Men’s Basketball Prepares for Toledo – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/2/1998 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
December 2, 1998
Vanderbilt prevails 92-86 in OT – Vanderbilt’s Dan Langhi and Greg LaPointe hit four crucial free throws in overtime as the Commodores won 92-86 and handed Ohio State its first loss of the season (11/28). Trailing 88-86 with 22.1 seconds left, Scoonie Penn of Ohio State (6-1) was called for traveling. That forced Penn to foul LaPointe, who hit two from the line with 20 seconds left to give Vanderbilt (6-1) a 90-86 lead. Penn missed a 3-pointer on Ohio State’s next possession, and fouled Langhi with two seconds left. Langhi made good on two free throws to put the game out of reach. Vanderbilt squandered a 66-57 lead with 7:32 remaining in regulation play, and Ohio State tied the score 80-80 with four seconds left on Ken Johnson’s tip-in. After trailing 7-2 in the first three minutes of the game, Vanderbilt rallied to take an 11-9 lead on Sam Howard’s 3-pointer at 13:32. The Commodores never trailed again. The Buckeyes cut the lead at halftime to 39-31. Howard scored 22 points for Vanderbilt. LaPointe scored 18, and Langhi added had 14 points and 17 rebounds. Vince Ford scored 12, and Deandre Moore added 10. For the Buckeyes, Penn scored 23. Johnson had 15, and Michael Redd and George Reese added 10.
Noting the game with Vanderbilt –
Junior Ken Johnson blocked seven shots to tie his career high,set earlier this season against Robert Morris. He has 83 for hiscareer, 22 behind Perry Carter for the No. 6 spot at Ohio State.Carter (1988-91) finished with 105. Sophomore Michael Reddcontinued his string of consecutive games in double figures with10. He needed a basket and a pair of free throws in overtime toextend the streak. Ohio State trailed for the first time at thehalf this season. The Buckeyes are now 6-1 when trailing athalftime. Ohio State fell to 34-44 overall in overtime games.
Buckeye recruiting class among nation’s best – After the conclusion of the early 1998-99 recruiting season, the Ohio State class of Brent Darby, a 6-0, 185-pound guard, Slobodan Ocokoljic (o-SOAK-o-litch) a 6-8, 210-pound forward and Aleksandar Radojevic (Rad-A-yev-itch), a 7-3, 245-pound center, is ranked with the Top 15 classes nationally. Hoopscoop has OSU tied at No. 15 with Kansas. Basketball Times rates the class No. 14 and Van Coleman of Future Stars rates the class No. 11.
O’Brien looking for win No. 250 – Ohio State head coach Jim O’Brien will be looking for victory No. 250 against Toledo. O’Brien has a record of 249-240 in 17 seasons as a collegiate head coach. He is 14-23 at Ohio State. He posted records of 67-51 at St. Bonaventure and 168-166 at Boston College prior to joining Ohio State.
Toledo improves to 5-0 in win over Mississippi Valley State – Greg Stempin scored 18 points Monday as Toledo remained unbeaten with an 85-53 victory over Mississippi Valley State. Art Norman added 17 and Brett Fedak 11 for the Rockets (5-0). Faragi Phillip scored 23, Mario Edwards 12 and Michael Blivens 10 for the Delta Devils (1-2). Mississippi Valley State took an early 12-5 lead, but Toledo went ahead for good 19-17 on two free throws by Albert Wilson with 9:21 left in the first half and led 37-27 at halftime. The Delta Devils got no closer than nine points in the second half. They trailed 53-41 with 11:32 to play, but the Rockets scored the next 20 points, including 10 by Norman, to make the score 73-41 with 6:17 left. Toledo had a big advantage in foul shooting, making 28-of-42 free throws while Mississippi Valley State was 3-for-6. The Delta Devils committed 29 personal fouls, compared with 11 by the Rockets, and had 30 turnovers while Toledo had 14.
Ohio State 4-3 vs. Toledo – Ohio State and Toledo first played Dec. 26, 1918 in Toledo with the Rockets claiming victory, 30-27. The first four games were played in Toledo. The Rockets made their first trip to Columbus Dec. 17, 1975. The Buckeyes won that meeting 76-72. OSU returned to Toledo Nov. 30, 1975 and lost 64-58. OSU took the lead in the series last year with an 84-74 win Dec. 3. OSU is 2-3 in Toledo and 2-0 in Columbus.
Ohio State 47-12 vs. the MAC – The game with Toledo will be the 60th meeting for Ohio State with a member of the Mid-American Conference. The Buckeyes have played every member of the league at least once and have put together a 47-12 (.797) record against the confernece. The Buckeyes have played every member of only six conferences–ACC, Big East, Ivy League, MAC, PAC 10 and the Big Ten.
OSU vs. the MAC
Akron 6-1 Ball State 2-1 Bowling Green 3-2 Central Michigan 1-0 Eastern Michigan 1-0 Kent State 4-0 Marshall 1-0 Miami (OH) 4-1 Northern Illinois 1-0 Ohio University 17-4 Toledo 4-3 Western Michigan 3-0 Totals 47-12
Stan Joplin at Toledo – Stan Joplin is in his third season at the helm of the Rockets. He joined the Rockets after serving as an assistant at Michigan State from 1990-95. A 1979 graduate of Toledo, Joplin is the 16th head coach in Rockets’ history. In his three seasons, Joplin has compiled a record of 33-26 at Toledo after 13-14 and 15-12 campaigns and the 5-0 start this year.
Buckeyes hitting the offensive glass – Ohio State averaged 12.3 offensive rebounds last season during an 8-22 campaign. This year OSU is off to a 6-1 start and are averaging 15.1 offensive boards.
OSU three-point field goal streak extended to 191 – Ohio State has connected on at least one three-point field goal attempt over the last 191 games. Junior Scoonie Penn extended the streak with a trey early in the first half against Vanderbilt. The last time an OSU team missed all attempts from three-point range was Feb. 2, 1992 when the Bucks went 0 for 5 in a 68-58 OSU win over Michigan. Buckeye opponents have a streak of 183-consecutive games with at least one three-pointer made. Michigan went 0-10 from long range March 3, 1992 in an OSU 75-66 victory, marking the last time an opponent was held without a three-pointer.
OSU defense forcing mistakes – The Buckeye defense has forced the opposition to turn the ball over 20 or more times in five of seven games this season. Ohio State has forced 151 miscues in seven games. The Buckeyes forced an average of 15.9 turnovers a game last season and 20 or more in seven games. OSU foes are averaging 21.6 TOs this season.
Buckeyes 49-50 in road openers – The Buckeyes have an overall record of 49-50 in its first game on the road over its 100 seasons. Ohio State did not play a road game during the 1900-01 season (1-3).
Ohio State getting votes in both major polls – Ohio State (6-1) is getting some attention nationally in both the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN polls. OSU received 15 votes for Top 25 consideration in the AP poll and two votes in the USA Today/ESPN poll.
Ohio State owns winning record over Ohio Division I schools – The Buckeyes have an overall record of 55-19 (.743) over the Division I Ohio universities. None of the 11 intrastate rivals has a winning record over OSU. Only Cincinnati (4-4) has split with the Buckeyes.
Ohio schools OSU Record Akron 6-1 Bowling Green 3-2 Cincinnati 4-4 Cleveland State 4-1 Dayton 3-2 Kent 4-0 Miami, Ohio 4-1 Ohio University 17-4 Toledo 4-3 Wright State 2-0 Xavier 2-1 Youngstown State 2-0 Totals 55-19 (.743)
Buckeye bits… Ohio State is averaging 39.7 points in the first half of games, 37.7 in the second…The Buckeyes are outscoring opponents 278-204 (+74) in the first half and 264-214 (+50) in the second…OSU is 6-0 when leading at the half…The Buckeye bench has outscored the opponents in six of seven games for a total 171-126 advantage…20 Buckeyes have scored in double figures this season, Michael Redd has been in double digits in each game, Scoonie Penn five times…Ten different Buckeyes have scored in double figures this season…Redd has scored in double figures in 36 of 37 career games, including the last 24…He has five career double-doubles.
Opponents shooting 38 percent – Ohio State held Vanderbilt to just 39.7 percent from the field in the overtime loss to the Commodores and Tennessee Tech to just 37 percent shooting from the field (18-49). Four of the last five OSU foes–Robert Morris, Penn State, Army and Tennessee Tech–scored 20 or fewer field goals. Opponents are shooting just 37.9 percent from the field this season (149-393). The Buckeyes are shooting 47.2 percent (207-439).
Three Buckeyes could reach 1,000 – Three Buckeyes could reach 1,000 career points this season. Senior Neshaun Coleman (657) needs 343 points and classmate Jason Singleton (760) is just 240 short. Sophomore Michael Redd (777) is 223 shy after his record-setting freshman campaign (658 pts.). Another Buckeye, junior Scoonie Penn, could reach 1,000 points as well for his career. He tallied 737 during two seasons at Boston College. He has scored 106 at Ohio State leaving him 157 shy of 1,000.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
