ATHENS – Jason Carter missed a 3-pointer, and another attempt from beyond the arc was air balled and may have been after the buzzer anyway as Toledo topped Ohio, 79-76, on Tuesday night at The Convo.

Carter scored 20 points and had seven rebounds, and Jaaron Simmons finished with 17 points and 10 assists for Ohio (12-6, 4-3 Mid-American Conference). Jordan Dartis added 13 points.

The Bobcats had no answer for Steve Taylor Jr., who had 25 points and 15 rebounds. Jonathan Williams added 15 points, Nate Navigato finished with 12 points, and Jaelan Sanford had 11 points for the Rockets (11-9, 4-3 MAC).

Ohio led by 10 early in the second half on a Carter layup, but Toledo followed with a 16-2 run to take a four-point lead, and the game was tight the rest of the way.

Taylor Jr. gave the Rockets a 74-69 lead with a layup with 4:07 remaining, but Ohio came back with a jumper and then two free throws by Simmons. That was as close as the Bobcats got.

Another Taylor Jr. bucket followed, and Navigato added free throws with 1:15 left to make it 78-73. Gavin Block’s 3-pointer made it a two-point game with 1:04 left, and after a steal by Mike Laster, Simmons missed on a chance to tie. Williams split two foul shots with 19 seconds to go to set up Ohio’s last possession.

Ohio held a slight lead throughout most of the first half and took a 39-34 advantage into the locker room.

Toledo shot 53.6 percent in the game, including 58.6 percent in the second half. Ohio shot 50 percent in both halves.

Ohio plays Bowling Green at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Stroh Center.