Men’s Basketball News and Notes – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/14/1998 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
November 14, 1998
Ohio State celebrates the inaugural season in Value City Arena
The game against Alabama will serve as the dedication game for Value City Arena as the new home for the Buckeye basketball and hockey teams. The building will serve as host to many entertainment events, including concerts, family shows, touring productions and numerous other sporting events. The $110 million facility is 10 stories tall and contains within state-of-the-art weight training, locker and training rooms, an ideal setting for the collegiate basketball and hockey athlete. The arena is the only collegiate arena in the U.S. that boasts terrazzo floorscapes, designed by internationally recognized artist Alexis Smith. Terrazzo is a combination of colored stone set in different pathways and channels to form a floorscape. The west side of the building is bordered by Fred Taylor Drive, dedicated to the former OSU men’s basketball coach who helped form Big Ten basketball into the power it represents today. Value City Arena is the largest arena in the Big Ten and the CCHA and one of the largest capacity university arenas in the world. The wiring in the facility, if stretched out in a single line, would cover 260 miles. A total of 3,888 loads of cement were used in construction of the facility. The arena would hold 133,187,970 gallons of Coca-Cola.
Buckeyes open 100th season in convincing fashion with 89-61 victory
The Ohio State men’s basketball team opened up the 1998-99 season, the 100th at OSU, with a convincing 89-61 win over Oakland University at Value City Arena, the first athletic event played in the $110 million facility. The Buckeyes took command in the first half, using a stifling defense and red-hot offense to go on a 22-0 run to vault to a 58-25 halftime lead. The Buckeyes nailed a school-record 13 three-point field goals, while attempting a record 28. Sophomore guard Michael Redd led all scorers with 29 points, while hitting 6 of 10 three-point attempts. Scoonie Penn added 17 points while dishing out eight assists in his first game as a Buckeye. Penn committed no turnovers, while the Buckeye team committed just 11. Neshaun Coleman added 11 points off the bench for the Buckeyes. Ten Buckeyes scored in the rout. Oakland was led in scoring by Mychal Covington, who scored 17 off the bench. Sean Carlson added 12, while Myke Thom and Brad Buddenborg each chipped in 11. The Golden Grizzlies outscored OSU 36-31 in the second half.
Noting the game against Oakland
Ohio State players to start first game at Value City Arena:Scoonie Penn, Michael Redd, Ken Johnson, Jason Singleton, and JonSanderson . The men’s basketball game against Oakland was the firstofficial athletics event played at Value City Arena. The game wasthe first of seven the Buckeyes will play in November, the mostever played in the first month of the season by an OSU team. OhioState is now 85-15 in home openers, which includes victories in thelast four and 39 of the last 40. Ohio State is 79-12 in seasonopeners as well. Senior Neshaun Coleman has connected on 118 of 354three-pointers at Ohio State after drilling three of six againstOakland. He ranks second in both threes made and attempted. JuniorKen Johnson moved into seventh place in career blocked shots (61)after swatting three vs. OU. Ohio State broke a close game wideopen in the first half with a 22-0 run, spanning 5:14. The Buckshit five three-point field goals during the run. OSU hit 8-of-12three-point goals in the first half. Ohio State nailed 13three-pointers, breaking a school record, set Dec. 14, 1996 againstGeorge Mason. The Buckeyes also attempted 28 three-pointers, whichalso broke a record. The previous record was 26 set Dec. 29, 1997against New Mexico State. Ohio State scored 58 points in the firsthalf, their most since a 61-point outburst against George MasonJan. 8, 1995. The Buckeyes’ 89 points were the most since scoring102 against George Mason on Dec. 14, 1996. Michael Redd’s 29 pointswas his third-highest point output. Redd scored 32 against PennState Feb. 28 and 30 against USC Dec. 15, 1997. Redd played only 23minutes in the contest. The Buckeyes’ 28-point margin of victorywas their most since a 41-point win (81-40) over Alabama State Dec.18, 1996. Scoonie Penn dished out eight assists while notcommitting a turnover in his first official game as a Buckeye. OSUhad a 25 to 11 assist-to-turnover ratio overall.
A NIGHT OF FIRSTS
Time Opening Tip OSU Ken Johnson (won)
Opening Tip Opp. Dan Champagne
First Field Goal OSU Michael Redd (3) 18:50 Opp Myke Thom (3) 18:25
First Two-point Field Goal OSU Ken Johnson 18:01 Opp Dan Champagne 14:28
First Three Pointer OSU Michael Redd 18:50 Opp Myke Thom 18:25
First Free Throw OSU Michael Redd 15:59 Opp Mychal Covington 12:15
First Rebound OSU Ken Johnson Opp Myke Thom
First Assist OSU Scoonie Penn 18:50 Opp Brad Buddenborg 18:25
First Blocked Shot OSU Ken Johnson 9:29 Opp Brad Buddenborg 17:00
First Dunk OSU Ken Johnson 10:41 Michael Redd scores first Buckeye basket in Value City Arena
The clock showed 18 minutes, 20 seconds remaining in the first half when Buckeye sophomore Michael Redd squared and launched a left-handed three-pointer from the right wing. The attempt found the target, giving Ohio State a 3-0 lead, marking the first official basket made at Value City Arena. For Redd, it was just the start of a 29-point effort in leading the Buckeyes to an 89-61 victory. Redd made the first shot in each of the exhibition openers as well.
Oakland win ends home losing streak
The victory over the Golden Grizzlies snapped a school record eight-game home losing streak for the Buckeyes. OSU had lost the final eight contests in storied St. John Arena before the opening win in Value City Arena (11/13). The last home victory for the Buckeyes was over Tennessee-Chattanooga, 63-54 (12/22/97).
Ohio State 2-1 over Alabama
Ohio State has a 2-1 advantage in games played against the Crimson Tide. The teams first met Dec. 20, 1969 in Tuscaloosa with the Buckeyes coming out on top, 96-68. The teams met again the following year (12/7/70) with OSU again winning 74-58. The only Alabama win in the series came March 21, 1979 when the Tide won 96-66 in the National Invitation Tournament Third Place Game in New York.
Ohio State 24-21 over SEC
Ohio State has played 45 games against members of the Southeastern Conference. The Buckeyes have won 24 of those games. Alabama will be one three possible meetings with the SEC this season for OSU. The Buckeyes are schedule to meet Vanderbilt on the road Nov. 28 and could meet Mississippi in the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic Dec. 21-23. OSU has met every member of the conference except for Auburn, LSU and Mississippi. The Buckeyes have played Kentucky the most, 19 times with a 9-10 record in those games.
O’Brien’s second class signed
Brent Darby, a 6-0, 185-pound guard from River Rouge (Mich.) High School, Slobodan Ocokoljic (o-SOAK-o-litch) a 6-8, 210-pound forward >from Yugoslavia and Massillon Washington (Ohio) High School and Aleksandar Radojevic (Rad-A-yev-itch), a 7-3, 245-pound center, from Herceg Novi, Montenegro, Yugoslavia and Barton County (Kan.) Community College all inked letters of intent last week. The three make up a class rated among the Top 10 nationally. Darby is ranked as one of the Top 10 point guards in the country after he averaged 21 points in leading River Rouge to a 27-1 and a state championship last season.
Ocokoljic averaged 16.4 points, 9.4 rebounds and connected on 38 percent of his three-pointers as a junior. He also is rated among the Top 75 players nationally.
Radojevic is believed to be the No. 1 junior college prospect in the U.S. He is from same hometown as OSU freshman Boban Savovic. Radojevic averaged 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds, 2.9 blocks for Barton County last year for a 29-4 squad that ranked No. 3 in NJCAA Division I.
Buckeyes conclude exhibition season with win over Marathon, 88-67
Ohio State used a 15-4 run in the second half to pull away from Marathon Monday during an 88-67 win in Value City Arena.
Michael Redd led OSU for the second consecutive game with 16 points. Redd also notched his first double-double of the season, grabbing 12 rebounds. Three other Buckeyes reached double figures in the point column – Jon Sanderson with 15, George Reese with 14, and Scoonie Penn with 12.
After some lackluster shooting in the first half (15-of-41 for 37 percent), Ohio State caught fire in the second 20 minutes, connecting on 22-of-37 attempts from the field (60 percent). Redd set the tone early for the second half, hitting his first three shots and scoring six of OSU’s first eight points.
Penn showed highlight-reel passing skills for the second -consecutive game and led OSU with seven assists. The Buckeyes forced 17 turnovers and committed 11. Richard Shaw led Marathon with 18 points and eight rebounds. Marathon is compromised of former collegiate players from around the nation. Lazell Durden, a former University of Cincinnati product, scored eight points in the game. OSU shot 48 percent from the floor in the game. The Buckeyes also won the battle of the boards, 48-35.
Three Buckeyes could reach 1,000
Three Buckeyes could reach 1,000 career points this season. Senior Neshaun Coleman (634) needs 366 points and classmate Jason Singleton (709) is just 291 short. Sophomore Michael Redd (687) is 313 shy after his record-setting freshman campaign. Another Buckeye, junior Scoonie Penn, could reach 1,000 points as well for his career. He tallied 738 during two seasons at Boston College. He is 245 short of the 1,000 mark for his career after 17 points against Oakland.
More threes to please
The Buckeyes averaged just 4.7 three-pointers made last season when the Buckeyes connected on 143 of 458 long range shots. In the opener against Oakla nd, the Buckeyes connected on a school record 13 of 28 treys. In the exhibitions this season, the Buckeyes landed 18 of 47 treys or nine per game. OSU made 31 percent of its three-pointers last season. OSU shot .464 in the game against Oakland.
Buckeyes own winning record over Crimson Tide
Ohio State is 2-1 against Alabama in the series history. The teams have not played since the 1978-79 season when Alabama ended the Buckeyes season with a 96-86 victory in the National Invitation Tournament third-place game held in New York. The Buckeyes won the first two meetings between the two schools. Ohio State won 98-68 in the first game in Tuscaloosa (12/20/69) and then again in Columbus the following year, 74-58 (12/7/70).
Ohio State is 24-21 vs. the SEC
Ohio State has played nine of the 12 schools representing the Southeastern Conference and has an overall mark of 24-21 in those games for a winning percentage of .533. The Buckeyes have played all but LSU, Mississippi and Auburn. OSU is 2-1 against Alabama, 1-2 vs. Arkansas, 5-2 over Florida, 0-1 against Georgia, 9-10 versus Kentucky, 1-0 over Mississippi State, 1-1 against South Carolina, 2-1 over Tennessee and 3-3 against Vanderbilt. The Buckeyes could face Mississippi this year in the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic and is schedule for a game against Vanderbilt later this month (Nov. 28).
Redd considered for Wooden Award
Ohio State sophomore Michael Redd is on the preseason watch list as a candidate for the prestigious John R. Wooden Award, given annually to the nation’s top collegiate player. Redd is among 50 players under consideration this season.
Redd preseason all-Big Ten selection
Both the Big Ten coaches and media selected the same five players to their preseason all-Big Ten Teams at the annual media day festivities in Chicago (Oct. 25). Ohio State sophomore Michael Redd earned a selection along with Louis Bullock (Michigan), Mateen Cleaves (Michigan State), Evan Eschmeyer (Northwestern) and A.J. Guyton (Indiana). Cleaves was tabbed as the preseason Big Ten Player of the Year.
WBNS to televise three games in Puerto Rico The Buckeyes will have every game on its 1998-99 schedule televised with the addition of the three games in Puerto Rico Dec. 21-23. WBNS (Channel 10) will air the games tape-delayed at 7 p.m. each night of the tournament. Ohio State will open with Alabama-Birmingham Dec. 21 and will play either N.C. State or Middle-Tennessee State Dec. 22. The opener against UAB will begin at 11 a.m. EST. All OSU games will air live on WBNS Radio (AM 1460 and FM 97.1).
Buckeyes Celebrating 100 Years
Ohio State will celebrate 100 years of men’s basketball during the 1998-99 season. The Buckeyes first fielded a team in 1898, posting a record of 12-4. Since then, OSU has compiled a record of 1,264-902 (.584). Since joining the Big Ten, Ohio State has won or tied for 15 conference titles, winning 10 outright. OSU has an overall record in Big Ten games of 610-599 in 87 years of membership. Along the way, the Buckeyes have produced 14 All-Americans, three Associated Press players of the year, 13 NBA first round draft picks, eight members of the National Basketball Hall of Fame, two U.S. Olympians and countless others national, international, conference and local award winners and team members.
1998-99 Captains named
Senior Neshaun Coleman, a 6-3, 190-pound guard from Toledo, will again act as a captain. He was the lone captain last season as a junior. Joining him will be senior Jason Singleton, a 6-5, 190-pound guard/forward from Detroit, and junior James “Scoonie” Penn, a 5-10, 185-pound guard from Salem, Mass. Penn is a transfer from Boston College who is eligible for the first time as a Buckeye this season.
Neshaun Coleman continued his climb up the three-point shooting charts in the opener vs. Oakland. He ranks second in both three-point field goals made (118) and attempted (354). He needs 27 made three pointers this season to pass Jamie Skelton, who made 144 from 1991-94. Skelton also attempted 422 three points over his career, 68 more than Coleman.
The 1998-99 Ohio State men’s basketball schedule is dotted with eight potential opponents that finished among the Top 25 or received votes in either the AP or USA Today/ESPN polls last season.
Purdue, Michigan, Mississippi, Michigan State and Illinois all ended the season in the Top 25 in both or one of the two major polls. Minnesota, Indiana, Oklahoma and Penn State also received votes for 25 recognition last year.
A total of 12 1998-99 OSU opponents have secured spots in either the preseason Associate Press or ESPN/USA Today polls for the 1998-99 season. Michigan State (5 AP/4 ESPN/USA Today) tops the list followed by Purdue (16/16, Indiana (22/17) and a host of others who have received votes. North Carolina State, Oklahoma, Alabama-Birmingham and Mississippi are all possible opponents in the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic. Miami (Fla.) received votes in both polls. The Hurricanes will meet the Buckeyes in the HIP Health Care Orange Bowl Classic, Dec. 27 in Sunrise, Fla. Other Big Ten teams receiving votes are Minnesota, Penn State and Illinois and Michigan.
