Buckeyes Hold Off Illini To Stop 3 Game Skid
D-Light’s 16 led OSU
In a game that wasn’t as close as the final score Thad Matta’s squad withstood a late 20-8 Illini run to escape with a 64-58 victory to end a three game losing streak.
All signs pointed to a blowout W after Kosta Koufos hit a triple to put OSU in front 53-38 with 8:55 to play but the season long problem of sustaining offense reared its head once again as the Buckeyes managed just two field goals the rest of the way featuring the typical rushed shot selection we’ve seen too many times before.
In the last 9 minutes, OSU shot 2/7 from the floor and 2/7 from the stripe allowing Illinois to cut the lead to 61-58 with :32 left before David Lighty made the play of the game grabbing Kosta Koufos’ second straight missed free throw. The Illini had no choice but to foul and Lighty promptly buried both free throws to give the Buckeyes a decisive 63-58 lead.
Lighty’s clutch free throws gave him a team high 16 points on the night to go along with 4 rebounds and 4 dimes. Of course, no Lighty statline would be complete without mentioning the 4 turnovers but I’ll take it considering this marked the first time since mid December (CSU/FLA) that he produced back to back games with at least 10 points.
Supporting Lighty, Evan Turner turned in another solid performance with 14 points on 6/8 shooting against just 2 turnovers in 34 minutes while Koufos added 12 points and 4 boards.
Jamar Butler was again held in check scoring just 7 points but the senior from Lima was effective in other areas notching 7 boards, 4 assists and 4 steals. Butler has now scored less than 10 points in back to back games and 4 of the last 6 as teams concentrate on limiting his touches forcing the younger players to fill the void.
For the game, OSU shot a blistering 55% from the field including 62% in the first half as the Buckeyes built a 33-23 lead.
The lead would slowly shrink, however, as the Buckeyes surrendered 16 offensive rebounds to offset poor shooting from the Illini. Overall, OSU lost the battle on the glass 30-24 and committed 15 turnovers while forcing 13.
On the bright side, the Buckeyes improved to 28-1 when Matt Terwilliger scores at least 4 points. The offensive machine from Troy poured in 5 points including a big three giving OSU a 50-35 cushion with with 11:04 to play.
That’s all I’ve got for you tonight as it’s way past my bedtime. I’m starting to think I wronged the Big Ten Network and Time Warner in a former life. Watching the games at a local watering hole sounds like a good idea until the beers start flowing on a Tuesday but it was worth it considering the victory and that I ran into a fan who follows the Buckeyes as passionately as all of you making the game more fun to watch.
Next up, TubbyTime at the Schott this Saturday.
14 Responses
Lighty’s rebound of a missed free throw by Koufos with the buckeyes only up 3 and under a minute was the play of the game. Him and Turner were spectacular.
ShoeWorker - January 23rd, 2008 at 1:31 am - #
i like taking both meetings from the illini. i mean, its like playing……….michigan, or something.
morgan - January 23rd, 2008 at 8:03 am - #
I’d enjoy the games a lot better if a) I had some notion that high school players across the country could watch Ohio State play (thanks for nothing, Big T[elev]en Network), and b) I could expect a consistent 10/6 out of David Lighty each outing.
Lighty’s just maddening. It’s like watching Eric Davis when he played with the Reds. You know the talent is there, but the consistency is hard to find. Aaargh.
Joe Fox - January 23rd, 2008 at 9:02 am - #
Hopefully the bar had a loud juke box because Keady and JJ are just plain brutal. Don’t get me wrong I love JJ, but it seems like they are also aware no one has BTN. Some of those camera angles are stupid as well. It’s fine to show replays, but showing long stretches of games from behind the basket is odd. It looked like Turner made a sick baseline move and finish but we’ll never really know.
Travis - January 23rd, 2008 at 10:45 am - #
I was just about to say the same thing Travis, JJ is brutal. I think Keady knows what he is talking about, he just doesn’t get a chance to speak, because JJ is stumbling over his words. Dave Remson is not a play by play guy either. The only saving grace for BTN telecast is HD. If this channel wasn’t in HD, I would be blasting their production, but their picture quality is light years ahead of the old school ESPN+.
Corey - January 23rd, 2008 at 10:54 am - #
In football news, Alex Barrow is not coming back and the Vest was in Georgia yesterday to visit with DE Keith Wells and his mom. I think I smell another commitment.
Corey - January 23rd, 2008 at 10:59 am - #
The entire BTN stable of personalities are absolutely horrible. There is not one game, show, or any other programming on that channel that has a decent host/commentator. It is deplorable that they cannot find a single decent person to host a show. I am one of the ‘lucky’ ones who has DirecTV so I have endured the BTN from its birth (I even DVR’d the countdown to launch, thinking it would be great). It is just bad. I watch the game with TV on mute and listen to The FAN.
Scott - January 23rd, 2008 at 11:01 am - #
Keady is terrible, but that hair of his is a hoot. I’ve never seen a comb-over better than his, save for the building super from “Seinfeld.”
“I don’t like Mr. Neeeeewwwwmann. He is an agitator. I deal with hiiimmm….”
Joe Fox - January 23rd, 2008 at 12:54 pm - #
it’s nice to see a frosh come on this season like turner has. koufos’ inconsistency (not to mention his fear of having his back to the basket) and threebier’s frigidness are getting seriously old. it’s hard to give turner any more minutes, but I really like what i see out of him.
and seriously, if Koufos is still a lottery pick, it just justifies my complete lack of interest in the NBA. most useless pro sport since fishing! Ha! honestly, how could anyone watch koufos and not think he needs at least 1 more season.
zach - January 23rd, 2008 at 2:40 pm - #
Zach, …..that’s an insult to fishing.
Wil - January 23rd, 2008 at 3:00 pm - #
i was going to say the WNBA, but thought that might be sexist. then came bowling, but i actually like bowling. or at least the drinking that goes along with it.
zach - January 23rd, 2008 at 3:34 pm - #
I thought the WNBA was just the NBA with the whole game viewed in slow motion.
Wil - January 23rd, 2008 at 4:07 pm - #
Chris, Thanks for the beer on Tuesday. Good talking with you and I will keep checking out the site. By the way…Evan Turner is “Cool as the other side of the pillow” as Stuart Scott would say. Go bucks!!!!
Looney - January 25th, 2008 at 1:36 pm - #
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