ATHENS, Ohio – AJ Clayton scored 31 points as Ohio topped the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team, 108-70, on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 11) at the Ohio Convocation Center. The Bobcats shot 61.7 percent (37-of-60) from the field in the contest, including 54.8 percent (17-of-31) from three-point range. 

Quentin Jones (Chicago, Ill./Marian Catholic) led the Huskies with 25 points, along with eight rebounds and five assists. Quaran McPherson (South Jamaica Queens, N.Y./Link Year Prep) added 14 points while James Dent Jr. (Springfield, Ill./Springfield Southeast) and Nasir Muhammad (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) each added a dozen.

Both teams were quick out of the gates offensively as Ohio led 18-16 with 13:24 to play in the opening half as Jones led the way for NIU with a half-dozen in the opening six-plus minutes. 

The Bobcat advantage was 22-19 when a seven-point burst pushed the lead to 10 for the home team, 29-19, with just over 11 minutes to play in the half. 

Ohio's lead was a dozen, 47-35, with a little over three minutes to play in the opening stanza before the Bobcats closed the half with a 10-4 spurt to take a 57-39 lead into the intermission. 

Jones had 11 points and Dent scored 10 in the opening 20 minutes for NIU. Clayton had 18 points for Ohio to lead all scorers while Jackson Paveletzke had 13 points. The Bobcats shot 71.4 percent (20-of-28) from the field in the first half, including 57.1 percent (8-of-14) from three. NIU shot 43.8 percent (14-of-32) in the first half, including 40 percent (6-of-15) from three. 

After halftime, the Huskie offense cooled as NIU shot 34.3 percent (12-of-35) from the field in the second 20 minutes while Ohio continued to hit on all cylinders, with the Bobcats shooting 53.1 percent (17-of-32) after halftime, including 52.9 percent (9-of-17) from three.   

Along with Clayton's 31 points, four other Bobcats scored in double figures as Paveletzke netted 19, Shereef Mitchell scored 15 points, Elijah Elliott had 10 while Aidan Hadaway chipped in 10 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. 

Ohio recorded 25 assists on its 37 made baskets and the Bobcats outrebounded NIU, 46-28. 

NIU will return home for a pair of home games next week as the Huskies host Miami on Tuesday, Jan. 14, and Central Michigan on Saturday, Jan. 18. Tickets for both games are available now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets.