Men’s Hoops Snaps Losing Streak – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/25/1998 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 25, 1998%^$
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Neshaun Coleman and Jon Sanderson scored 19 points each%^$and Ohio State hit eight straight free throws down the stretch to beat%^$Wisconsin 61-56 Wednesday night and snap a school-record 17-game losing streak.%^$
Ohio State, notching its first Big Ten win this season, scored its last 13%^$points from the foul line, making 13 of 16 late in the game despite a%^$conference-worst free-throw shooting percentage of 60.1 percent.%^$
Michael Redd added 16 points for Ohio State (11-17 overall, 1-14 Big Ten),%^$whose last victory came Dec. 22 when the Buckeyes beat Tennessee-Chattanooga%^$63-54.%^$
Wisconsin (11-17, 3-12) was led by Sean Daugherty with 18 points and 11%^$rebounds. Sean Mason added 16 points for the Badgers, who have lost 10 straight%^$Big Ten games.%^$
Sanderson hit a 3-point basket with just under eight minutes remaining to%^$give the Buckeyes a 48-44 lead. It would prove to be Ohio State’s last field%^$goal.%^$
The Badgers rallied to tie the score at 53-53 on a 3-point basket by Mason%^$with 57 seconds remaining.%^$
Redd gave Ohio State a 55-53 lead with two free throws. Mason was fouled%^$with 35.9 seconds left but made just one of two free throws.%^$
The Buckeyes then put the game away on two free throws by Sanderson and four%^$by Coleman in the closing seconds.%^$
The Buckeyes jumped out to an 11-5 lead and never trailed in the first half.%^$Ohio State hit six 3-pointers in the half, three each by Sanderson and Coleman.%^$
The Badgers rallied behind 12 points by Daugherty to pull into a 34-34%^$halftime tie.
