ACCEPTING

“(Getting opponents in foul trouble) just makes me keep going,” Wilson said. “I know that once I get them in the air, and I get contact, it’s pretty much a foul every time. Once I see that they will call it, I just stick to it.”

Wilson made 13-of-16 field goals Tuesday night, but none were more indicative of his improvement and importance to this Ohio team than his last three.

He hit a turnaround jumper in the paint, a shot that wasn’t in his arsenal a few years ago, to tie his career high, then lost Wright with a beautiful spin move for points No. 28 and No. 29. Finally, to finish off his first career 30-point game, Wilson set a screen for Jaylin Hunter, who then found him diving to the basket for a two-handed dunk.

“Dwight Wilson was a man today,” Ohio coach Jeff Boals said. “Just a phenomenal individual performance. Our guys did a great job of getting him the basketball in position to score, and he definitely delivered.”

Wilson has delivered all season for Ohio, from getting others involved with his passing out of the post, to clutch shots against Michigan and Youngstown State, to big scoring performances when Ohio needed them most.

Tuesday night was the latest excellent performance from Wilson, but if the Bobcats are going to separate themselves from the pile in the middle of the MAC standings, they are going to need it not to be the last.

Wilson is the most important player on Ohio’s roster, and he knows it.

“The better I play,” he said. “The better we are.

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