Ohio State Men's Basketball: Buckeyes Too Much For Short-Handed Gophers

2 - 6 - 11     at Minnesota     W, 82-69     24 - 0

     Playing without their starting point guard, Al Nolen, the Minnesota Golden Gophers simply could not keep pace with Ohio State as the top-ranked Buckeyes rolled to a 24th consecutive victory.

     The adverse effects of Nolen's injury were clearly evident in the game's box score.  The Gophers turned the basketball over a startling 19 times, a statistic largely attributable to Nolen's absence.

     Ohio State, though, experienced no such offensive problems due to the fact that all 5 starters - Dallas Lauderdale, Jared Sullinger, David Lighty, Jon Diebler, and William Buford - scored in double figures.

Lighty's 19 points led OSU

      Lighty's 19 points led all scorers, and the senior guard's electric 1st half play sparked OSU to an 8-point lead at the intermission.
     The story of the 2nd half can be summed up in two words: Jared Sullinger.  The ridiculously talented freshman tallied 18 points, 12 of which were scored after halftime, and he also secured 13 rebounds.  It was Sully's 11th double-double.    
     Thanks to Sullinger and his cohorts, Minnesota never mounted a serious rally in the final 20 minutes of action.