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Ohio State wins in East Lansing for the first time in 12 years, beating Spartans 60-57
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports
Led by Jake Diebler, Ohio State picked up its first win at Breslin in over a decade Sunday afternoon thanks to huge three from Dale Bonner.
Hoping to finish the season on a high note before embarking on what’s sure to be transformational and crucial offseason for the program, the Ohio State men’s basketball team (16-12, 6-11) traveled to the house of horrors better known as the Breslin Center on Sunday afternoon.
Ohio State has lost nine consecutive games in East Lansing, dating back to 2012 when William Buford stunned the Spartan fans and earned the Buckeyes a share of the 2012 Big Ten title. That was Thad Matta’s final win at Breslin, as he went winless in the over his final four season. Chris Holtmann did not win at Breslin either in his seven seasons (although he was fired before he had a chance to coach there this season).
The Spartans (17-11 9-8) have won five of their last seven, but are coming off a suprising home loss to Iowa Tuesday night. Michigan State was 13-3 at home this season, entering Sunday’s game.
With Jamison Battle out with an ankle injury, Jake Diebler went with a starting five of Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Evan Mahaffey, Scotty Middleton, and Felix Okpara. Now in his 29th season at the head of the Michigan State men’s basketball program, Tom Izzo went with a starting five of Tyson Walker, A.J. Hoggard, Malik Hall, Jaden Akins, and Xavier Booker.
Only one personal foul was called through the first 6:26 of the game, which meant the first media timeout didn’t come until the 13:24 mark when Booker swatted Gayle’s layup attempt out of bounds. That kept the score 13-8 in favor of the home team at the first media timeout. Michigan State hit each of its first three shots to get the fans on their feet. Ohio State, meanwhile, knocked down three of its first 11. Gayle and Okpara each had four of OSU’s eight points by the first media timeout.
The Spartans held onto that slim lead for most of the first half, and held a 19-15 advantage at the under-eight media timeout with 5:59 remaining in the half. Michigan State extended that lead to 27-18 in the final minutes of the half, and upped it to 32-22 by halftime.
Michigan State did a good job sending multiple people at Bruce Thornton and making him give the ball up, knowing that Ohio State’s only capable three-point shooter was out. The Spartans didn’t exactly torch the nets in the first half either (40.7% overall), but it was more than enough to build a lead with Ohio State struggling to even shoot 25%.
Thornton had seven points on 2-of-7 shooting in the first half as Ohio State’s leading scorer over the first 20 minutes. Hall had nine points and five rebounds in the first half for Michigan State, which saw seven different guys score in the first half alone.
Ohio State cut the MSU lead to 42-36 with 13:50 left in the game, but did not get back in transition on back-to-back possessions, which allowed Sisoko and Hoggard to score and make it 46-36 with 12:18 left in the game. Ohio State was eternally searching for that “next stop” that would perhaps make it a one-possession game. The Buckeyes were chasing for the entire game, but never seemed out of it — nor did the home fans ever seem completely comfortable with their 6-to-10 point lead.
After falling behind 50-38, the Buckeyes mounted a 13-2 run to get back within one point, 52-51, with 6:04 left in the game. Hall responded with a bucket to make it 54-51, and we went into the final media timeout with a tight game — Michigan State by three with just under four minutes left.
The Buckeyes grabbed the win on a massive three-pointer from Dale Bonner at the buzzer, which wrapped up a shocking 60-57 win over the Spartans in East Lansing — its first since 2012.
If you weren’t around Sunday afternoon to witness Ohio State pull off a stunner in East Lansing and pick up its first win in Breslin in 12 years, here’s a few moments and plays that played a big part in the win:
If you weren’t around Sunday afternoon to catch Ohio State lose its 18th-consecutive road game and 10th-straight at Breslin, here are some key moments and plays that ultimately led to another Michigan State winner:
Last March when the Buckeyes traveled to East Lansing, Michigan State hit 7 of its first 10 shots and jumped out to an early 17-4 lead over Ohio State. The Buckeyes did make it a one-possession game towards the very end, but might have emerged victorious had they not let the Spartans jump out to such a huge lead early on.
Different head coach, same start for Ohio State this year at Breslin. The Spartans came out firing, hitting their first three shots and taking an 8-2 lead over Ohio State in the first two minutes.
After going bananas in the second half against Minnesota, Bruce Thornton was mostly silenced over the first 20 minutes in East Lansing. The combo of the two veteran guards Hoggard and Walker did a good job getting into the chest and arms of Thornton, mking it hard for him to do anything but give the ball up. Thornton’s first basket of the game didn’t come until a three-pointer with 7:46 left in the game cut the Michign State lead to 17-15.
After Thornton hit two free throws to cut Michigan State’s lead back to single-digits with 29 seconds left, the Buckeyes had an opportunity to get a stop and go into the locker room only down eight.
Ohio State forced a miss by Hoggard, but both Gayle and Hoggard swatted the rebound into the air off the miss. Both guards ran for it, but Hoggard came up with the loose ball. He passed off to Walker, who took a bunch of dribbles and then dropped in a hook shot off the glass at the buzzer to put the Spartans up 32-22 at halftime.
It was a possession that only put Michigan State up 10, but felt like a huge moment for an Ohio State team that has struggled to finish defensive possessions recently. Had they grabbed the loose ball and found a way to score, they could’ve been down six at half. Instead, they trailed by 10.
Breslin’s promotion for free throws is simple: if a visiting player misses two free throws, you all get chicken nuggets. Fortunately for the fans clad in green and white, Evan Mahaffey was willing to oblige for the nuggies.
With the Spartans leading 36-26 roughly three minutes into the second half, Booker was called for a foul on Mahaffey, who had tried to knock down a hook shot over the seven-foot freshman.
Mahaffey missed the first, and the volume turned up to 10. The public adress announcer shouted, “LET’S HEAR IT FOR NUGGETS” and the Izzone went bananas. Mahaffey’s second was not close, and the arena celebrated loudly for their free nuggets.
Trailing 52-46 with 6:42 left in the game, Key corralled a miss from Mahaffey and put it back up, absorbing contact from Hall on the way up and getting the call. Key knocked down the free throw as well, making it 52-49.
Ohio State (16-12, 6-11) have three days off and then will welcome the fifth-place Nebraska Cornhuskers (19-8, 9-7) to Columbus on Thursday night. Nebraska will be lookin for a season sweep after easily dispatching Ohio State 83-69 in Lincoln back on January 23.
Thursday night’s game between Nebraska and Ohio State will tip off at 6:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on FS1.
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Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports
Led by Jake Diebler, Ohio State picked up its first win at Breslin in over a decade Sunday afternoon thanks to huge three from Dale Bonner.
Hoping to finish the season on a high note before embarking on what’s sure to be transformational and crucial offseason for the program, the Ohio State men’s basketball team (16-12, 6-11) traveled to the house of horrors better known as the Breslin Center on Sunday afternoon.
Ohio State has lost nine consecutive games in East Lansing, dating back to 2012 when William Buford stunned the Spartan fans and earned the Buckeyes a share of the 2012 Big Ten title. That was Thad Matta’s final win at Breslin, as he went winless in the over his final four season. Chris Holtmann did not win at Breslin either in his seven seasons (although he was fired before he had a chance to coach there this season).
The Spartans (17-11 9-8) have won five of their last seven, but are coming off a suprising home loss to Iowa Tuesday night. Michigan State was 13-3 at home this season, entering Sunday’s game.
With Jamison Battle out with an ankle injury, Jake Diebler went with a starting five of Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Evan Mahaffey, Scotty Middleton, and Felix Okpara. Now in his 29th season at the head of the Michigan State men’s basketball program, Tom Izzo went with a starting five of Tyson Walker, A.J. Hoggard, Malik Hall, Jaden Akins, and Xavier Booker.
Only one personal foul was called through the first 6:26 of the game, which meant the first media timeout didn’t come until the 13:24 mark when Booker swatted Gayle’s layup attempt out of bounds. That kept the score 13-8 in favor of the home team at the first media timeout. Michigan State hit each of its first three shots to get the fans on their feet. Ohio State, meanwhile, knocked down three of its first 11. Gayle and Okpara each had four of OSU’s eight points by the first media timeout.
The Spartans held onto that slim lead for most of the first half, and held a 19-15 advantage at the under-eight media timeout with 5:59 remaining in the half. Michigan State extended that lead to 27-18 in the final minutes of the half, and upped it to 32-22 by halftime.
Michigan State did a good job sending multiple people at Bruce Thornton and making him give the ball up, knowing that Ohio State’s only capable three-point shooter was out. The Spartans didn’t exactly torch the nets in the first half either (40.7% overall), but it was more than enough to build a lead with Ohio State struggling to even shoot 25%.
Thornton had seven points on 2-of-7 shooting in the first half as Ohio State’s leading scorer over the first 20 minutes. Hall had nine points and five rebounds in the first half for Michigan State, which saw seven different guys score in the first half alone.
Ohio State cut the MSU lead to 42-36 with 13:50 left in the game, but did not get back in transition on back-to-back possessions, which allowed Sisoko and Hoggard to score and make it 46-36 with 12:18 left in the game. Ohio State was eternally searching for that “next stop” that would perhaps make it a one-possession game. The Buckeyes were chasing for the entire game, but never seemed out of it — nor did the home fans ever seem completely comfortable with their 6-to-10 point lead.
After falling behind 50-38, the Buckeyes mounted a 13-2 run to get back within one point, 52-51, with 6:04 left in the game. Hall responded with a bucket to make it 54-51, and we went into the final media timeout with a tight game — Michigan State by three with just under four minutes left.
The Buckeyes grabbed the win on a massive three-pointer from Dale Bonner at the buzzer, which wrapped up a shocking 60-57 win over the Spartans in East Lansing — its first since 2012.
If you weren’t around Sunday afternoon to witness Ohio State pull off a stunner in East Lansing and pick up its first win in Breslin in 12 years, here’s a few moments and plays that played a big part in the win:
If you weren’t around Sunday afternoon to catch Ohio State lose its 18th-consecutive road game and 10th-straight at Breslin, here are some key moments and plays that ultimately led to another Michigan State winner:
Deja Vu in Breslin
Last March when the Buckeyes traveled to East Lansing, Michigan State hit 7 of its first 10 shots and jumped out to an early 17-4 lead over Ohio State. The Buckeyes did make it a one-possession game towards the very end, but might have emerged victorious had they not let the Spartans jump out to such a huge lead early on.
Different head coach, same start for Ohio State this year at Breslin. The Spartans came out firing, hitting their first three shots and taking an 8-2 lead over Ohio State in the first two minutes.
Hoggard, Walker keep Thornton bottled up early
After going bananas in the second half against Minnesota, Bruce Thornton was mostly silenced over the first 20 minutes in East Lansing. The combo of the two veteran guards Hoggard and Walker did a good job getting into the chest and arms of Thornton, mking it hard for him to do anything but give the ball up. Thornton’s first basket of the game didn’t come until a three-pointer with 7:46 left in the game cut the Michign State lead to 17-15.
Tough final possession for Ohio State as Walker sends Spartans into break up 10
After Thornton hit two free throws to cut Michigan State’s lead back to single-digits with 29 seconds left, the Buckeyes had an opportunity to get a stop and go into the locker room only down eight.
Ohio State forced a miss by Hoggard, but both Gayle and Hoggard swatted the rebound into the air off the miss. Both guards ran for it, but Hoggard came up with the loose ball. He passed off to Walker, who took a bunch of dribbles and then dropped in a hook shot off the glass at the buzzer to put the Spartans up 32-22 at halftime.
It was a possession that only put Michigan State up 10, but felt like a huge moment for an Ohio State team that has struggled to finish defensive possessions recently. Had they grabbed the loose ball and found a way to score, they could’ve been down six at half. Instead, they trailed by 10.
Nuggets!
Breslin’s promotion for free throws is simple: if a visiting player misses two free throws, you all get chicken nuggets. Fortunately for the fans clad in green and white, Evan Mahaffey was willing to oblige for the nuggies.
With the Spartans leading 36-26 roughly three minutes into the second half, Booker was called for a foul on Mahaffey, who had tried to knock down a hook shot over the seven-foot freshman.
Mahaffey missed the first, and the volume turned up to 10. The public adress announcer shouted, “LET’S HEAR IT FOR NUGGETS” and the Izzone went bananas. Mahaffey’s second was not close, and the arena celebrated loudly for their free nuggets.
Key gets Ohio State within three
Trailing 52-46 with 6:42 left in the game, Key corralled a miss from Mahaffey and put it back up, absorbing contact from Hall on the way up and getting the call. Key knocked down the free throw as well, making it 52-49.
Bonner wins it!
ONIONS!
Up Next:
Ohio State (16-12, 6-11) have three days off and then will welcome the fifth-place Nebraska Cornhuskers (19-8, 9-7) to Columbus on Thursday night. Nebraska will be lookin for a season sweep after easily dispatching Ohio State 83-69 in Lincoln back on January 23.
Thursday night’s game between Nebraska and Ohio State will tip off at 6:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on FS1.
Continue reading...