Game Notes From Ohio State vs. St. John’s – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/13/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 13, 2000
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Tickets are available for the Ohio State vs. Kansas game Dec.23 (4:15 p.m., CBS) by calling 1-800-GO-BUCKS or 614-292-2624 or inperson at the Ohio State Athletics Ticket Office in the JeromeSchottenstein Center.%^$
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Ohio State head coach Jim O’Brien notched his 299th career winwith the win over St. John’s. O’Brien will shoot for No. 300Saturday night vs. Morehead State. O’Brien is 299-257 in 19 seasonsas a head coach.%^$
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Ohio State improves to 34-3 during its two-plus seasons atValue City Arena. The Buckeyes are undefeated (5-0) this yearinside the friendly confines of their home arena.%^$
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Brian Brown has been a thorn in St. John’s side over the pasttwo seasons. Brown tallied 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting intonight’s game. Last season, Brown scored 16 points on 6-of-8shooting to lead the Buckeyes to a win at Madison Square Garden.%^$
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The New York connection was prevalent in a big way tonight forOhio State’s three New York natives, as Brian Brown scored agame-high 18 points and added four steals, while Will Dudley scoreda season-high nine points and Zach Williams added four points.%^$
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Ohio State is 51-32 all-time vs. Big East teams, including a1-1 record this season. OSU fell 77-66 to Syracuse in thesemifinals of the Great Alaska Shootout. OSU leads the series withSt. John’s 7-2 and has posted three straight wins – all in the pastthree seasons.%^$
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Ken Johnson moved into third place on the all-time Big Tencareer blocked shot chart, swatting four vs. St. John’s. Johnsonhas 351 blocks for his career, moving him past Purdue’s Joe BarryCarroll (1977-80, 349) on the list. Next up on the chart is Iowa’sAcie Earl (1989-93) with 365.%^$
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Johnson started his 100th career game tonight. He is one ofeight players in Ohio State history to eclipse 100 starts in hisBuckeye career.%^$
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Will Dudley scored a season-high nine points, topping hisprevious season high of seven, set vs. Eastern Kentucky(12/2/00).%^$
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Boban Savovic scored a season-high 15 points while tying hiscareer high of four 3-point goals made. Savovic’s previous pointhigh this season was 14, set vs. Eastern Kentucky (12/2). The 15points were one off his career high of 16, set vs. UT-Martin(12/14/98). Savovic also logged a career-best 37 minutes, toppinghis previous high of 33, set earlier this season vs. Valparaiso.%^$
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Sean Connolly has hit at least one 3-point field goal in hislast 13 games, dating back to his freshman year at Providence. Thelast time Connolly failed to connect from long distance was Feb.15, 1999, an 0-for-3 performance at St. John’s.%^$
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St. John’s scored a season-low 58 points in the contest. TheRed Storm’s previous low was 62, set in a win vs. Kentucky(11/9).%^$
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The Buckeye offense was clicking early, as it hit 7-of-8 shootsin the game’s first 4:58 and 10-of-13 in first 9:50. The Buckeyesshot 68 percent in the first half and 57.8 percent for the game.%^$
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Omar Cook’s eight assists are a Value City Arena opponentrecord. The previous high was seven, set by Notre Dame’s JimmyDillon (11/16/99) and Michigan State’s Mateen Cleaves (1/20/00).Cook is ranked third nationally in assists with 8.9 per game.%^$
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Cook hit 5-of-16 from the field. In the Red Storm’s four wins,Cook has connected on 45.4 percent (20-of-44) of his field goals,but in their four losses he has hit on 20-of-65 for 30.8percent.%^$
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Ohio State extended its streak of consecutive games with atleast one 3-point goal made when Boban Savovic drilled a shot frombehind the arc at the 11:07 mark of the first half. Ohio State hasconnected on at least one 3-point goal in 258-consecutive games.%^$
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Ohio State went 10-of-14 (71.4 percent) from the free throwline in the second half, while St. John’s did not attempt a charitytoss after the break. The Red Storm shot just four foul shots inthe contest, well off their season average of 23.%^$
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With 25 points at halftime, St. John’s became the first of thefive opponents to break the 20-point barrier at halftime at ValueCity Arena. Yale and Denver had posted the highest halftime totalswith 18 points apiece.%^$
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Ohio State has held a double-digit lead in every game it hasled at halftime. The Buckeyes are 6-0 in those contests.%^$
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St. John’s 15-point halftime deficit was its largest at thebreak this season. The Red Storm’s largest deficit prior to thecontest was an 11-point deficit vs. George Washington.%^$
