Michigan is a much better basketball team than Ohio State this year.
That's it. That's the intro.
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| #3 MICHIGAN | 44 | 38 | 82 |
| OHIO STATE | 34 | 27 | 61 |
No. 3 Michigan (22-1, 11-1 Big Ten) smothered Ohio State (15-8, 7-6), 82-61, in a game at the Schottenstein Center that showcased the current disparity between the two programs.
The Wolverines dominated the Buckeyes in rebounding, 44-31, and outclassed them in both the two-point and three-point scoring departments. Ohio State had no answer for 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara, who racked up 24 points with six rebounds and two blocked shots.
Bruce Thornton led the way in defeat for the Buckeyes, scoring 16 points. Devin Royal followed with 15.
| MICHIGAN | STAT | OHIO STATE |
|---|---|---|
| 82 | POINTS | 61 |
| 33-72 (45.8%) | FGM-FGA (PCT.) | 20-55 (36.4%) |
| 10-24 (41.7%) | 3PM-3PA (PCT.) | 7-22 (31.8%) |
| 6-7 (85.7%) | FTM-FTA (PCT.) | 14-16 (87.5%) |
| 8 | TURNOVERS | 12 |
| 44 | TOTAL REBOUNDS | 31 |
| 17 | OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 9 |
| 27 | DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 22 |
| 23 | BENCH POINTS | 11 |
| 4 | BLOCKS | 4 |
| 2 | STEALS | 4 |
| 20 | ASSISTS | 12 |
First Half
Christoph Tilly singlehandedly kept Ohio State within striking distance for the first five minutes of the game.
Michigan jumped out to a 7-2 lead at the start of the game with Tilly responsible for the Buckeyes' two, then the center nailed his first pair of three-point attempts to pull Ohio State back within one at 9-8. Mara strung four points together for Michigan on an alley-oop flush and a tip-in off a miss, then Taison Chatman answered with another triple.
Thornton and Mobley started a combined 0-for-6 from the field, but after Michigan jumped out to an 18-11 lead, Thornton got going with three straight made field goals. Combined with an Amare Bynum dunk, it brought the deficit back down to 21-19. Then the Wolverines caught fire from downtown.
Michigan made six of its next seven 3-point attempts, two coming from Mara and the other four from four different players, incredibly. The drained triples and Ohio State's failed efforts on the glass – the Wolverines finished the first half with 12 offensive rebounds – created separation for UM. Michigan built its lead to 32-24, then 35-26, then 38-28, trading 3-pointers for 2-pointers.
A tipped-in offensive rebound by forward Morez Johnson Jr. through a foul pushed the Michigan lead to 44-32 before a pair of Chatman free throws made it a 44-34 halftime score.
Second Half
Michigan pushed its lead to 14 immediately off a dunk by Lendeborg and a baby hook by Mara. A Mara dunk a few possessions later kept it there.
A massive two-handed flush from Johnson made it a 15-point Michigan advantage. Thornton kept fighting, scoring Ohio State's first seven points of the second half and cutting the lead to 54-43, but Mara's takeover continued as he answered with six consecutive Michigan points, broken up by a Chatman triple.
The Buckeyes never got back within single digits in the second half. A handful of free throws brought them back within 12 points, then the Wolverines closed the game on a massive run, just as they did in Ann Arbor on Jan. 23. An 8-0 jaunt took the lead to 20 points, 72-52, as "Let's Go Blue" chants echoed around the Schottenstein Center from the Michigan fans in attendance.
It was a cruise from there for the Wolverines.
What's Next?
Ohio State caps its two-game Big Ten homestand against USC on Wednesday. Tipoff is at 6:30 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.
Game Notes
- Ohio State's all-time record drops to 102-85 against Michigan.
- Thornton is five points from passing Kelvin Ransey for fifth all-time in points at Ohio State. At 1,929 career points, Thornton is 168 points from breaking the school record of 2,096, held by Dennis Hopson.
- Wing Puff Johnson and forward Brandon Noel remained sidelined by injuries against Michigan.
- Tilly picked up three first-half fouls.
