YPSILANTI, Mich. – Ohio did not score for the first 10 minutes and could not recover, falling 68-55 to Eastern Michigan at The Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, Mich., on Saturday.

The Eagles (11-14, 6-5 Mid-American Conference) scored the first nine points and never trailed. Derek Thompson scored 23 points for Eastern Michigan, which shot 50 percent in the game, including 8 of 12 from 3-point range. Antonio Green and Jamell Harris added 13 and 12 points, respectively.

D.J. Cooper led Ohio (19-6, 7-4 MAC) with 15 points. Reggie Keely posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds and Walter Offutt scored 11 points, but the Bobcats connected on just 31.3 percent of their shots.

“We’re not the same team we were last year or the year before that where we can score 80, 90 points and overcome a team shooting 50 percent and 67 from 3,” Ohio coach John Groce said. “We could do that a few times in the past, but this team has made its calling on defense. There’s no reason we should give up 50 percent and 67 from 3 in the game.”

Ohio’s defense held fairly strong early, despite the offense’s struggles. The Bobcats missed their first 11 shots and three free throw tries with four turnovers before Offutt finally got the Bobcats on the board with a score off an offensive rebound with 9:50 remaining to make it 9-2.

A Stevie Taylor basket and two Cooper free throws got the Bobcats within three and they were down just 19-15 after a Ricardo Johnson free throw at the 3:06 mark, but the Eagles ran off seven straight points, including five of them by Thompson. Taylor scored a layup to make it 27-17 at halftime.

Keely made a pair of free throws with 11:20 remaining, drawing Ohio to within six, but Thompson answered with a 3-pointer.

The Bobcats got as close as 53-48 on an Offutt 3-pointer with 3:39 remaining, and after Darrell Lampley answered with one of his own with the shot clock winding down, Cooper came back with another make from beyond the arc to make the margin five points with 2:45 to go.

Eastern Michigan committed a turnover, but Ohio returned the favor and Lampley added to the lead with a free throw. Cooper missed 3-pointers on consecutive possessions, and the Eagles got free throws from Da’Shonte Riley and Thompson for a comfortable double-digit lead down the stretch.

Ivo Baltic played only four minutes because of a knee injury, but despite missing his size, the Bobcats gave up just seven offensive rebounds after giving up 21 in Wednesday’s loss to Toledo.

“Rebounding was better,” Groce said. “I thought we hit better, in terms of being more physical. I thought we tried to draw charges. I thought we were tougher. I just didn’t think we executed well on the defensive end. This team can’t afford to do that.”

After making just 5 of 22 shots (22.7 percent) in the first half, Ohio shot somewhat better in the second half, going 10 of 26 (38.5 percent). Eastern Michigan made 22 of 31 free throws in the second half.

“I thought we were better in the second half than we were in the first half,” Groce said. “Obviously when you don’t make shots, you can struggle a little bit. I thought it hurt a little bit that you put together a zone offense and the guy that plays the best in the high post for us is Baltic and he was banged up a little bit.”

Keely started in place of Baltic, a decision made before the injury. T.J. Hall started in place of Jon Smith because he was late for the bus. Baltic’s injury will be evaluated when the team returns to Athens.

Keely was 4 of 6 from the field and 6 of 10 at the foul line, but with the exception of Smith (1 of 2) every other Ohio player shot 33.3 percent or less. Cooper was 3 of 12, Taylor made just 3 of 11 and Offutt was 3 of 9.

Ohio was in control of its own destiny until losing the last two games in a row on the road, dropping it into a tie with Bowling Green for fourth place in the MAC East.

“We’ve got to go out and control what we can control,” Keely said. “We have to come out and win games we’re supposed to win and hopefully some things fall our way.”

The Bobcats host the Falcons at 7 p.m. Wednesday.