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.