Moments that mattered: Ohio State’s 80-69 loss to Big Ten champion Michigan State
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
The short-handed Buckeyes battled hard, but this one slipped away in the final ten minutes in East Lansing.

Coming off a come from behind, knock down, drag-out victory over No. 23 Illinois earlier this week, the Buckeyes had a chance on Sunday to crush yet another team’s hopes of winning a share of the Big Ten Championship.

Illinois (20-10, 12-7) needed to win their final two games to collect a share of the conference title, but Ohio State was unrelenting, coming back from deficits of 11, 9, and 8, durnig that game to ultimately dispatch the Illini, 71-63. Kaleb Wesson scored 19 in the victory, but it was E.J. Liddell’s 17 points and 11 rebounds off the bench (both season highs) that sparked Ohio State (21-10, 11-9) to victory earlier this week.

Sunday provided a similar framework for Ohio State’s next opponent. With a win, Michigan State (22-9, 13-6) became part of a three-way tie for the Big Ten championship along with Maryland and Wisconsin. The three are “co-champions” and each get a B1G championship trophy.

It was also senior day on Sunday for Cassius Winston, the Spartans’ leading scorer and an all-time MSU great. Winston’s brother Zachary committed suicide in the fall, and Michigan State coach Tom Izzo recently said that coaching this team through the tragedy has been “the most difficult thing he’s had to do in his career.” Winning a conference title with this team and what they’ve been through would be an impressive feat, but first they had to get through the Buckeyes.

With a win, Ohio State would have entered the Big Ten Tournament as the five-seed and would play the winner of the 12-13 game on Thursday. With a loss, they would either be the six or seven-seed, depending on the outcome of Sunday night’s matchup between Illinois and Iowa.

While the Buckeyes punched back several times Sunday after falling behind by as much as a dozen, ultimately they were not able to corral Winston and his Spartans, as Ohio State fell 80-69. After trailing by six at halftime, OSU came right out of the gate in the second half and tied the game 42-42.

They continued to go punch-for-punch with the Spartans until about the 10:00 mark, but Winston and Rocket Watts, who combined to score 46 points, were too much for the short-handed Buckeyes. Saddled with foul trouble early, Ohio State did not have much depth to lean on with Kyle Young, D.J. Carton, and Alonzo Gaffney all unavailable. Because of this, the Buckeyes had to play defense less aggressively, and Michigan State took full advantage.

Duane Washington Jr. led Ohio State with 16 points. CJ Walker chipped in 14 as well. MSU was led by Winston’s 27 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds.

What were the key plays from Ohio State’s loss on Sunday? Here are the moments that mattered:

Rocket Watts blasts off


With Ohio State leading 7-4 early, Michigan State went on a 12-0 run over the course of the next 2:12, including eight straight points from Michigan State freshman guard Rocket Watts. This early outburst gave Michigan State a 16-7 lead, forcing Holtmann to use a timeout at the 14:31 mark of the first half. Ohio State never regained the lead from that point on.

Muhammad’s trouble with Cassius


The matchup of Luther Muhammad guarding Cassius Winston was supposed to be a great one, with Muhammad being one of the best on-ball defenders in the conference and Winston being possibly the toughest guard in the conference to defend. Muhammad struggled right from tip, picking up two fouls in the first eight minutes, including fouling Winston on a three-pointer at the 12:29 mark. Winston hit all three free throws, giving MSU a 21-10 lead.

Dueling PGs


CJ Walker has really stepped up lately for Ohio State, averaging just over 14 points per game during their four-game winning streak. Winston has been doing it all season, averaging 18.3 points per game this season. Winston had 27 for MSU, while CJ Walker dropped 14 on seven-of-ten shooting. Walker’s coast to coast layup at the 1:00 mark of the first half pulled the Buckeyes to within four points, 36-32.

Tillman’s buzzer beater


On Michigan State’s final possession of the first half, with three Buckeyes collapsing around him, Xavier Tillman hit a fading, turnaround jumper at the buzzer to give the Spartans a 36-32 halftime lead.

Big trouble on the boards


MSU out-rebounded Ohio State 36-30, including 11 offensive rebounds. Ohio State had only six offensive rebounds. Michigan State also had 14 second-chance points compared to Ohio State’s nine.

The Rocket returns


After his initial outburst, Watts stayed mostly quiet until the 9:35 mark of the second half, when he hit a three and was fouled by Walker. He hit the free throw, completing the four-point play. On the very next MSU possession, he was hand-checked by Walker, drawing the foul. Already in the bonus, Watts hit both free throws to give the Spartans a 62-51 lead. Watts would finish with 19, his third-highest scoring output of the season.

Washington Jr.’s shot clock-beating triple


At the 8:37 mark with Ohio State down 11, Duane Washington Jr. hit a three-pointer with the shot clock down to two seconds. His shot got the Buckeyes back to within eight points while Michigan State threatened to blow the game open. Washington Jr. would end the game with a team-high 16 points.

Up Next:


Ohio State’s next game won’t come until Thursday in the Big Ten Tournament. Ohio State will enter the tournament as either the six or seven seed, depending on the winner of tonight’s Iowa-Illinois game. The times for these games are still to be announced. All games will be played in Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The first two rounds will be broadcast on BTN.

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Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Michigan State: Game preview, prediction
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images
With the last regular season game upon us, the Buckeyes look to finish on a high note.

The No. 19 Ohio State Buckeyes men’s basketball team has certainly made a comeback in the last month, and this hot streak is the one Ohio State fans have been hoping for as the squad wraps up the regular season.

After a serious slump in January, which included one stretch where the Buckeyes lost six-of-seven games, Ohio State has emerged with a four-game win streak which has included three victories over ranked opponents and one dominant conquest on the road. With these wins in the books, the Buckeyes rose to the No. 15 spot in the latest NET rankings. All told, Ohio State has truly flipped the script from the early Big Ten season, now having won six of the last seven as the Buckeyes seem to have gotten hot at exactly the right time.

The Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament opens in Indianapolis next Wednesday, but Ohio State won’t start play until Thursday or (hopefully) Friday. That’s because the Buckeyes still have a narrow shot at a top-four seed and two byes, though they’ll need some help along the way to get there.

Now, the Buckeyes prepare for their final regular season game of the year as they hit the road to take on No. 16 Michigan State at 4:30 ET in East Lansing.

Preview


Ohio State’s recent win streak has proven that the Buckeyes can win the close game (e.g., Michigan, Maryland) as well as put away an opponent while maintaining a big lead early (e.g., Nebraska). However, what they’d yet to show recently was a true comeback win.

That changed Thursday when the Buckeyes defeated the No. 23 Illinois Fighting Illini 71-63. Despite being down 37-30 at the half, with the Illini leading by as many as 11 and holding a lead well into the second half, Ohio State surged late at home to secure the eight-point victory.

In Thursday’s matchup, junior forward Kaleb Wesson emerged once again for the Buckeyes, pouring in 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting. And once again coming off the bench to provide an injection of scoring for Ohio State was freshman forward EJ Liddell, who totaled 17 points on the night. Junior point guard C.J. Walker added 15 of his own, also off the bench, though 11 of those points came from the free throw line as Walker connected on just two field goals all night. Senior Andre Wesson played all 40 minutes for the Buckeyes, adding eight points.

Ohio State finished the game shooting 38.6% from the field while giving up 43.6% to Illinois. The Buckeyes won the rebound battle 38-31, and had 11 turnovers to Illinois’ 14. A crucial point in such a tight game, the Buckeyes shot 28 free throws (making 24) compared to just 10 for the Illini.

Additionally, despite the three-point shot having proven a critical part of Ohio State’s success thus far this season, the Buckeyes also proved they could win without the three, as Ohio State was just 3-for-15 from beyond the arc.

With injuries to forwards Kyle Young (high-ankle sprain) and Alonzo Gaffney (illness), it certainly helped that guard play has been outstanding for the Buckeyes in recent weeks, and that Liddell has stepped up to such a degree as he has.

Michigan State, meanwhile, is well on the verge of winning its third-straight regular season conference championship. That opportunity is surprising, given the overall strength of Maryland and the fact the Spartans lost four of five in the middle of February. However, Tom Izzo is not one to let his teams get down when it comes to March, as Michigan State hasn’t missed the big dance since 1997. Like the Buckeyes, Sparty is surging at the right time, with Michigan State jumping to the No. 7 spot in the latest NET rankings.

On that note, Tom Izzo has been at the helm in East Lansing since 1995. Through 24 seasons, Izzo has won nine Big Ten regular season titles, tournament titles or, on three occasions, both. Truly a living legend. Izzo has also taken his team to eight final fours, winning a national title in 2000.

On the court, Izzo once again has a superstar in Cassius Winston — the senior point guard who has stuck with the team despite an opportunity to enter the draft last season. Winston was the 2018-19 Big Ten Player of the Year and hasn’t slowed down in the 2019-20 campaign. In his final year in East Lansing, Winston is averaging 18.3 points per game, which is good for third in the conference behind Iowa’s Luka Garza and Minnesota’s Daniel Oturu. Winston has also been a threat from range, connecting on nearly 43% from beyond the arc — a Big Ten-best. Rounding out the point guard’s skillset, Winston is averaging 5.9 assists per game.

Xavier Tillman has also been a boon for the Spartans this season. In addition to his 13.7 points on 55% shooting (!), Tillman is pulling down 10.4 rebounds per game — also a top-three mark in the Big Ten — while averaging three assists, 1.2 steals and 2.1 blocked shots per game.

Overall, the Spartans are second in the conference in scoring offense, averaging just under 76 points per game on 46% shooting. Sparty also boasts the best field goal defense in the conference, allowing just 37.6% of all shots and a mere 28.7% from range. Michigan State is also tops in the conference in blocked shots per game (5.0) and assists per game (17.7).

While the Buckeyes’ recent win streak has been something to celebrate, Michigan State has been riding its own in recent weeks. After falling at home against No. 9 Maryland Feb 15, Sparty has posted a 4-0 record, with wins at Nebraska, home against No. 18 Iowa, on the road against Maryland (the Terps’ first loss and so far only loss at home this season) and, most recently, on the road against No. 20 Penn State.

The three recent wins in particular are feathers in the cap for Michigan State’s tournament resume, with the Spartans sitting as high as a No. 3 seed according to some projections. Of notable importance is the victory over Maryland which, like Ohio State’s win over the Terps, gave the Spartans a signature conference win. However, the one-upper in favor of Michigan State is the fact Sparty accomplished this feat on the road.

Prediction


ESPN BPI: Ohio State 27.4%

This afternoon marks the first and, obviously, only time Ohio State and Michigan State face off in the regular season this year. Per the usual, it doesn’t help that the Buckeyes are facing Izzo’s squad on the road, and Ohio State isn’t getting a ton of respect in the lead up to this game.

On the whole, it bears emphasizing just how loaded the conference is this season, and just how much Big Ten teams have beaten one another up. Regardless, up to 11 Big Ten teams (more likely 10) could make the 68-team NCAA Tournament field. That number feels right, since, in the latest AP Poll, the Big Ten had eight teams ranked, with Maryland holding the highest spot at No. 9. Michigan State has a lot to play for this afternoon, as Sparty is still actively fighting for the top-seed in the Big Ten Tournament.

For the Buckeyes, this afternoon marks a chance to end the regular season on a high note, but they’ll have to overcome an opponent that, so like themselves, is getting hot at just the right time. Additionally, they’ll have to keep playing through adversity, With Kyle Young day-to-day, and with freshman point guard DJ Carton still out, the Buckeyes have grown used to operating with a team that’s not 100%. Players like Liddell will need to continue to step up, not only today, but also with the start of the Big Ten Tournament next week.

LGHL final score prediction: 75-72 Michigan State

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I was carrying a full load, so that’s Ten Yards, (of concrete) And a Cloud of Dust, or, eighty-thousand pounds the hard way.

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ScriptOhio said:

Just sayin': Would be nice if he could, but to take out Clemson he'll need a lot more than six 4 star recruits.

Four-star 2021 QB flips commitment from Alabama to North Carolina

On top of that, Maye goes to high school in North Carolina. On top of that, his brother, Drake Maye, played basketball for the Tar Heels.

Maye is rated as the No. 6 pro-style quarterback in the country. He’s also the No. 3 player regardless of position in the state of North Carolina.

With Maye’s commitment, North Carolina now has seven 2021 commitments, six of which are four-star prospects. That class for Brown & Company is currently sixth in the nation.

https://collegefootballtalk.nbcspor...commits-drake-maye-commits-to-north-carolina/

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Yeah I mean I’m sure he won’t start running the ACC but at least pulling off the upset could wreck their season given how awful the conference has been. He hasn’t been there long but if he can start getting some good QB play and put players in the NFL they might be more consistently competitive.

I just think he’s been a solid add to a pitiful conference vs the likes of Manny fing Diaz; I’m digressing.

HotMic said:

Does anyone have a pic/clip of the girl holding up the “nice” sign when they hit 69?

The commentary was great.

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The ESPN scoreboard graphic had not changed to 69 until after the sign was raised and at that point you cant see who is holding it on the broadcast.

BTW, Dick Furry is like a 1960 porn name.

Bucky32 said:

CCR, The Doors, The Byrds, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, in that order.

Also, it's funny how in many ways the Beach Boys are more appreciated in the UK than they are here.

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Jerry Lucas, Mel Nowell, 1960 Champs Tell Stories, Talk Basketball



Four members of the 1960 Ohio State men’s basketball national championship met with reporters prior to Thursday night’s game between the Buckeyes and Illinois.

Sixty years after they made their mark, the 1960 team is being honored Thursday night as they are still the lone Ohio State men’s basketball team to win it all.

Jerry Lucas, Mel Nowell, Joe Roberts, and Dick Furry traded tales and talked about the differences in the game from when they played, of which there are many.

To a man, they expressed how close they were as teammates and how close they remain as friends today.

“I text these guys every week,” Lucas said.

When asked what it meant to them in their lives to win a national championship, Furry simply talked about the lifelong friends he made and still has.

The team still gets together when they can and two of the widows of former teammates take part as well.

And just as it was back in their playing days, Lucas led the way up on the podium. Directing traffic, but also knowing when to add his own two cents.

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Entire article: https://theozone.net/2020/03/jerry-lucas-mel-nowell-1960-champs-tell-stories-talk-basketball/

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Fungo Squiggly said:

Alice Cooper is an odd guy. He gets my vote.

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Actually, it's pronounced "mill-e-wah-que" which is Algonquin for "the good land."

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My huge Bernie supporting daughter was telling me she wants Warren to drop out and throw her support behind Bernie. Asked her if she really felt that way, that the best place for a woman is supporting her man. She’ll eventually start talking to me again I think.

i know where Im headed in the morning.

Roderick gonna be a helluva transfer someday.

Bump just because

OSUBasketballJunkie said:

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ET’s Kill-Shot never gets old.

Never

Never. Never. Never.



Turner>Laettner