Ohio State Men's Basketball: Buckeyes Survive Northwestern's Upset Bid

1 - 29 - 11     at Northwestern     W, 58-57     22 - 0

     Northwestern's hopes of upsetting Ohio State were dealt a severe blow when John Shurna, the Wildcats' leading scorer, failed his post-concussion test a few hours prior to the opening tip-off.

     However, the Cats did not simply roll over and die.  Instead, they put a major scare into the Buckeyes and nearly emerged with a stunning victory.

     The 1st half was a nip-and-tuck affair, but, early in the 2nd half, Ohio State built up a 13-point lead, and it appeared as if the Buckeyes were going to roll to their 22nd consecutive win.

     Northwestern, though, made a furious comeback in the closing minutes, evening the score at 57.

     With less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation, David Lighty produced a key steal, giving Ohio State a chance to take the lead.  Aaron Craft set up the offense in the frontcourt, and the basketball eventually found its way into the hands of Jared Sullinger.  Sullinger drove to the basket and drew a hard foul as he attempted a short, right-handed shot.  Sullinger's 1st free throw missed badly, but he calmly sank the 2nd one.                 



Alex Marcotullio fouls Sullinger in the closing seconds

      Drew Crawford's ensuing halfcourt heave was off the mark, and the Buckeyes had escaped.

     In addition to his late-game heroics, Sullinger also scored 21 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.

    



    

Ohio State Men's Basketball: Purdue Falls Victim to OSU's Perfect Game

1 - 25 - 11     vs. Purdue     W, 87-64     21 - 0

     Prior to Tuesday night's thrashing of Purdue, Ohio State was widely regarded as a very good basketball team but not necessarily a great one.  Now, following a dominating performance on a big stage, the Buckeyes are the clear favorite to capture the national championship.

     Thad Matta's squad, as the above title would lead you to believe, did indeed play a perfect game, or pretty darn close to it.  OSU went on an early 16-3 run, and, with the raucous student section (a.k.a. The Nut House) losing its collective mind, the Buckeyes raced out to a stunning 20-point halftime lead.  Ohio State extended that lead to 31 in the 2nd half before Matta called off the dogs, ending the Boilermakers' misery.

     William Buford (19 points), Jared Sullinger (17 pts.), Jon Diebler (13 pts.), Deshaun Thomas (13 pts.), Aaron Craft (11 pts.), and David Lighty (10 pts.) all scored in double figures in what was truly a complete team effort.

Aaron Craft sparked OSU's win

     Even though there was a plethora of stars for the Buckeyes, Craft stood out from all the rest.  In addition to his 11 points, the freshman point guard dished out 6 assists and grabbed 6 rebounds.  However, the stats do not tell the whole story because Craft's ability to manage the game, something that does not show up in the box score, was the primary reason for Ohio State's success.    

     JaJuan Johnson, Purdue's standout center, scored 22, and he may have been the best player on the floor despite his team's dismal showing.

Ohio State Men's Basketball: Sullinger, Buckeyes Rally to Remain Unbeaten

1 - 22 - 11     at Illinois     W, 73-68     20 - 0

     All great players need a supporting cast, and Jared Sullinger is no exception.  The Ohio State forward scored 27 points and collected 16 rebounds, but, without the assistance provided by his teammates, the Buckeyes would have been handed their 1st loss of the season.

     In support of Sullinger, Jon Diebler tallied 15 points, and Aaron Craft single-handedly limited Demetri McCamey, the Fighting Illini's best player, to a mere 5 points.

Sullinger's double-double keyed OSU's victory

     The game's turning point came midway through the 2nd half when OSU went on a 14-0 run to claim a 56-50 lead.  The stretch featured a trio of made 3-pointers, including 2 by Deshaun Thomas.

     Illinois fought back in the closing minutes, and Mike Tisdale's 3 with 17 seconds remaining cut the Illini deficit to 1 at 69-68.

     Ohio State, though, staved off the comeback due to 4 made free throws, 2 each by Craft and William Buford, and a Diebler steal.

     Jereme Richmond's 18 points led UI.

Ohio State Men's Basketball: Fun at No. 1: Buckeyes Pound Iowa

1 - 19 - 11     vs. Iowa     W, 70-48     19 - 0


     A number 1 ranking can often cause a team to stumble, but Ohio State had no such problems in its easy win over Iowa.  The Buckeyes raced out to a 40-23 halftime lead and never let the Hawkeyes sniff a comeback in the 2nd half. 

     David Lighty led the way with a game-high 18 points, 10 of which came after the intermission to help OSU pull away.

     The story of the night was Ohio State's suffocating defense.  Not only did the Buckeyes hold Iowa below 50 points, but they also held Jarryd Cole and Eric May, two of the Hawks' better players, scoreless.     



David Lighty scores 2 of his 18 points

     Aaron Craft's defense was simply ridiculous.  The freshman guard recorded an astounding 7 steals, and the rest of the team fed off of his impressive performance.

     Jared Sullinger added 13 points to go along with 9 rebounds while his frontcourt teammate, Dallas Lauderdale, contributed 9 points, including a couple of highlight-reel dunks.      

     Even though the final result was gratifying, the Bucks did not play a perfect game by any stretch of the imagination.  Ohio State somehow managed to turn the basketball over 20 times, much to the chagrin of head coach Thad Matta.  Iowa, however, committed 22 turnovers in what was obviously a very messy 40 minutes of action.









Ohio State Men's Basketball: Freshmen Propel Buckeyes to No. 1

1 - 15 - 11     vs. Penn State     W, 69-66     18 - 0

     As a result of Duke's loss at Florida State on Wednesday, the Penn State Nittany Lions were the only obstacle standing between Ohio State and the top ranking in the 2 major polls.

     Sensing something special was about to happen, 18,809 raucous fans packed into Value City Arena expecting to see a routine Buckeye victory.  However, PSU battled Ohio State for 40 minutes before succumbing to the heroic efforts of Jared Sullinger and Aaron Craft.

     At the 0:59.8 mark of the 2nd half, Sullinger muscled in a short jumper while drawing a foul to give OSU a 65-63 lead.  Sullinger then proceeded to can the free throw, and the Buckeyes' lead was 3.

     Incredibly, David Jackson did the exact same thing on the other end of the floor, evening the game at 66 with 44 seconds to play.

     Sullinger, though, had an answer.  The big freshman established position in the low post, received a pass from Jon Diebler, knocked home a right-handed shot, drew another foul, and cooly sank the charity toss.

Sullinger's clutch, game-winning shot

     It was now Craft's turn to shine.  Taylor Battle, Penn State's best player, tried to create an open 3-point shot in the closing seconds, but Craft never let Battle even get close to the arc.  Battle eventually launched an airball at the buzzer that was fittingly snagged by Sullinger under the basket.

     Sullinger and Craft both scored 19 points, and the Bucks' point guard also added 7 assists.

     Jackson (19 pts.) and Battle (15 pts.) led PSU in a losing effort.

    

Ohio State Men's Basketball: Buckeyes Slip Past Michigan

1 - 12 - 11     at Michigan     W, 68 - 64     17 - 0

     Needing a pair of free throws to ice a win over rival Michigan, the Buckeyes turned to their freshman point guard, Aaron Craft.  And Craft rose to the occasion by sinking both his shots from the charity stripe, enabling Ohio State to escape Ann Arbor victorious.

     The Wolverines made an impressive comeback in the game's final minutes, but OSU, despite the fouling out of Jared Sullinger, did just enough to hold on to the lead.

     William Buford led the Buckeyes in scoring with 19, and David Lighty and Sullinger each added 12.  However, Lighty missed 7 foul shots which largely accounted for the closeness of the contest.

     Darius Morris (18 pts.), Zack Novak (16 pts.), and Evan Smotrycz (14 pts.) were UM's key offensive contributors.

     The dramatic victory will maintain Ohio State's elite status as 1 of the 4 remaining unbeaten teams in college basketball.

  

Ohio State Men's Basketball: Buckeyes Survive Gophers' Rally

1 - 9 - 11     vs. Minnesota     W, 67-64     16 - 0

     The Ohio State Buckeyes, undefeated and ranked 2nd in the country, learned a valuable lesson on Sunday afternoon - Big Ten games always last 40 minutes.

     Leading by 18 at the 8:35 mark of the 2nd half, the Buckeyes decided that they had a win over Minnesota in the bag.

     However, the Gophers had different ideas. 

     Tubby Smith's squad battled back valiantly and pulled to within 3 in the contest's final minute.  During the closing seconds, Austin Hollins launched a long 3-pointer in hopes of sending the game to overtime.  But William Buford swatted the shot away, sealing OSU's narrow victory.

     The Buckeyes leaned on David Lighty (19 points) throughout the game, and when he fouled out late in the 2nd half, Minnesota began its comeback.

     Sullinger recorded his 8th double-double as he scored 15 points and secured 12 rebounds.

     Trevor Mbakwe proved to be a worthy adversary for Sullinger, and the Gophers' forward actually bested the Ohio State freshman by 1 point in the scoring column.

Ohio State Football: Resilient Buckeyes Prevail in Exhilarating Sugar Bowl

1 - 4 - 11     vs. Arkansas     W, 31-26     12 - 1

     On December 23, the Ohio State Football program was dealt a painful blow when the NCAA ruled that 5 Buckeyes - Terrelle Pryor, Dan "Boom" Herron, Devier Posey, Mike Adams, and Solomon Thomas - violated rules by selling various awards and jerseys in exchange for money and discounted tattoos.  However, the penalty, a 5-game suspension, will not be enforced until the 2011 season, allowing the 5 players to play in the Sugar Bowl.

     Meanwhile, OSU's opponent, the Arkansas Razorbacks, entered the game in search of a signature win.  And adding more drama to the evening's proceedings was the fact that Ohio State had never defeated a team from the Southeastern Conference in 9 previous postseason attempts.

     Amid swirling clouds of controversy and speculation, the stage was now set for a thriller in the bayou.

     Ryan Mallet's first 3 passes fell incomplete, and, less than a minute into the game, Arkansas punted.
     Ohio State's ensuing possession resulted in the Buckeyes' oddest touchdown of the season.  Facing a 3rd-and-9 at UA 37-yard line, Terrelle Pryor knifed through the Hogs' defense before fumbling the football near the goal line.  Several Razorbacks had a chance to fall on the loose pigskin, but it was Dane Sanzenbacher who eventually made the recovery in the end zone, giving Ohio State an early 7-0 lead.



... Dane Sanzenbacher... made the recovery in the end zone...



     Following the touchdown, Devin Barclay tried to catch Arkansas off guard by executing a short kickoff.  The plan backfired, though, and the Razorbacks began their next offensive series with the ball resting on the Hogs' 49.  5 plays later, the score was tied as a result of Mallet's perfect, over-the-shoulder, 17-yard TD pass to Joe Adams.

     The Buckeyes' next drive covered 68 yards in 7 plays, and Dan Herron covered the final 9 yards on a bolt to pay dirt.  No Arkansas defender even came close to touching Herron, and it was apparent that the Razorbacks were overmatched defensively.

     Both defenses settled down after Herron's TD scamper, and the remainder of the 1st quarter was simply a trading of punts.

     The proverbial pendulum of momentum swung towards Ohio State early in the 2nd period because of a sensational play made by Cameron Heyward.  The senior defensive lineman batted a Ryan Mallet pass to the ground on a big 4th down deep in OSU territory.

     The Buckeyes gladly took control of the football, and they promptly took control of the game.  Pryor tossed a 42-yard strike to Reid Fragel, moving the ball across midfield and setting up Ohio State's 3rd score.  Under tremendous pressure, Pryor drifted backwards and fired a bullet to Sanzenbacher.  Sanzenbacher, on his knees, completed the 15-yard TD connection with a fine catch.

     The Bucks almost furthered their advantage at the 2nd quarter's 5:15 mark, but Barclay hooked a 50-yard field goal wide left.

     Not to be deterred, Ohio State forced a punt and went on the attack once more.  Pryor then wrapped up a 6-play, 68-yard march by lofting a 43-yard touchdown pass to Devier Posey.

     Arkansas kept its slim hopes of a comeback alive in the closing minutes of the 1st half.  The Razorbacks converted a 4th-and-15 on their way to the OSU 3.  Bobby Petrino had an important decision in front of him at this point.  With 4 seconds left, he could either order Mallet to throw for the touchdown, or he could send out his field goal unit.  He went with the latter, less risky, choice, and Zach Hocker banged home a 20-yard 3-pointer.
     Both place kickers, OSU's Barclay and UA's Hocker, made 46-yard field goals during the early stages of the 2nd half, and as the 3rd quarter neared its culmination, Ohio State still maintained an 18-point cushion.
     Late in the 3rd, Arkansas embarked on a comeback that was aided by several key injuries to Buckeye defenders.  The most costly of these injuries was the one sustained by star cornerback Chimdi Chekwa. 

     The Hogs pulled to within 10 on a Mallet 22-yard touchdown pass to Jarius Wright and Mallets' subsequent 2-point conversion toss to D.J. Williams.



... Ryan Mallet 22-yard touchdown pass to Jarius Wright...



     The start of the 4th period did nothing to derail the Razorbacks' furious rally.  Arkansas' suddenly inspired defense stuffed Herron behind his own goal line for a safety, even though Herron should have received forward progress out to the 1 or 2-yard line.  Regardless, it was now a 1-possession game, and momentum was clearly on the Hogs' side.

     The safety punt was a short one, and Arkansas quickly drove into field goal range.  Hocker completed the swift march by knocking through a 47-yard kick.
     Good fortune continued to smile on the Razorbacks as Herron fumbled on a 4th-and-1 plunge.  Herron would have picked up the 1st down, but the ball was punched back behind the line of scrimmage, resulting in a turnover-on-downs.
     The Hogs now had possession at the OSU 37, needing only a touchdown to take the lead.  But the Buckeyes dug in heroically and held Arkansas to a 3-and-out.
     Ohio State then ran the clock down to the 1:15 mark before lining up to punt.
     Ben Buchanan fielded the snap cleanly and swung his right foot skyward.  Incredibly, Colton Miles-Nash burst through the line and blocked the kick.  Julian Horton raced in from the outside and had nothing but green grass in front of him, but, after momentarily bobbling the ball, he simply fell on it.
      The Razorbacks were now in prime position to finish off their amazing comeback with possession at the OSU 17.  Mallet's 1st down pass was dropped by D.J. Williams.  It was the Hogs' 6th drop of the night.  On 2nd down, the Buckeyes brought a blitz and Mallet, feeling the heat, flipped the ball into the left flat and into the waiting arms of Solomon Thomas.  The 5th member of the tattoo scandal cradled the ball to his chest and fell to the ground.


... Solomon Thomas... cradled the ball to his chest and fell to the ground...

      Pryor, hobbled by a serious foot injury sustained on the previous drive, finished the game by performing 2 kneel-downs.

     As confetti rained down during the postgame celebration, Terrelle Pryor accepted the Sugar Bowl's MVP trophy and told Ohio State fans how sorry he was for the off-field problems.  This scene may have been nauseating to people around the country, but to members of Buckeye Nation, the moment symbolized a victory that Pryor and his team desperately needed.    

... As confetti rained down... Terrelle Pryor...

Offensive Player of the Game

Terrelle Pryor: 14-25 (completions-attempts), 221 yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions; 15 carries, 115 yards

     Terrelle Pryor definitely has his shortcomings but it is hard to argue with his 2 most recent BCS performances.  A year ago, in the Rose Bowl against Oregon, Pryor amassed 337 yards of total offense as he led the Buckeyes to a decisive win.  368 days later, Pryor compiled 336 and another victory.

Defensive Player of the Game

Cameron Heyward: 6 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1 pass break-up, 1 sack

     Some so-called "experts" believe Cameron Heyward is too short to be a dominant player in the NFL.

     Arkansas, undoubtedly, would beg to differ.

     Heyward led an all-out assault on Ryan Mallet that resulted in 4 sacks of the Hogs' quarterback.



Cameron Heyward



    

Play of the Game

Solomon Thomas's interception in the 4th quarter

     The most important play of the game. 

     The most important play of the season. 

     Enough said.

Ohio State Men's Basketball: Sullinger, Buckeyes Edge Iowa

1 - 4 - 10     at Iowa     W, 73 - 68     15 - 0

     Ohio State picked the perfect night on which to stage a less-than-impressive performance.  Playing in front of a sparse, Iowa City crowd while the Sugar Bowl was in progress, the Buckeyes struggled to put away a pesky Hawkeye team.  Fortunately, Ohio State survived and remained in the ranks of the unbeaten.

     Jared Sullinger was once again the Buckeyes' best player, but it was definitely a painful night for the fab freshman.  Iowa's players elbowed Sullinger in the face, pushed him in the back, and shoved him in the chest.  Sullinger, though, still managed to rack up 24 points and 12 rebounds.  Meanwhile, two of Iowa's best forwards, Jarryd Cole and Andrew Brommer, picked up 4 personal fouls apiece as a result of the abuses they dished out at the expense of Sullinger.

     The Hawkeyes actually led by 6 after 20 minutes of action, but Ohio State rattled off a 15-0 run to seize control of the contest. 

     On the strength of some impressive long-range shooting, Iowa was able to cut OSU's lead to 3 with less than a minute to play.  However, David Lighty (12 pts., 6 reb.) made a key lay-up, and Aaron Craft (6 pts, 7 ast.) converted a pair of critical free throws to ice the game for Ohio State.

    

Ohio State Men's Basketball: Buckeyes Roll in Big Ten Opener

12 - 31 - 10     at Indiana     W, 85 - 67     14 - 0

     Led by William Buford's 24 points and Jared Sullinger's 19, Ohio State blew past Indiana to win its first conference game of the season.

     Buford was the Buckeyes' spark plug in the 1st half.  The junior guard scored OSU's initial 8 points, and his 5 3-pointers loosened up the Hoosier defense.

     Sullinger was quiet from a scoring standpoint during the early action, but his size took a costly toll on IU.  As a direct result of Sullinger's physical play, two Indiana forwards, Tom Pritchard and Derek Elston, fouled out of the contest in the opening minutes of the 2nd half.  Eventually, Sullinger's shots began to fall, and he wound up one rebound shy of a double-double.

     Jon Diebler canned all 5 of his long-range shots, helping Ohio State make an incredible 13 of 19 3s.

     David Lighty's 11 points made him the 4th Buckeye to record double-digits in the game. 

     OSU cruised to a 13-point cushion at halftime, and the Hoosiers never seriously threatened the Buckeyes following the intermission.