, Wisconsin, calmly sank all three free throws to give the Bobcats a 71-70 advantage. On the ensuing possession, Bonnies guard Dasonte Bowen was fouled on a drive with two seconds left. The Boston native made the first free throw to tie the game but missed the second, sending the contest to overtime knotted at 71. The overtime period belonged to Ohio. The Bobcats opened with a 7-2 run, keyed by Paveletzke and forward Javan Simmons of Columbus, Ohio, who scored 17 points. Saint Bonaventure’s offense, which had relied heavily on the interior dominance of Frank Mitchell, grew stagnant. Mitchell, a 6-foot-8, 270-pound force from Toronto, delivered a monumental performance with 27 points and relentless work on the glass, but his efforts were not enough to counter Ohio’s balanced attack in the extra five minutes. Ohio sealed the game from the foul line in the final moments, finishing 11 of 13 on free throws for the game. A pivotal turnover by the Bonnies’ Bowen with under 30 seconds left in overtime and Ohio leading by three led directly to a Paveletzke jumper that extended the lead to five and effectively ended the contest. The statistical sheet illustrated Ohio’s efficient path to victory. The Bobcats shot 56.5% from the field (35 of 62) and 38.9% from 3-point range (7 of 18). Saint Bonaventure countered with a 43.7% shooting performance (31 of 71) and a strong 17-of-19 mark at the charity stripe, but was hampered by 14 turnovers against only six assists. Beyond Paveletzke and Simmons, Ohio received significant contributions from JJ Kelly of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, with 14 points, and Aidan Hadaway of Lafayette, Georgia, who added 14 points and three assists. For Saint Bonaventure, Bowen supported Mitchell with 15 points and five assists, while Daniel Egbuniwe of Memphis, Tennessee, provided 12 points off the bench. The result defied the pregame metrics, as Saint Bonaventure was projected with an 83.8% probability to win by National Statistical’s ELO system and was installed as a 6-point favorite. The combined score of 171 points sailed over the over/under line of 152. Saint Bonaventure saw its three-game winning streak snapped and will look to rebound at home against Le Moyne on Dec. 20. Ohio, which has now won two straight, will host Ohio Wesleyan on Tuesday before a conference clash with Bowling Green next Saturday.

CLEVELAND (Interstat) — A surging Saint Bonaventure squad riding a seven-game win streak will face a struggling Ohio team looking to build momentum when the men’s basketball programs meet at Rocket Arena on Saturday, Dec. 13. The Bonnies (10-1) have been one of the nation’s early surprises, with their only loss coming on the road against then-North Carolina. They are coming off an 85-77 home victory over Colgate on Wednesday, where a balanced attack led the way. Cayden Charles scored 20 points, Dasonte Bowen added 15 points and nine assists, and Frank Mitchell contributed 19 points. Charles, a dynamic guard, has been a consistent force, averaging 14.6 points over his last five games, including a 20-point performance against Colgate. His backcourt leadership has been pivotal for a Bonnies team winning by an average of 12.2 points during their current streak. Ohio (3-6) snapped a five-game skid with an 88-81 win over Marshall last Saturday. The Bobcats’ offense runs through guard Jackson Paveletzke, who scored 22 points in that victory and has averaged 20.3 points over his last four contests. Aidan Hadaway (19 points) and Javan Simmons (13 points, five assists) provided key support against the Thundering Herd. The Bobcats have struggled defensively, allowing 80.2 points per game. Containing Saint Bonaventure’s efficient offense, which has scored 77 or more points in eight of its 11 games, will be a primary challenge. This neutral-site contest in Cleveland is a final non-conference test for both before league play intensifies. Saint Bonaventure begins Atlantic 10 action on New Year’s Eve at VCU. Ohio opens Mid-American Conference play on Dec. 30 at Central Michigan. Saturday’s matchup hinges on whether Ohio’s high-scoring backcourt, led by Paveletzke, can keep pace with the deeper, more consistent Bonnies, who have shown the ability to win close games on the road.