page_title: Ohio Bobcats men's basketball
section_title: 2014–2019: Saul Phillips
hierarchical_section_title: Ohio Bobcats men's basketball / History / 2014–2019: Saul Phillips
caption_attribution_description: English: Ohio vs NIU men's basketball game February 6, 2016 at the Convocation Center in Athens, OH
context_page_description: The Ohio Bobcats men's basketball team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Ohio University. The team is a member of the Mid-American Conference East Division competing in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The Bobcats have played their home games in the Convocation Center since 1968.
  The first Ohio basketball game occurred in 1907 when the Bobcats defeated the Parkersburg YMCA 46–9. Through the 2005–06 season, Ohio has posted a .569 winning percentage over its 100-year history and a .566 winning percentage in its 61 years in the Mid-American Conference. The Bobcats have won six Mid-American Conference tournament titles, as well as 10 MAC regular-season titles. Prior to joining the MAC, the 'Cats won an Ohio Athletic Conference title in 1921 and three Buckeye Athletic Association championships. In addition, Ohio has played in the NCAA Tournament 13 times, appearing in 1960, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1983, 1985, 1994, 2005, 2010 and 2012. The Bobcats have been selected for the National Invitation Tournament five times: in 1941, 1969, 1986, 1995, and 2013.
context_section_description: Ohio hired Saul Phillips to replace Christian as the head coach for the Bobcats on April 6, 2014. Phillips had tremendous success coaching for NDSU the previous 7 years, including a second round NCAA tournament win in 2014 and two Summit League championships in 2009 and 2014. His first season at Ohio was a disappointment as the 2014–15 Bobcats finished with a 10–20 overall record and only 5 wins in the MAC to put them last place in their division.
  The 2015–16 Bobcats improved to a 23–12 overall record and 11–7 MAC Conference record giving them the #2 seed in the 2016 MAC tournament. Junior Antonio Campbell was named the 2016 MAC Player of the Year after averaging a double-double throughout the 2015–16 season, making him the ninth Ohio Bobcat to receive the award. The Bobcats lost to Buffalo in the semifinal game of the MAC Tournament 74–88. The 2015–16 team received and accepted an invitation to the 2016 College Basketball Invitational and reached the semifinals but lost to Morehead State.
  Phillips was told he would not return next season on March 13, 2019.
caption: Ohio vs NIU, February 6, 2016
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