ATHENS � Javan Simmons had a season-high 20 points to reach 1,000 in his career and help Ohio hold off UMass 86-83 on Tuesday night at The Convo.

Jackson Paveletzke had a double-double of 10 points and 10 assists. He knocked down the go-ahead free throws with 59 seconds left. UMass� Isaiah Placide missed a 3-point attempt to try to tie it at the buzzer.

The Bobcats (9-7, 3-1 Mid-American Conference) had balance with seven players scoring seven or more points. The same was true of the Minutemen, who were led by Daniel Hankins-Sanford with 16 points.

�I think the league from top to bottom is the best, I think, since I�ve been here,� Ohio coach Jeff Boals said. �Home or away, you have to bring it. It doesn�t matter who you�re playing. Our guys came in with the right mindset.�

Ohio led by as many as nine points early in the second half, but UMass (9-7, 0-4 MAC) went up 82-80 on Luka Damjanac�s dunk with two minutes to go. Simmons tied it again on a tip-in before Paveletzke�s go-ahead free throws.

Paveletzke hit two more free throws with 23 seconds left to make it a four-point game. Danny Carbuccia split a pair of soul shots, and after an offensive rebound, K�Jei Parker missed a 3-pointer. Aidan Hadaway missed two free throws to give the Minutemen one more shot at the buzzer.

Ohio�s biggest lead of the first half was 43-31 on a JJ Kelly dunk with four minutes to go, but UMass scored seven straight points to get close again and trailed 48-41 at halftime.

The Minutemen went on an 11-0 run and took a 70-66 lead midway through the second half. Paveletzke hit a timely 3-pointer, and the margin was no more than four points for either team the rest of the way.

Simmons� big night came on 9-of-13 shooting. He added five rebounds.

�For me to even reach that goal, like I didn�t reach it in high school, so for me to reach that goal in college, that just shows the development that I�ve had,� Simmons said. �I�m grateful for my teammates; they embraced me as soon as I came in here.�

Kelly had 14 points, with Sheldon and Jesse Burris scoring a career-high 13 points. Conners had nine points and Hadaway seven points, along with a team-best six rebounds.

Ohio shot 47.7% for the game, including 38.1% on 3-pointers, and made 13 of 17 free throws. UMass lost despite shooting 51.7% and going 12 of 28 from long range.

The Bobcats host Buffalo at 2 p.m. Saturday at The Convo.