Men’s Basketball Game Notes vs. St. John’s – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/19/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 19, 1999
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. –
** Ohio State has now won 26 games for only the fifth time in school history. The previous four seasons are: 1961 (27-1), 1962 (26-2), 1991 (27-4) and 1992 (26-6). Ohio State advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in all four of those seasons and to the Final Four and NCAA Championship game twice (1961-62). The Buckeyes lost to Cincinnati both years in the title game.
** Ohio State defeated its ninth ranked opponent (No. 4 Auburn) this season in 11 tries. Ohio State has a five game winning streak against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25. The win over No. 4 Auburn was OSU’s first win over a Top 5 team since the Buckeyes defeated No. 1 Indiana Feb. 23, 1993, 81-77. The win was OSU’s first win over a Top 10 team since a 73-71 win over No. 8 Michigan on the road Jan. 2, 1997. The last Top 10 win over a non-Big Ten team was a 91-88 win over No. 10 Louisville in overtime Feb. 4, 1990. The last time the Buckeyes downed a non-Big Ten Top 5 team was Nov. 11, 1981 in the Great Alaska Shootout against No. 5 Georgetown, 47-46. The nine wins over ranked opponents this season is a school record for single season success over ranked foes.
** Ohio State senior forward Jason Singleton scored his 1,000th career point on a free throw with 11.8 seconds left in the win over Auburn. Singleton had seven for the game. He is the 37th player in school history to score 1,000 points. Michael Redd reached 1,000 earlier this season. Singleton also added a steal for a total of 63 this season, which ranks fifth for steals in a single season.
** Sophomore Michael Redd has scored 1,326 career points leaving him eight points away from moving passed Jim Cleamons (1969-70) on the all-time career scoring list at Ohio State. Cleamons scored 1,335 points and is currently No. 18 on the all-time list.
** Redd also collected 10 rebounds to go with his 22 points to give him his seventh career double double and his second of the season. He had 28 points and 12 rebounds earlier this season against UAB (12/21/98) in the first round of the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic. ** In addition to Redd’s 22 points, junior Scoonie Penn added a game-high 26 points to give the OSU guard duo a combined 48 points. The pair have combined for 40 or more points 13 times this season. The Buckeyes are 10-3 in those games.
** Ohio State head coach Jim O’Brien is now 8-3 in NCAA Tournament games after the 3-0 start this season. This is O’Brien’s second Elite Eight appearance. His first came while at Boston College in 1994.
** Ohio State is 48-28 against teams representing the Big East Conference including a loss to Miami, Fla., earlier this season in Fort Lauderdale as part of the HIP Health Plan Orange Bowl Classic. Miami won that game 74-62 (12/27/98). Ohio State is 4-2 all time against St. John’s. St. John’s has ended the Buckeyes’ season in the last two meetings. The team’s last played in the NCAA Midwest Regional Semifinals in Pontiac, Mich., March 22, 1991. No. 20 St. John’s downed No. 5 Ohio State 91-74 in that game. The Red Storm’s only other win over Ohio State was in the third round of the NIT in 1989 when St. John’s edged Ohio State 83-80 in the final game of Gary Williams’ career as the Ohio State head coach. Williams took his current position at Maryland after that game.
** Ohio State is 34-17 in NCAA Tournament games in its 19 appearances. The Buckeyes have won three games in the NCAA Tournament six times. OSU won the NCAA Tournament with a 4-0 mark in 1960. Since then, the Buckeyes advanced to the Final Four and finished with 3-1 records in 1961, 1962 and 1968. Ohio State was 3-1 in the 1992 NCAA Tournament after falling to Michigan in the regional finals in overtime 75-70.
** Ohio State went 3-1 against the SEC this season with wins over Alabama (78-70, 11/15/98), Mississippi (67-62, 12/23/98) and Auburn (72-64, 3/18/99). The loss was at Vanderbilt in overtime (92-86, 11/28/98).
** Ohio State junior Scoonie Penn added to his school records for 3-pointers made and attempted in a single season with a 4 of 7 outing from long range against the Tigers. Penn has made 83 of 216 3-pointers this season. Penn moved up the single season assists chart with four against Auburn. He currently holds down the No. 7 spot with 142 this season. His 66 steals this season is tied for the No. 3 spot with Jay Burson (1988).
** Michael Redd set a freshman scoring record with 658 points last season, the 11th highest single season scoring mark at OSU. He moved past that effort with his 22 points against Auburn to give him 668 this season. His point total this year ranks No. 9 behind Jerry Lucas’s 671 points in 1960-61.
** Ohio State has now won 18 more games than it did last season (8-22). Ohio State enters the game with St. John’s 26-8. The 18-game improvement is an OSU record for turnarounds from one season to the next.
** Ohio State set a single season record for team steals after adding seven against Auburn. The Buckeyes have recorded 287 thefts this season topping the 281 recorded during the 1986-87 season. OSU continues to build on its single season record for 3-pointers made (208) and attempted (583) as a team this year.
** Ohio State junior Ken Johnson recorded one block against the Tigers to give him 90 on the season. That total is good enough for No 2 all time in a single season on the OSU block charts. Johnson is tied with Brad Sellers (1985) and Herb Williams (1980) for the No. 2 spot. Sellers holds the single season record with 97 in 1986.
** Scoonie Penn is 24 points shy of 600 this season. If he were to reach that total he and running mate Michael Redd (668 points) would become only the third OSU duo to score 600 or more in the same season.
** Ohio State is 21-3 this season when leading at the half and 20-5 when scoring 70 or more points…Opponent are 1-23 when held under 70 points this season.
** The Buckeyes have connected on at least one 3-pointer in the last 218 games. Michael Redd extended the streak right out of the gates to give OSU a 3-0 lead with 19:23 to play in the first half.
