Men’s Basketball Plays Host to Wolfpack – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/26/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 26, 2001
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Opponent North Carolina State
Site Value City Arena (19,200)
Game Time 7:30 p.m. (EST)
TV ESPN2
Local TV None
TV Talent Dave Sims (Play-by-Play), Bill Raftery (Color)
Radio OSU Radio Network (64 stations)
Local Radio WBNS FM-97.1 AM-1460
Radio Talent Paul Keels (P-by-P), Ron Stokes (Color)
Ohio State Buckeyes
Probable Starters (2-0)
G 4 – Brent Darby, 6-1, Jr.
G 21 – Boban Savovic, 6-5, Sr.
G 13 – Brian Brown, 6-4, Sr.
C 43 – Will Dudley, 6-8, Sr.
F 33 – Zach Williams, 6-7, So.
North Carolina State Wolfpack
Probable Starters (5-0)
G 2 – Anthony Grundy, 6-3, Sr.
G 11 – Archie Miller, 5-10, Sr.
G 24 – Julius Hodge, 6-6, Fr.
F 33 – Josh Powell, 6-9, Fr.
F 54 – Marcus Melvin, 6-8, So.
Buckeyes Play Host to Wolfpack
Ohio State plays its third-consecutive home game in Value City Arena against North Carolina State. The game is part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Nine teams from both the Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conference will battle over the next two nights at campus and neutral-site locations. This is the first appearance for Ohio State in the Challenge, now in its third year. This will be the third meeting all-time between the Buckeyes and Wolfpack. The Buckeyes are 2-0 with victories over Winthrop and Albany. N.C. State is 5-0. This is the first road trip of the season for the Wolfpack.
Williams Posts Career Day Against Albany
Zach Williams scored a career-high 24 points and Ohio State used a 23-0 second-half run to beat Albany 87-62 last Tuesday. Ohio State turned up the defensive pressure in the second half and rallied when Albany finally cooled off from hot-shooting first half (.654). The Great Danes went scoreless for nearly 10 minutes as the Buckeyes turned a 48-44 deficit into a 67-48 lead with 6:33 to play. Williams scored eight points in the surge, including a layup that put Ohio State ahead 50-48, its first lead since 8-7. Brent Darby put up nine of his 15 points during the run. Brian Brown added 22 points and Boban Savovic 10 for the Buckeyes, who won their first meeting against the Great Danes.
Noting the Win Over Albany
The Buckeyes are 45-6 in Value City Arena since it opened forthe 1998-99 season. Brent Darby kept the 3-point streak alive withhis field goal at the 14:25 mark in the first half. Ohio State hasmade at least one 3-point basket in 283-consecutive games. BrianBrown played in his 99th career game and has made 68-consecutivestarts. With 22 points, Brown now has 901 for his career. With 99more points, he will become the 40th Ohio State player to score1,000 career points. Brent Darby continued his double-digit scoringstreak by scoring 15 points. He has scored in double figures in thepast 11 games, including nine to end his sophomore season. TheBuckeyes have won 16 of the 20 games in which Darby has scored 10or more points. After trailing 41-34 at the half, Ohio Stateoutscored Albany 53-21 in the second half. The last time Ohio Stateoutscored an opponent by more that 20 points in a half was lastseason against Penn State (3/3/01). The Buckeyes outscored theLions 62-36 in the second half in the 93-87 victory. Zach Williamsset a career high with a 24-point performance. His old career highwas 19 against Robert Morris last season (12/20/00). Ohio Stateforced Albany to turn the ball over 19 times in the second half.The Buckeyes were able to score 21 points off those turnovers. Withhis 22 points, Brian Brown now has scored 20 or more points in fivecareer games. All 14 Buckeyes in uniform saw action against Albany.The Buckeyes were able to hold Albany leading scorer, E.J. Gallupto five points in the second half after he had 18 in the firsthalf.
Brown Leads Quartet in Double Digits
Senior co-captain Brian Brown leads four Buckeyes in double-digit scoring with 18.5 points a game this season. Sophomore co-captain Zach Williams is second at 15.5 ppg. Sophomore Brent Darby (13.0) and senior Boban Savovic (12.0) also are averaging double figures offensively. Both Brown and Williams lead the team in rebounding at 4.5 boards a contest.
Ohio State Tops Big Ten in Several Areas
Ohio State is among the top two Big Ten teams in several league statistical categories. The Buckeyes are No. 1 in scoring margin (+24.5), field goal percentage (.519), scoring defense (58.0), 3-point field goal pct. defense (.273) and rebounding defense (28.0). OSU is second in 3-point field goal pct. (.452), assists (19.50), turnover margin (+8.0) and assist/turnover ratio (+1.39). Individually, Zach Williams leads in field goal percentage (.737) and Brent Darby is tied for the league lead in free throw percentage (7-7, 1.000). Brian Brown is second in scoring (18.5 ppg.).
Ohio State Shooting Over .500 From Field
The Buckeyes have made 55-of-106 shots from the field this season for a shooting percentage of .519. Ohio State shot 53 pct. (27-51) vs. Winthrop and 51 pct. (28-55) vs. Albany. The Buckeyes shot 50 pct. or better in three-consecutive games vs. St. John’s (.578), Morehead State (.550) and Robert Morris (.630) last season and in 11 total games in 2000-01.
Noting the 2002 ACC/Big Ten Challenge
Ohio State will be playing for the first time in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. This is the third-consecutive year the event has been played. The nine games this year will be televised by ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Regional Television Nov. 27-28. The Challenge this year will feature three of the 2001 NCAA Final Four teams in Duke, Maryland and Michigan State. The event also features the last two NCAA champions: Duke and Michigan State. Ohio State will play N.C. State at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 27 on ESPN2 at Value City Arena.
ACC/Big Ten Challenge Schedule
Tuesday, Nov. 27
Illinois at Maryland, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)
N.C. State at Ohio State, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Duke vs. Iowa (United Center), 9 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Minnesota at Wake Forest, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Wednesday, Nov. 28
Wisconsin at Georgia Tech, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Michigan State vs. Virginia (Richmond, Va.), 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Clemson at Penn State, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN Plus)
Indiana at North Carolina, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Florida State at Northwestern, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2).
Buckeyes to Eclipse 900,000 in Attendance
In the fourth season of play in Value City Arena, the Buckeye men’s basketball team has drawn an averaged of 17, 518 per game for a total of 893,461. The 6,539th fan who enters the building tonight will be fan No. 900,000 to attend a men’s basketball game at Ohio State.
Value City Arena Serves Buckeyes Well
Ohio State has played 51 home games at Value City Arena since the facility opened for the 1998-99 season. A total of 893,461 fans have passed through the gates for an average of 17,518 fans per game. Those fans have been instrumental in the Buckeyes’ 45-6 home record at Value City Arena.
Ohio State Among National Leaders in Attendance The Buckeyes have been among the Top 7 teams nationally in average home attendance in each of the last three years. Ohio State averaged 17,540 fans in 2000-01 to rank No. 4, its highest ranking in team history. The Buckeyes have been a draw on the road as well. Ohio State has been among the Top 10 in NCAA all-games attendance the last three seasons, including a No. 2 ranking in 1999.
Wolfpack Off to 5-0 Start
North Carolina State has opened the season with a 5-0 record with wins over Prairie View, San Jose State and East Carolina in the BCA Classic, hosted by the Wolfpack. James Madison and The Citadel also fell to N.C. State before NCSU traveled to Columbus.
Noting the Wolfpack
Herb Sendek is in his sixth season with North Carolina State and has taken his last four teams to the National Invitation Tournament. Sendek coached at Miami of Ohio for three seasons before taking his current position in 1996-97. Sendek was 63-26 in his time at Miami. Ohio State is 1-1 all-time against North Carolina State. The teams last met in Puerto Rico during the 1998-99 season. The Buckeyes downed the Wolfpack 81-64 (12/22/98) on the way to the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic title. N.C. State won the only other meeting Dec. 1, 1989. The Wolfpack prevailed 68-54 at the Tournament of Champions, held in Charlotte, N.C. The Buckeyes have a 31-14 record against teams representing the Atlantic Coast Conference. Ohio State has faced everyone in the league except Clemson.
No Strangers
Ohio State freshman Brandon Fuss-Cheatham and N.C. State guard Archie Miller, a fifth-year senior, will meet for the first time as opponents. The two attended Blackhawk (Pa.) High School and played for Archie’s father, John. Fuss-Cheatham and Miller, both from Beaver Falls, Pa., were never on the same team at Blackhawk. Archie Miller was a senior when Fuss-Cheatham was in the eighth-grade. The two have gone against one another countless times in pickup games over the years.
Buckeyes Enter 103rd Season
Ohio State has a record of 81-22 (.786) in season-opening games over the 103 years of men’s basketball at OSU. The Buckeyes are 85-18 (.825) in home openers and 49-52 (.485) in road openers. Ohio State did not play a road game in 1900-01. This is the 90th season of Big Ten membership in men’s basketball for the Buckeyes. Ohio State is 49-40 (.551) in conference openers, 60-29 (.674) in league home openers and 33-56 (.371) in the first road game of the season in Big Ten play.
Darby on Scoring Streak
Junior Brent Darby ended his sophomore campaign scoring in double digits over his last 10 games. He has reached double digits in 20 games as a Buckeye, including 15 as a sophomore. He scored 15 vs. Albany (11/20). Ohio State has won 16 of the 20 games in which Darby has scored 10 or more points.
Foul Line Familiar, Comfortable for Connolly
Junior Sean Connolly has made 84 percent (103-122) of his foul shots in three seasons of college basketball. He was 60-of-70 (.857) as a freshman at Providence in 1998-99. As a Buckeye sophomore last year, he drilled 42-of-50 free throws (.840) and was a remarkable 27-of-28 (.964) in Big Ten games. He had a stretch of 25-consecutive made foul shots in the conference season a year ago. He made 1-of-2 attempts vs. Winthrop.
Senior Class Continues Successful Run
Ohio State seniors Brian Brown, Will Dudley and Boban Savovic have been a part of three of the more successful seasons in Ohio State history. As freshmen, the trio helped the squad reach the 1999 Final Four. As sophomores, they were a part of a Big Ten Championship team and another trip to the NCAA tournament. As juniors, they were instrumental in taking Ohio State to its third-consecutive NCAA tournament appearance and 20-win season. Combined, these seniors have been a part of 72 wins (27 defeats), three NCAA tournaments, three 20-win seasons, the 1999 Final Four and the 2000 Big Ten Co-Championship. Another senior, Tim Martin, did not play for OSU until the 2000-01 season. Martin, a transfer from Kent State, sat out the 1999-00 to satisfy NCAA transfer rules.
Buckeye Captains Selected
Brooklyn, N.Y., natives Brian Brown and Zach Williams will serve as the 2001-02 Ohio State captains. Brown is the 11th player to serve as captain twice. Williams is the third sophomore captain at Ohio State. No Buckeye has ever served as captain for three seasons.
A 4th-consecutive NCAA trip, 20-win season?
The Buckeyes have been to 21 NCAA Tournaments in the history of the program, including the past three. No Ohio State coach has ever led four-consecutive teams to the NCAA Tournament. The Buckeyes have made three-consecutive trips four times (1944-46, 1960-62, 1990-92 and 1999-01). Ohio State also has a streak of three-consecutive 20-win seasons. The only time the program enjoyed four-consecutive 20-win campaigns occurred from 1960-63 with 25, 27, 26 and 20 wins, respectively. Ohio State won the national championship in 1960 and won four of five-consecutive Big Ten titles during that span.
Brown Close to 1,000 Career Points
Ohio State senior guard Brian Brown should reach the 1,000-point mark in his Buckeye career before the Big Ten Conference season gets underway in January. Brown will become the 40th player in Ohio State history to reach 1,000 points. He has scored 901 points in 99 career games for an average of 9.1 points a contest.
Buckeyes return most of offense, rebounding from 2000-01
Ohio State will enjoy the majority of its scoring and rebounding from last season when it takes the floor for the 2001-02 campaign. Four starters return as does eight of its top nine offensive contributors. Ken Johnson is the only significant loss from a year ago. The Buckeyes return 80 percent of the offense (1,774-of-2,206 points). On the boards, 75.8 percent of the rebounds return (827-of-1,090) while over 91 percent of the steals (147-of-161) and 93 percent of the assists (440-of-473) are back. With the loss of Johnson, only 35-of-160 blocked shots (21 percent) return.
Buckeyes deep, experienced at guard positions
Senior Brian Brown has nearly 100 games (99) under his belt as a regular for the Buckeyes. He broke into the starting lineup as a freshman at the start of the 1999 NCAA Tournament. He has not missed a game since. He led the Buckeyes in scoring as a junior with 14.5 points a game. Senior Boban Savovic overcame two years of injury-plagued seasons to start all 31 contests as a junior. He averaged nearly nine points a game in 30.0 minutes of playing time. He added 107 assists and 34 steals. Junior Sean Connolly has played an average of 25.3 minutes a game in two seasons, including 30 starts as a freshman at Providence. He is a career 84 percent shooter from the foul line, including 27 made foul shots in 28 attempts during the Big Ten season last year. Brent Darby played nearly 27 minutes a game as a sophomore after putting in just 10 minutes a contest as a freshman. Darby averaged just under 10 points a game in Ohio State’s three-guard offense. He has demonstrated the ability to score points in bunches and could have more freedom this year with less responsibility at the point guard position.
Connolly recovers from offseason surgery
Junior Sean Connolly underwent successful surgery on his right ankle following the 2001 season to repair nagging discomfort. The surgery, to tighten ligaments injured as a result of several ankle turns and sprains, caused Connolly to miss about nine weeks of offseason workouts. He worked out with the Buckeyes in time to travel and play during the team’s trip to Europe in late August.
Summer in Europe
Ohio State spent 16 days (Aug. 20-Sept. 4) traveling through Italy, Switzerland, France and The Netherlands in preparation for the 2001-02 season. The trip offered Ohio State’s big men an opportunity to play competitively while allowing the guards to experiment with lineups during the six-game schedule. Ohio State won all six contests with the guards leading the way. Senior Boban Savovic averaged 17.5 points (105 total) to lead all scorers. Senior Brian Brown and junior Brent Darby each scored 96 points for 16.0 averages. Sean Connolly scored 10.5 points a contest and was the only Buckeye to connected on at least one 3-pointer in each of the six games. Sophomore Zach Williams registered a pair of double-doubles and led the Buckeyes with 7.3 rebounds a game.
The Schedule
Ohio State will compete in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge for the first time this year when the Buckeyes host North Carolina State. The Buckeyes will play 17 home games at Value City Arena while taking to the road in non-conference action against UMass and Louisville. The home portion of the non-conference schedule includes Albany, Eastern Illinois, IUPUI, North Carolina-Greensboro, Pittsburgh, Santa Clara and Winthrop. In Big Ten play, Ohio State will face Illinois, Wisconsin, Penn State and Minnesota just once in 2002 with Illinois and Penn State traveling to Columbus. The Buckeyes face Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern and Purdue both home and away.
Buckeyes to Play in 2003 Maui Invitational
The Maui Invitational will draw attractive fields for the following three seasons. Chaminade, the NCAA Division II school from Honolulu, will serve as host as it has every year since 1984. The 2002 field includes: Arizona State, Gonzaga, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Utah and Virginia. The 2003 participants are: California, Dayton, Florida State, Hawaii, Ohio State, San Diego State and Villanova. The 2004 field, which could be subject to change pending NCAA legislation regarding early season tournaments, is: Iowa, Louisville, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Texas and Stanford.
Ohio State Successful on This Date in History
The Buckeyes have played seven games on Nov. 27 in the history of the program. Ohio State has come out on top six times. Iona handed the Buckeyes their only loss on this date in 1981. Ohio State fell to Iona in the season opener at the Great Alaska Shootout.
