Men’s Basketball Defeats Alabama – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/15/1998 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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Nov. 15, 1998%^$
By RUSTY MILLER%^$
AP Sports Writer%^$
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Michael Redd scored all but two of his 17 points in%^$the second half and had four points and a steal in the final 1:06 as Ohio State%^$beat Alabama 78-70 Sunday in the dedication game of the new Value City Arena.%^$
The Buckeyes took control with an 8-0 run in the closing minutes before a%^$crowd of 16,763 in the 19,500-seat building.%^$
After the game, team members and coaches placed a game ball, an autographed%^$ball, a Buckeye uniform and a program in a time capsule. Ohio State officially%^$opened the $110 million facility at Friday night’s 89-61 victory over Oakland%^$University.%^$
Scoonie Penn led the Buckeyes with 23 points, while Jason Singleton had 19%^$to go with Redd’s 17.%^$
Jeremy Hays scored 18 points, Chauncey Jones had 15 and Chris Rollins 11 for%^$the Crimson Tide (0-1).%^$
Ohio State (2-0) trailed 64-62 after Tarik London hit a 15-foot pull-up%^$jumper with 5:55 left.%^$
George Reese hit a free throw to pull the Buckeyes within a point. Then%^$Singleton picked off a pass deflected by teammate Boban Savovic and dribbled%^$the length of the court for a dunk at the 4:51 mark to give Ohio State the lead%^$for good.%^$
Redd flipped in a short jumper after another Alabama turnover, before%^$Neshaun Coleman stole the ball from Rollins. Singleton was fouled and hit two%^$free throws, with Reese closing the run with another foul shot.%^$
Alabama pulled to 70-68 on a foul shot by Jones and a 3-pointer from the top%^$of the key by London.%^$
But Redd drove the right baseline and hit a bank shot in traffic at the 1:06%^$mark. He then stole the ball from Jones and was fouled with 44.6 seconds left,%^$converting both shots for a 74-68 lead.%^$
Penn hit four free throws down the stretch to put the game away.%^$
Despite the importance of the foul shots they made in the closing minutes,%^$the Buckeyes made only 24-of-41 free throws to Alabama’s 17-of-24.%^$
There were seven ties and 20 lead changes as both teams struggled to find a%^$rhythm for most of the game. Penn, who had 17 points, 8 assists and no%^$turnovers in 23 minutes in the opener, had 6 turnovers and only 2 assists%^$against Alabama.%^$
The Tide led by as many as six points in the first half, then overcame a%^$six-point deficit to go ahead 49-47 with an 8-0 run – Jones and Williams each%^$scoring three points – midway through the second half.%^$
Alabama shot 59 percent in the second half and finished at 52 percent%^$(25-of-48), while Ohio State hit half of its 24 second-half shots to end up at%^$46 percent (25-of-55).%^$
Ohio State had set school records with its 13 3-pointers and 28 attempts%^$against Oakland, but mustered just 4-of-13.%^$
The loss dropped Alabama to 71-14 in its season-openers.
