In its third attempt, Ohio State came its closest yet to upsetting No. 3 Michigan on Friday.
The Buckeyes laid everything on the line for their quarterfinal matchup in the Big Ten Tournament. They battled back from a line of three-score-or-more deficits against one of college basketball's elite teams this season.
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| #8 OHIO STATE | 35 | 32 | 67 |
| #1 MICHIGAN | 39 | 32 | 71 |
But Ohio State (21-12, 13-9 Big Ten) simply didn't have enough in the tank to pull off an upset in the final minutes against the top-seeded Wolverines (30-2, 20-1) in a 71-67 loss to end its Big Ten Tournament run.
Bruce Thornton, as usual, led the way in defeat for the Buckeyes, scoring 22 points and adding four assists, though he had more turnovers than usual with four. Devin Royal and John Mobley Jr. each reached double figures with 13 and 12 points.
Ohio State had few answers for 7-foot-3 Michigan center Aday Mara, however, as he collected 17 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. Guard Elliot Cadeau added 15 points with guard Trey McKenney tacking on 12 for the Wolverines.
First Half
| OHIO STATE | STAT | MICHIGAN |
|---|---|---|
| 67 | POINTS | 71 |
| 22-58 (37.9%) | FGM-FGA (PCT.) | 24-53 (45.3%) |
| 8-24 (33.3%) | 3PM-3PA (PCT.) | 5-17 (29.4%) |
| 15-18 (83.3%) | FTM-FTA (PCT.) | 18-24 (75%) |
| 10 | TURNOVERS | 9 |
| 32 | TOTAL REBOUNDS | 34 |
| 10 | OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 6 |
| 22 | DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 28 |
| 7 | BENCH POINTS | 16 |
| 4 | BLOCKS | 6 |
| 6 | STEALS | 7 |
| 11 | ASSISTS | 17 |
Michigan came out on fire, hitting its first three shots to spark a 7-0 run. It hit seven of its first 10 shots overall, receiving a 3-pointer from McKenney as the Wolverines burst out to a 15-5 lead.
Ohio State, as it would throughout the game, rallied back. Devin Royal and Thornton combined for two baskets to close a 6-0 run, though McKenney answered with five consecutive points, including his second early-game 3-pointer. Mobley got to the rack for a layup and his first points in response.
Mobley continued to keep the Buckeyes within striking distance as their deficit swung between double and single digits. He finished another layup near the rim, then drained a logo 3-pointer, as he does regularly. Then four Thornton points fueled a 6-0 run that cut Michigan's lead to 31-27.
Ohio State kept chipping away. Amare Bynum responded to a McKenney jumper with a 3-pointer to cut it to 33-30. Then Thornton hit a step-back triple to make it 35-33.
The last minute of the half had a poor start, with Mara getting a fast-break dunk after Ohio State whiffed on a fast-break opportunity with numbers, then a turnover against Michigan's full-court press led to two free throws for Wolverine guard Elliot Cadeau. But Thornton found a floater as the first-half clock expired to pull the Buckeyes to within four points, down 39-35, at halftime.
Second Half
Heroics from Mobley equalized the game in the first three minutes of the second half. He made three consecutive shots to start the period, including a 3-pointer, then passed on a contested floater for an open layup for center Christoph Tilly that tied the game at 44.
Tensions rose as neither team scored for the next three minutes. Ohio State's cold stretch lasted longer, however, and an alley-oop finish through a foul for Mara and four Cadeau points capped a 7-0 run for Michigan. But Gabe Cupps, of all players, strung five consecutive points together for Ohio State and a Thornton 3-pointer brought the Buckeyes back to within 53-52.
Mara kept his hot hand going for Michigan. He flushed home another alley-oop and found space for a layup, then capped a personal 6-0 run with two free throws. But Ohio State's half-court defense picked up, denying the Wolverines a field goal for the next six minutes.
The Buckeyes took advantage, launching a 10-1 run. Tilly hit a coast-to-coast layup, and Thornton got to the line for two free throws. Then Devin Royal drained a 3-pointer and Ohio State took its first lead of the ballgame, 61-60.
It didn't last. Morez Johnson Jr. and Cadeau ended Michigan's cold stretch, getting out in the fast break for a string of points to make it a 65-62 Wolverine lead. Mara and forward Yaxel Lendeborg re-extended that edge to two possessions as Ohio State missed seven consecutive shots from the field.
When Royal finally snapped the frigid stretch, the Buckeyes trailed 69-67 with six seconds remaining. Lendeborg sank two free throws to ice the Michigan win.
What's Next?
Ohio State awaits its NCAA Tournament seeding as a near-certain at-large bid to the Big Dance. The NCAA Tournament Selection Show airs at 6 p.m. Sunday on CBS.
Game Notes
- Thornton became Ohio State's all-time leading scorer in the Big Ten Tournament.
- Forward Brandon Noel made his first appearance for Ohio State since Jan. 5, playing 12 minutes with two points and two rebounds.
- Wing Puff Johnson also made his first appearance since Feb. 25 for the Buckeyes.
- Ohio State is now 102-86 all-time against Michigan.
