Ohio State is only 10 games into its regular season, but it is already clear that Jared Sullinger is the Buckeyes' best player.
Convincing proof of that was on display Saturday afternoon when OSU hosted the South Carolina Gamecocks.
From the opening tip, which was controlled by Ohio State, Sullinger took complete control of the game. Using a vast array of moves in the low post, Sullinger created a host of great shots for himself. And, on the defensive end, the big fella rebounded like a man possessed. Sullinger finished with 30 points and 19 rebounds, and the 19 boards were the most by a Buckeye since 1968.
And, to top it all off, Sullinger produced his signature play of the season late in the 1st half. With 2.6 seconds remaining prior to the intermission, Thad Matta called a timeout in order to draw up one final play for his team. However, the play appeared doomed from the start because David Lighty was forced to inbound the ball to Ohio State's weakest three-point shooter on the floor, Jared Sullinger. Sullinger, though, gathered in the slightly errant pass and launched a 30-foot jumper at the buzzer. The basketball sailed through the air, banked off the backboard, and swished right through the net. The crowd roared as Sullinger and the Buckeyes headed to the locker room leading by a score of 42-21.
SC never even sniffed a comeback in the 2nd half, and Ohio State cruised to yet another easy victory.
Sullinger's 30 points did lead the team, but William Buford and Jon Diebler were able to tally 12 and 11, respectively.
No comments:
Post a Comment