Ohio State led by 17 points over Michigan, 65 to 48, with less than two minutes left to play Saturday and it looked safe to say that the former would be playing in their third straight Big 10 championship game. Color commentator Clark Kellogg thought so too, as he made fun of coach Thad Matta for keeping his starters in the game.
Matta’s decision ended up being fortuitous, as Michigan went on a 13-0 run to cut the lead down to four points with 21 seconds left to play. The Buckeyes were able to pull out the victory in the end, winning 68 to 61 thanks to key free throws by their two senior guards.
By: Justin Mertes-Mistretta
Heading into their game Saturday, the Buckeyes seemed vulnerable following their lackadaisical showing Friday against Northwestern. The Wildcats exposed Ohio State’s lack of depth, which was tested once again Saturday.
How they won: In the first half, guards David Lighty and Aaron Craft were both in foul trouble, forcing the Buckeyes to go to their bench early on. Freshmen Jordan Sibbert and Deshaun Thomas both logged major minutes.
“We battled through foul trouble there in the first half,” Matta said. “Jordan (Sibert) and Deshaun (Thomas) came in and really did a good job.”
Sibert, who didn’t even see the court against Northwestern, only attempted one shot in the 11 minutes he was on the court. However, that one shot was worth a four point shift, as he stole a pass and went coast-to-coast for a sensational dunk.
Thomas, who has received my tireless praise, provided well-rounded production in his 21 minutes of play. Indiana’s former Mr. Basketball continued to flash his offensive talent, scoring nine points on 5-for-6 shooting. He also showed that he was more than just a scorer, blocking a shot and grabbing four rebounds, one of which was an offensive put-back for a dunk.
The other freshman, some guy by the name of Jared Sullinger, returned to his typical dominant self, which was missing in Friday’s game. As a matter of fact, Sullinger’s layup at the 10:45 mark in the first half was his first field goal in 48 minutes, dating back to the Northwestern game. From that point on, the big freshman was unstoppable as he recorded his 16th double-double of the season.
En route to scoring 14 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, Jared “Sully” Sullinger displayed suction cup-like hands, the strength of an ox, and the footwork of a ballerina. Anything that was near the basket was snatched by “Sully,” whether it be an post entry pass or a rebound. He used his body to finish in traffic and even took a charge on the defensive end.
Unfortunately for Michigan, and any team that has to face Ohio State in the NCAA tourney, it was not just Sullinger who did damage. Jon Diebler knocked down three 3s, finishing with 16 points. William Buford also got in on the action as he displayed his picture perfect jump shot off the dribble. He scored six straight points during a 16-0 second half run and finished with 14 points.
“My teammates were able to give me the ball in the spots where I could knock them down and they were just falling for me,” Buford said.
While it was a concerning final two minutes for the Buckeyes, it dominated most of the second half and showed why it is such a dangerous team. It has five legitimate scorers, possibly six if Thomas were to get more consistent playing time. If you try to pack it in to stop Sullinger, Diebler and Buford will light it up from outside. Ohio State proved Saturday, and all year long, that it is one of the most balanced teams in the country.
Next Game: Big 10 championship game against Penn State @ 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.
A win over Penn State Sunday would ensure the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament. A victory will not be easy against a hot Nittany Lion team that lost to Ohio State by just three points back in mid-January. However, the Buckeyes have a more selective memory, remembering its most recent matchup, which was 82-61 in favor of Ohio State.
What do you think? Can the skilled backcourt combo of Talor Battle and Tim Frazier give the Buckeyes enough of a fight to pull off the upset? Let me know by commenting below.
Justin Mertes-Mistretta is a senior writer for TheSportsBank.net. Follow him on Twitter at MertesMist_tsb or read his blog here.