ATHENS, Ohio – After struggling defensively in back-to-back losses, Ohio stymied Buffalo, holding the Mid-American Conference’s top scoring team to 38 percent shooting in a 60-52 victory Wednesday night at The Convo.

The Bobcats continued to struggle offensively, shooting just 32.2 percent themselves, but they managed 10 more field goal tries and 10 more free throw attempts than the Bulls, thanks to a 23-15 turnover advantage and a 17-10 edge in offensive rebounds.

D.J. Cooper scored 15 points, Nick Kellogg added 14 points and Ivo Baltic finished with 12 points for Ohio (13-3, 1-1 MAC). Mitchell Watt with 18 points was the only Buffalo player in double-figures for Buffalo (8-5, 1-1 MAC). He also had 12 rebounds.

Kellogg knocked down three of his four 3-pointers in the first four minutes as Ohio scored the game’s first 12 points and never trailed. Buffalo did not get on the board until 14:21 left on the first-half clock on a Watt jumper.

The Bobcats took a 31-25 lead to the locker room and the Bulls got as close as 33-30 with 15:07 left in the game on a Titus Robinson free throw.

Ricardo Johnson hit a pair of free throws and followed a miss to start an 11-0 run that put Ohio back up by 14 midway through the half. During that stretch, Buffalo went scoreless for nearly six minutes before Javon McCrea ended the drought with a layup.

Kellogg’s final 3-pointer gave Ohio its biggest lead, 49-34, at the 7:49 mark. Buffalo cut its deficit to single digits briefly before Walter Offutt drained a triple to make the score 56-44 with 1:57 remaining.

McCrea, coming off a 25-point performance in a victory against Kent State, was held to eight points on 4 of 13 shooting in 20 foul-plagued minutes. Besides Watt’s 8-of-10 game, the Bulls were just 10 of 39.

Jon Smith paced Ohio on the boards, pulling down 10, including six on the offensive end. Cooper, Baltic and T.J. Hall each had seven rebounds, while Cooper added five assists.

The Bobcats held a 22-14 advantage in points off turnovers and a 17-10 advantage in second chance points.

Ohio takes on Akron at 4 p.m. Saturday at James A. Rhodes Arena in a game that will be broadcast on ESPNU.