Buckeyes Knock Off Wisconsin In A Close One – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/13/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 13, 2000
Box Score
By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Ken Johnson had 13 points, 14 rebounds and six blocked shots as No. 17 Ohio State won its first road game of the season, beating Wisconsin 53-51 Thursday night. Scoonie Penn’s driving layup with 1:09 left turned out to be the game-winner, but Ohio State had to survive two missed 3-pointers by the Badgers in the closing moments, including Kirk Penney’s airball with two seconds to play.
The Buckeyes forced four turnovers and held Wisconsin to four points over the game’s final 5:32. Johnson was the focal point on defense, limiting the Badgers’ inside game with four second-half blocks.
Wisconsin beat the first three ranked teams that came into the Kohl Center this season. But unlike Texas, Temple and Illinois before them, the Buckeyes (10-3, 2-1 Big Ten) didn’t wilt under the Badgers’ trademark defensive pressure. Penn and Michael Redd each had 14 points for the Buckeyes in a matchup of the Big Ten’s best defensive teams. Mark Vershaw led the Badgers’ struggling offense with 16 points. Ohio State was criticized for loading its schedule with eight preseason home games against weak opponents.
After losing their only previous road games at Kansas and Illinois, the Buckeyes outlasted Wisconsin (9-6, 1-2). Corey Koskie’s layup with 2:17 to play put Wisconsin up 51-49, but Johnson rebounded Penn’s miss and scored. After Roy Boone missed a wide-open 3-pointer for Wisconsin, Penn drove the baseline and hit a layup to give Ohio State a two-point lead.
Wisconsin then turned the ball over, but Penn missed a jumper with 10 seconds to play. The Badgers got the ball to Penney, who faked a drive and shot a 3-pointer that was well short of the rim. Koskie’s tip attempt at the buzzer also missed. The Badgers led most of the game and had a 28-25 halftime lead, but they missed 12 of their first 15 shots to start the second half. Ohio State’s star guard tandem of Penn and Redd continued its shooting slump, going a combined 5-of-17 in the first half before recovering to hit big shots in the second.
