ATHENS, Ohio (AP) — Jason Carter and Teyvion Kirk each scored 17 and Ben Vander Plas added another 16 as Ohio cruised past NAIA-member Wilberforce, 97-61 in a season opener on Wednesday night.
Carter returned to the lineup after missing all but three games a year ago due to injury while Kirk led the Bobcats in scoring and was named to the Mid-American Conference All-Freshman team.
Ohio jumped out to an 11-0 lead while holding Wilberforce scoreless over the first five minutes.
Lajuane Marshall hit a 3-pointer with 4:34 left in the first half to get the deficit back into single digits, but Carter hit two free throws to spark a 12-0 run that pushed the lead to 21 with 1:55 left and the Bobcats took a 19-point lead into intermission.
Kirk and Carter scored 13 and 11 points, respectively, in the first half while Vander Plas scored all of his in the second.
Terence Gholston scored 15 points to lead the Bulldogs.
OHIO 97, WILBERFORCE 61
WILBERFORCE (0-1)
Thomas 0-2 0-0 0, Timmons 4-8 2-2 10, Riddle 2-2 0-0 5, Hopkins 0-4 0-0 0, Marshall 1-9 0-0 3, Moore 2-6 1-2 5, Gholston 5-7 3-4 15, Collins 4-8 0-0 8, Hunter 5-7 0-2 10, Jeffries 1-2 0-0 3, Gatson 0-3 0-0 0, Pascha 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 25-62 6-10 61.
OHIO (1-0)
Taylor 3-8 0-0 6, Carter 5-9 7-9 17, Cowart 4-6 0-0 9, Kirk 7-14 3-4 17, Preston 5-8 0-1 10, McMurray 3-5 0-0 7, Vander Plas 6-8 2-3 16, Reeves 2-3 0-0 4, McGraw 0-1 0-0 0, Murrell 0-6 0-0 0, James 2-6 1-1 6, Tenerowicz 0-0 0-0 0, Block 2-6 0-1 5. Totals 39-80 13-19 97.
Halftime—Ohio 48-29. 3-Point Goals—Wilberforce 5-16 (Gholston 2-3, Riddle 1-1, Jeffries 1-2, Marshall 1-4, Collins 0-1, Timmons 0-1, Moore 0-2, Pascha 0-2), Ohio 6-24 (Vander Plas 2-4, McMurray 1-2, Cowart 1-3, Block 1-3, James 1-3, Carter 0-1, Kirk 0-2, Preston 0-2, Murrell 0-4). Fouled Out—Gholston. Rebounds—Wilberforce 23 (Gholston 7), Ohio 56 (Carter 13). Assists—Wilberforce 10 (Collins, Timmons 3), Ohio 21 (Cowart 5). Total Fouls—Wilberforce 21, Ohio 9. A—4,032 (13,080).