Buckeyes Bury IUPUI, 83-70 – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/9/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec 9, 2001%^$
%^$%^$%^$%^$%^$Box Score|%^$Quotes|%^$Notes%^$%^$%^$%^$%^$%^$%^$%^$
%^$
By RUSTY MILLER
AP Sports Writer%^$
%^$
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Boban Savovic scored a career-high 25 points -%^$including nine in an 11-1 second-half run – as Ohio State remained unbeaten%^$with an 83-70 victory over Indiana-Purdue-Indianapolis on Sunday night.%^$
%^$
Zack Williams scored 15 points, Sean Connolly came off the bench to score 14%^$and Brent Darby 12 for the Buckeyes (5-0).%^$
%^$
Antoine Lewis had 19 points, Lance Williams had 13 and Charles Price 11 for%^$the Jaguars (3-3), who were playing a Big Ten opponent for the first time.%^$IUPUI is in its fourth season in Division I.%^$
%^$
The game was similar to each of Ohio State’s previous victories against%^$Winthrop, Albany, North Carolina State (in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge) and%^$N.C.-Wilmington. The Buckeyes foundered during the first half, then pulled away%^$in the second.%^$
%^$
Although they never trailed, the Buckeyes struggled for much of the first 25%^$minutes against the Jaguars.%^$
%^$
Matt Crenshaw’s fastbreak layup off an assist from Josh Mullins capped a 6-0%^$IUPUI run and tied it at 31-31 with 2:34 left in the half. Ohio State ended a%^$4-minute scoring drought – turning the ball over four times, missing a shot and%^$getting another one blocked – when freshman Terence Dials scored inside off a%^$pass from Williams.%^$
%^$
After the Jaguars missed two shots, Savovic hit a 3-pointer from the right%^$side, the ball going in as he landed with a thud on the floor after contact on%^$the shot.%^$
%^$
The Jaguars cut Ohio State’s 41-36 halftime lead to 48-45 on Lewis’ power%^$move inside with 15:37 remaining.%^$
%^$
The Buckeyes, however, scored 11 of the next 12 points to take command.%^$
%^$
Savovic started the run by hitting a reverse flip off a long fastbreak pass,%^$then later added a 3-pointer, a 10-foot fallaway and, after stealing the ball%^$at midcourt from Taj Hawkins, a layup.%^$
%^$
The Savovic-led spurt put the Buckeyes in front 59-46 with 11:37 left. The%^$lead never dropped below double figures again.%^$
%^$
Savovic’s previous career best was 23 points last March against Penn State.%^$
%^$
He hit 10-of-13 shots from the field including 4-of-7 3-pointers and also%^$had five assists.
