No. 15 Ohio St. 79, American U. 43 – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/29/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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Dec. 29, 1999
By Rusty Miller
%^$Associated Press%^$
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ken Johnson blocked two more shots than American%^$University made in the first half as No. 15 Ohio State rolled to a 79-43%^$victory Wednesday night.%^$
Johnson had eight blocks in the first half against the Eagles (5-5), who%^$made just 6-of-29 shots (21 percent) in first 20 minutes as Ohio State (8-2)%^$piled up a 45-15 lead.%^$
American, averaging 69 points coming in, was held to its lowest point total%^$since losing to Princeton 71-36 during the 1983-84 season.%^$
Michael Redd, who had a 26-game streak in double figures end Monday night,%^$led the Buckeyes with 19 points. Scoonie Penn added 15 points, and Will Dudley%^$had 10 in Ohio State’s fourth win in a row.%^$
Johnson and the rest of the starters saw only scant playing time in the%^$second half. The 6-foot-11 senior didn’t block a shot in his seven minutes of%^$action after halftime.%^$
Tim Washington had 14 points for the Eagles, who ended up 17-of-58 from the%^$field (29 percent). Washington had five field goals, but the other four%^$starters were a combined 6-for-31.%^$
Ohio State showed signs of coming out of a season-long shooting slump. The%^$Buckeyes topped 50 percent shooting from the field for the second game in a%^$row, going 31-of-59 (53 percent).%^$
It also was the first time this season that Redd and Penn have each hit at%^$least half of their shots in the same game.%^$
Johnson blocked four shots in the last five minutes of the first half as the%^$Buckeyes closed the half on an 18-3 run.%^$
Penn, who came in hitting just 35 percent of his shots from the field, hit%^$three consecutive 3-pointers in the final three minutes.%^$
Penn finished 6-of-8 from the field, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range.%^$Redd was 8-of-13 from the field.%^$
With Johnson roaming the lane inside, American seemed content to stay as far%^$out on the perimeter as possible. The Eagles hit just one of their first 17%^$shots from the field as the Buckeyes scored 15 of the first 17 points.%^$
The teams combined for 44 turnovers, with the Eagles totaling 24.
