Turner: Big Ten's MVP had 26, 12 and 7It looked like Ohio State might let a resume builder slip through their fingers after losing a 64-59 lead with 1:53 in regulation but a 14-4 run to start the extra session allowed the Buckeyes to cruise to an 80-72 home victory over #13 Purdue.
Evan Turner was once again the best player on the floor backing up his Big Ten POW honor with a 26 point, 12 rebound, 7 assist effort. To Thad Matta's credit, he installed Turner at the point for long stretches allowing him to bring the ball up and immediately create off penetration.
The #1 FG% defense in the country couldn't stop Turner without help and when they rotated the rest of the Buckeyes made them pay. Ohio State shot a blistering 60.4% from the floor (32/53) thanks to stellar ball movement creating wide open shots all night long. How great was the ball movement? Besides Turner's seven dimes, Jon Diebler picked up seven and P.J. Hill six.
Wil Buford was a prime benefactor as he poured in 22 points, 17 in the second half, on 10/14 shooting.
B.J. Mullens also caught fire hitting 8/9 shots, all dunks or layups, on countless feeds following help side rotations.
It wasn't all about the offense, however as the Buckeye defense came to play outrebounding the Boilers 34-19. In fact, Purdue didn't register an offensive rebound until Keaton Grant's o-board and putback gave the Boilers a 41-40 lead with 15:55 to play.
Purdue would finish with only three offensive caroms on the night while the zone harassed the perimeter shooters into a 6/21 (28%) effort from beyond the arc.
Even with those statistical advantages in hand and Robbie Hummel not playing due to injury, OSU allowed Purdue to force OT after Turner missed the front end of a one and one with 3:17 left, then missed another free throw failing to convert a three point play leaving OSU in front 62-59 with 2:45 left.
Turner would score again on a driving layup extending the lead to 64-59 at the 1:53 mark but Grant answered with a triple cutting the lead to 64-62 with 1:25 remaining.
Still, it appeared OSU was in good shape with possession but Hill inexplicably turned it over on the wing with a lazy pass to a covered Jon Diebler allowing Chris Kramer to tie the game at 64 with a breakaway layup.
Out of timeout, Turner had to force the issue and turned it over but Lewis Jackson's long jumper with :03 failed to draw iron setting up the extra session.
Ohio State's confidence wasn't shaken, however as the quickly jumped on Purdue in overtime taking a 70-66 lead courtesy of a sweet drive and dish from Hill to set up a Dallas Lauderdale dunk followed by two free throws from Turner and a jumper from Diebler.
Following two free throws from JaJuan Johnson, who finished with a career high 30 points, the Buckeyes salted it away with an 8-0 run capped by a Diebler pass off the backboard to B.J. Mullens for the rim-rattler and a 78-68 lead with 20 ticks left. Me likey.
The victory moves Ohio State to 16-5 overall and 6-4 in conference with the Gophers coming to the Schott on Saturday night.
Comments
Ok i just got back from the game.
and the best player on the court was certainly not Evan Turner, Will Buford is the reason they won this game. Prime time shots, not throwing the ball away like Turner and P.J Hill... god are you trying to give the game away there p.j.
Turner was also terrible from the line... we should have won the game before overtime... all he had to do was make at least over 50% from the line.
Will Buford is the future of this team.
Super win. Considering Lighty is still on the sideline, they're not really deep on the bench, and they don't have a solid point guard, I think they're playing a little over their heads right now.
I love it when a team plays above their expectations. Their effort is paying off.
True that on Turner vying for Big 10 POY. And it's looking like Will Buford is locking down Big 10 Frosh of the Year. NIIICE. Huge resume building win on the Bucks march to the NCAA tournament. Now lets drop a L on the Gophers this Sat. nite.
Good win tonight. This is the first time we ahven't really had an answer for a team's best player. We even made Blake Griffin have a poor night shooting. he just got too many attempts.
i cant help but laugh at the poll question after watching PJ 'it's game time' Hill's pass at the end of regulation that led to that break away lay up to tie it up... that was pathetic
Be careful with comments like that unless you want Tampa Naismith to give you a lecture on the finer points of basketball and how you are a know nothing fantasy team hack.
Buford is a great scorer and he's my favorite player on the team but I think Turner is at a different level versatility-wise plus he's tasked with doing a lot more things than Buford. For those reasons, I think Turner was the best player on the floor and is clearly the best and most valuable player on the roster. Hands down. I mean, dude leads the team in rebounding at one end and brings it up the floor on the other. If Turner gets hit by a bus tomorrow OSU would win less games down the stretch than if the same fate met Buford. Agree or no?
Tampa Naismith. I LOL'd
Yeah..I was surprised OSU shot so well from the floor against what's usually a lockdown Boiler defense.
haha... naw i'd have to disagree with you. When Buforf was in they were looking for his almost everytime down the court. Tuner is a shoot first pass second player. He's reckless with the ball and with him and P.J Hill on the floor together bad things are going to happen... but i do love Hill's energy level on defense and Matta knows that too... late in the game Matta was pulling Hill out for Simmons on offense and bringing him back in for defense.
Tuner is going to be a great player but he needs to learn that they're are 4 other players on the court with him.
All in all if we can go .500 till Lighty is back, i'll be happy.
C'mon now...Turner is 2nd on the team in assists. I think he realizes there are 4 other players out there with him. Man, I love Buford though. A fearless scorer and a midrange game like his is seldom seen in college these days.
I take back earlier comments on having winnable games. Seems now every game is gonna be a battle.
do not agrue the merits of BUFORF.
I had nightmares last night about PJ Hills last 2 minutes of regulation. Horrible pass that led to a tie, and a launched 3. I understand he hit one earlier in the game but man know your role. Your role is to pass and play good D, not to launch shots with 15 seconds left on the clock. Overrall good win, they didn't have Hummel and they can argue with him it's a different game. I think if Hummel is there then Johnson doesn't get all the touches and doesn't shoot 100-100 from the FT line. I hope we can get Minn. and move up in the Big Ten.
Now if only the Bluejackets could win some big games at home.
I think our offense runs better when Turner brings up the ball, and something good happened last night every time he did. He's got better handles than any of our "PGs". Coach Matta should have let Turner bring it up in those last crucial minutes of regulation. That horrible pass by PJ Hill would've never happened.
To keep him from getting too tired, Turner should AT LEAST bring up the ball when really needed.
NBA scouts already see Turner as a late 1st round pick now. If he stays for another year he could potentially be a lock in the top 10.
18 of 25 LOIs are in!
At this point I want Lighty to redshirt. This team has learned to win without him and if he came back for just a couple of games, how effective is he going to be? Let him retain 2 years of eligibility and be a STRONG senior leader when that 2010 class comes in. Plus Lighty coming back could eat into Buford's minutes and he is too good to be sitting.
Lighty will probably get red-shirted...if these guys all come back with experience...
What do we say boys, win at least 4 more and welcome to 64??? I for one do not want anymore NIT titles.
kris said "god are you trying to give the game away there p.j."
basketball 101: meet the ball, Buford was actually backing away from the pass creating an easy steal oppurtunity. Had he met the ball that would have been a foul. They teach you that in 3rd grade.....at least they used to......fundamentals seem to be lost to athletic ability.....that is why we have such sloppy play with spectacular plays sprinkled throughout. Until they start teaching talented players the fundamentals, basketball will never be as good as it was with MJ, Bird, and Magic.
[...] Bucks took down the Robbie Hummel-less Boilermakers in their first meeting, 80-72 in overtime. Turner went off for 26, 12 and 7, while JaJuan Johnson scorched OSU’s bigs for 30 [...]