Men’s Basketball Travels to Northwestern to Battle The Wildcats – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/23/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 23, 2001
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Opponent: Northwestern
Site: Welsh-Ryan Arena (8,117)
Game Time: 8 p.m. (EST)
TV: ESPN Plus
Local TV: WBNS-10 TV
TV Talent: Craig Coshun (P-by-P)
Bill Hosket (Color)
Radio: OSU Radio Network (63 stations)
Local Radio: WBNS FM-97.1 AM-1460
Radio Talent: Paul Keels (P-by-P)
Ron Stokes (Color)
Ohio State Buckeyes
Probable Starters (18-9, 9-5)
G 3-Sean Connolly , 6-5, So.
G 21-Boban Savovic, 6-5, Jr.
G 13-Brian Brown, 6-4, Jr.
C 32-Ken Johnson, 6-11, Sr.
F 33-Zach Williams, 6-7, Fr.
Northwestern Wildcats
Probable Starters (10-17, 2-12)
G 5-Ben Johnson, 6-2, So.
G 25-Jitim Young, 6-2, Fr.
G 32-Collier Drayton, 6-2, Jr.
F 33-Tavaras Hardy, 6-8, Jr.
F 3-Winston Blake, 6-5, So.
Buckeyes reach 9 wins in Big Ten for 3rd consecutive season
The win over No. 3 Illinois gave the Buckeyes their ninth win in the Big Ten for the third-consecutive year after a stretch of six-consecutive years with reaching nine wins in the league. Ohio State has not put together three consecutive years with nine or more wins in the league since the 1990-92 seasons. That stretch also was the last time Ohio State qualified for three-consecutive NCAA Tournaments. Ohio State is currently vying for its 21st NCAA Tournament appearance and third consecutive trip to the Big Dance. Another Big Ten victory this season will give the Buckeyes their 26th campaign with 10 or more wins in Big Ten play and their third consecutive season with double-digit victories. Johnson reaches milestones in win over No. 3 Illinois
Ohio State’s Ken Johnson scored his 1,000th career point and claimed a share of the Big Ten record for career blocks in the 63-61 win over No. 3 Illinois Thursday. Johnson scored 16 points to give him 1,001 in 123 games as a Buckeye. His two blocks upped his career total to 428. He is tied for the Big Ten record with Calvin Booth of Penn State. Johnson also is tied with Booth for the No. 5 spot all time in NCAA history for career blocks.
Ohio State’s RPI and SOS on the rise
With four recent wins over ranked foes and five-consecutive wins in the Big Ten, three of which were on the road, Ohio State has made a move in the Rating Percentage Index (RPI). The RPI is used by the NCAA selection committee to select teams for the NCAA Tournament. CollegeRPI.com, an unofficial RPI, has Ohio State rated No. 29 nationally (as of 2/23). Four teams rated in the AP Top 25 are rated lower. No. 9 Virginia (33 RPI), No. 14 Alabama (38), No. 20 Maryland (45) and No. 21 Georgetown (46) are behind the Buckeyes in the RPI. Of the 28 teams rated above OSU in the RPI and ranked by AP, 11 have a strength of schedule rated below Ohio State’s, including No. 1 Stanford (1 RPI/32 SOS), No. 4 Duke (3/29), No. 5 Michigan State (4/28), No. 6 Iowa State (7/51), No. 10 Boston College (11/47), No. 17 Syracuse (18/50), No. 23 St. Joseph’s (20/91), No. 7 Florida (22/78), No. 24 Wake Forest (24/33), No. 25 Providence (25/53) and No. 16 Oklahoma (28/83).
Darby leads Buckeyes to 1-1 week
Sophomore Brent Darby has been playing well of late as the Buckeyes’ sixth man. Darby averaged 16.0 points last week in a win at Purdue and a road loss at No. 21 Alabama. Darby has connected for 15 or more points in each of his last five games, the longest double-digit scoring streak of his career.
No. 3 Illinois falls to Buckeyes in final home game of season for Ohio State
Sean Connolly’s 3-pointer with 30 seconds left gave Ohio State a 63-61 upset of No. 3 Illinois that opened up the race for the Big Ten title. Brian Brown led Ohio State with 18 points, while Ken Johnson had 16 points and Brent Darby had 14. The victory was the Buckeyes’ fifth in a row in conference play. Johnson, honored earlier as the Buckeyes’ only senior, blocked two shots to tie former Penn State center Calvin Booth for the most career blocks by a Big Ten player (428). Frank Williams scored 22 points and Marcus Griffin had 12 for the Illini. With Illinois on top 61-60, Darby was guarded by Sergio McClain in the backcourt and couldn’t find an open man. But he was able to toss a pass to the left wing where Connolly broke open along the baseline. He turned and hit the 3-pointer to put Ohio State ahead 63-61. Brian Cook missed a 3-point attempt from the top of the key with nine seconds remaining for Illinois. The Buckeyes’ Tim Martin rebounded and was fouled, but missed both free throws. Williams, who had beaten Ohio State in the Big Ten opener a year ago with a 3-pointer at the buzzer, took the inbound pass and dribbled to just in front of the Illini bench on the left wing. Pressured by three defenders, his shot with two seconds left was short. Johnson became the 39th Ohio State player to score 1,000 points in a career when he hit a free throw with 7:31 left that gave the Buckeyes a 52-45 lead..
Noting the win over No. 3 Illinois
Ken Johnson tied the all-time Big Ten Conference blocked shotrecord after swatting two vs. Illinois. Johnson is tied for the topspot with Calvin Booth of Penn State with 428. Johnson has 109 thisseason, which ranks second all-time on the OSU single-season chart.Johnson owns the top three single-season marks in school history.Johnson tied the Big Ten record with a swat of a Sergio McClainjumper at the 13:20 mark of the second half. With his two blocks,Johnson moved into a fifth-place tie with Booth in NCAA history.Next up on the chart is Lorenzo Coleman (Tennessee Tech) with 437.Johnson became the 39th player in Ohio State history to reach 1,000career points. Johnson scored his 1,000th point on a free throw at7:31 in the second half. He finished with 16 points in the contestand has 1,001 points in his career. Johnson started his 119thcareer game. He stands third all-time in starts at Ohio State,seven behind the all-time leaders, Jamaal Brown (1989-92) and JerryFrancis (1986-89), who share first place with 126. Johnson is oneof eight players in Ohio State history to start 100 or morecontests in his Buckeye career. Ohio State concludes its thirdseason in Value City Arena with a 14-3 mark. The Buckeyes are 43-6over the three seasons at VCA. The sellout crowd of 19,200 is thefifth sellout this season at Value City Arena. Ohio State hasconnected on at least one 3-point field goal attempt over the last277 games. Brent Darby extended the streak with a trey at the 6:10mark of the first half, taking a pass from Tim Martin after Martingrabbed an offensive rebound. Illinois’ seven-point halftimedeficit was its largest in Big Ten play this season, topping theprevious high of six, set at Iowa – one of two Big Ten losses forthe Illini coming into this game. The deficit is the second largestthis season. Only Seton Hall, with a 17-point halftime advantage,had a larger lead at intermission. Ohio State is 8-2 all-time vs.ranked teams at Value City Arena, including a 3-1 mark this season.The Buckeyes are 4-5 vs. ranked teams this season. Brent Darby’s 14points in the contest marked the 14th time in his career he scoredin double figures and the fifth-consecutive game this season. OhioState is 12-2 in those contests. Ohio State has defeated two Top-5teams this season – Michigan State and Illinois, both ranked No. 3.OSU last knocked off two Top-5 teams in the same season during the1990-91 campaign, when the Buckeyes downed No. 3 Indiana inBloomington and then topped the No. 4 Hoosiers in double overtimein Columbus. An unranked Ohio State team has not won four games vs.ranked opponents in a season since the 1989-90 campaign when theBuckeyes were 6-9 overall vs. ranked foes but never cracked thenational rankings. Ohio State was ranked the entire 2000-01 seasonand compiled a 3-4 record vs. ranked foes after going 10-3 vs. theranked in 1998-99 on the way to the Final Four. Jim O’Brien has arecord of 17-19 vs. ranked opponents in his four years at OhioState. OSU was 0-7 in his first year (1997-98). The Buckeyes are17-12 over the last three years.
Johnson 2nd in Big Ten to 400 career blocks
Buckeye senior Ken Johnson has 428 blocks in his career after swatting two vs. Illinois (2/22/01). Johnson is tied for the career lead in Big Ten history in career blocks. He tied Calvin Booth of Penn State (1995-99). Johnson cracked the Top 10 in Big Ten single-season block records for the third time at Iowa. He already owns the No. 1 spot with 161 in 1999-00 and the No. 9 spot with 100 in 1998-99. His 109 this season rates No. 5.
Big Ten Career Blocked Shots leaders 1. Ken Johnson, OSU 1998- 428 Calvin Booth, PSU 1995-99 428 3. Acie Earl, IOWA 1989-93 365 4. Joe Barry Carroll, PUR 1977-80 349 5. Herb Williams, OSU 1977-81 328
Big Ten Season Blocked Shot leaders 1. Ken Johnson, OSU 1999-00 161 2. Calvin Booth, PSU 1997-98 140 3. Jim Pitts, NU 1965-66 123 4. Acie Earl, Iowa 1991-92 121 5. Ken Johnson, OSU 2000-01 109 6. Acie Earl, Iowa 1990-91 106 7. Joe Barry Carroll, PUR 1977-78 105 8. Calvin Booth, PSU 1995-96 101 9. Ken Johnson, OSU 1998-99 100 10. Dean Garrett, IND 1987-88 99
Unranked Buckeyes win 4 vs. ranked teams for 1st time since 1989-90
Ohio State, unranked in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today polls, has defeated four of the last five ranked opponents faced. The last time the Buckeyes defeated four ranked teams as an unranked squad was during the 1989-90 season when OSU downed six ranked teams.
Johnson owns Top 3 spots in single season blocks
With 109 blocks this year, senior Ken Johnson has his name listed at the Top 3 positions on the Ohio State single-season blocked shots chart. His 161 blocks as a junior is an OSU single season record. He swatted 100 as a sophomore, the third highest single season total. His senior total rates No. 2.
Johnson in Top 10 in NCAA career blocks
Ken Johnson sits atop the OSU and Big Ten career list and is in the Top 10 in career blocks in NCAA history. His current total of 428 ranks No. 5 all-time (tie) in NCAA career blocks. Johnson is one of only 11 players in the history of college basketball to block 400 or more shots. Johnson reached the 400 mark with six blocks at Michigan State (1/21/01). Penn State’s Calvin Booth, tied with Johnson for the all-time lead in Big Ten history, is No. 5 on the NCAA chart with 428. Johnson has averaged 3.5 blocks a game over his career, that average rates among the Top 20 all time in NCAA history at No. 17.
NCAA Career Blocks No. Name Gms. Blks. 1. Adonal Foyle, Colgate 87 492 2. Tim Duncan, Wake Forest 128 481 3. Alonzo Mourning, Georgetown 120 453 4. Lorenzo Coleman, Tenn. Tech 113 437 5. Ken Johnson, Ohio St. 123 428 Calvin Booth, Penn St. 114 428 7. Theo Ratliff, Wyoming 111 425 8. Etan Thomas, Syracuse 122 424 9. Rodney Blake, St. Joseph’s 116 419 10. Shaquille O’Neal, LSU 90 412
Brown enjoys best season as a Buckeye
Junior Brian Brown is having his most productive season as a Buckeye. In this his third year, he has single season highs in field goals (142), 3-pointers made (37), free throws made (78), assists (107), steals (40), points (399) and scoring average (14.8). His career scoring average is 8.8 ppg.
Several Buckeyes increase production in Big Ten Conference play
Point production has increased during the Big Ten Conference portion of the schedule for three regulars. Junior Brian Brown is consistent with his offensive output with 14.8 ppg. overall and 15.2 ppg. in conference games. Senior Ken Johnson averages 13.5 points in league games and 12.3 ppg. overall. Sophomore Brent Darby averages 10.1 ppg. in the league and 9.2 ppg. on the season. Johnson averages 7.6 rebounds a game in the league and 7.0 rpg. overall.
Brown, Johnson account for majority of Ohio State’s double figure scoring games
Buckeye players have 82 individual double-figure scoring efforts in 27 games this season. Brian Brown leads with 24 with Ken Johnson close behind with 21.
Buckeyes earn 7th win over a defending national champion
Ohio State has met the defending national champion 29 times in history with a 7-22 record in those games following the win over Michigan State. The Buckeyes have a 24-52 record against teams who participated in the Final Four the previous year. The Buckeyes just finished a stretch of four games against 2000 Final Four teams, defending national champion Michigan State, twice, and 2000 Final Four participant Wisconsin, twice. Ohio State split the season series with both teams. Before the recent win over the Spartans, the last time OSU downed a defending national champion was during the 1989-90 season when the Buckeyes won 64-61 over No. 5 Michigan (2/18/90). Michigan won the 1989 national title.
Buckeyes pay back road games after run of home contests
Before traveling to Michigan State (1/21/01), Ohio State enjoyed 12 home games in a stretch of 13 contests. Ohio State travels for six of the final eight games of the season, including two of the last three regular season games.
Buckeyes start same four all season
Four of the five OSU starters have remained constant all season with senior Ken Johnson, juniors Brian Brown and Boban Savovic and freshman Zach Williams starting all 27 contests this season. Sophomores Brent Darby (15 starts) and Sean Connolly (12 starts) have been the only changes to the lineup this season.
Ohio State vs. ranked opponents
The Buckeyes played the ninth ranked opponent of the season at home vs. No. 3 Illinois. No. 21 Alabama. The Buckeyes are 123-192 vs. teams in the AP Top 25. Five of the nine ranked teams OSU has faced this year have been in the AP Top 10. Ohio State has played No. 21 Alabama, No. 16 Wisconsin, twice, No. 14 Iowa, No. 3 Illinois, twice, No. 5 Michigan State, twice, and No. 3 Kansas this season. Syracuse, currently ranked, was not in the Top 25 when OSU played the Orangemen at the great Alaska Shootout earlier this year.
Visitors struggle to win at VCA
Ohio State has lost six home games in the 3-year history of Value City Arena. The Buckeyes have a record of 43-6 all time at the VCA. In the six home losses, no team has won by more than three points. The Buckeyes have lost by an average of 2.5 points in the six games.
O’Brien reaches career win No. 300
Jim O’Brien earned career win No. 300 as a collegiate head coach with the 93-62 win over Morehead St. (12/16/00). O’Brien is 311-264 in 19 seasons as a head coach. He has a record of 76-47, including a record of 68-25 over the last three seasons with the Buckeyes. O’Brien spent 11 seasons at his alma mater, Boston College. His teams compiled a record of 168-166 record with six postseason appearances, including three trips to the NCAA Tournament in his last four years. O’Brien started his career at St. Bonaventure, where in four seasons, his teams posted a record of 67-51 (.568). His 100th career win came against Maine Dec. 6, 1988 (87-59) with No. 200 coming against Hartford Dec. 23, 1995 (106-67). O’Brien won both those games at Boston College.
Ohio State to host NCAA Tournament 1st, 2nd rounds in 2004
The Ohio State Department of Athletics, along with Nationwide Arena and the Greater Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau, has been selected to host the 2004 National Collegiate Athletic Association Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds, the NCAA announced Dec. 7. Ohio State will serve as the host institution for the 2004 Midwest Region early round contests. The games will be played at Nationwide Arena March 19 and 21, 2004.
Johnson, No. 1 in Big Ten
Ohio State senior Ken Johnson holds the No. 1 spot in the Big Ten with an average of 4.0 blocks a game (109).
Robinson back in uniform
Doylan Robinson (Akron, Ohio/Buchtel), a junior guard, has been out of action recovering from injuries sustained as a passenger in a traffic accident Sunday, Dec. 3, 2000. Robinson suffered several lacerations to his face and right hand. He is expected to recover fully. Robinson has played in six games to date for the Buckeyes after playing the final minute vs. Alabama (2/17/01). He is averaging 1.7 points and 1.7 rebounds in 7.2 minutes a game. He resumed practicing and was dressed for the Ohio State vs. Indiana contest Jan. 31.
Johnson No. 1 on OSU career swat chart
Ken Johnson has 109 blocks on the season for a career total of 428, which places him first all-time at Ohio State in career rejections. Johnson passed Herb Williams (1978-81) at the Great Alaska Shootout in November. Johnson averaged 1.9 bpg. (58/30 gms.) as a freshman, 2.8 bpg. (100/36 gms.) as a sophomore and 5.37 bpg. (161/30 gms.) in 1999-00. He has an average of 4.0 blocks a game this season.
Johnson becomes 39th Buckeye to reach 1,000 career points
Ken Johnson reached career point No. 1,000 as a Buckeye with 16 in the home win over Illinois (2/22/01). He has scored 1,001 for a career scoring average of 8.1 a contest in his four seasons at Ohio State. He is averaging 12.3 points this season, the highest single-season scoring average of his career.
Johnson paces Buckeyes in the Big Ten
Among Big Ten players, senior Ken Johnson rates among the Top 10 in four statistical categories. He is the league’s best shot blocker with 4.00 rejections a game. With a .568 field goal shooting percentage, he rates No. 4. He also is fourth in defensive rebounds (5.04) and seventh in overall rebounds per game (7.0). Sophomore Sean Connolly is the No. 2 3-point shooter in the conference with a .432 shooting percentage. Junior Brian Brown is No. 5 in 3-point shooting percentage (.430).
Johnson No. 3 on career starts list
Ken Johnson has started 119 career games since the 1997-98 season. He is one of only eight Buckeyes to reach 100 or more career starts. Johnson is No. 3 on the OSU career starts list behind the 126 started by Jamaal Brown (1989-92) and Jerry Francis (1986-89).
Northwestern edges Penn State
Tavaras Hardy scored four of his 23 points in the final minute, and Jitim Young’s layup with just seconds remaining Wednesday sealed Northwestern’s 62-61 victory over Penn State.
After losing 32 regular-season Big Ten games in a row, Northwestern has now won two this season. Joe Crispin gave Penn State a 59-56 lead by hitting a pair of free throws with 1:26 left. But Hardy came right back with an off-balance layup. After Titus Ivory missed a long jumper, Tyler Smith fouled Hardy in the scramble for the rebound. Hardy made both foul shots, giving Northwestern a 60-59 lead with 45 seconds left.
Joe Crispin raced down the floor and hit a floater in the lane, before Young answered with his own layup coming off a screen by Hardy. Crispin had one more chance, but his shot at the buzzer missed.
Leading the Wildcats
Sophomore Winston Blake leads the Wildcats with 11.6 points a game. He is followed by Junior Tavaras Hardy’s 10.4 ppg. Hardy is the team’s leading rebounder with 5.9 caroms a contest.
Carmody nears end of first season
Northwestern head coach Bill Carmody has guided the Wildcats to a 10-17 overall record and a 2-12 mark in the Big Ten. Northwestern has won its last two home games over Iowa and Penn State to snap a 32-game losing streak in Big Ten Conference games. Carmody has a career record of 102-42 in five seasons as a head coach. He spent four years at Princeton (92-25) before joining the Wildcats.
The Northwestern series
Ohio State leads the series 98-44 against Northwestern after posting a 73-56 win earlier this season in Columbus. The Buckeyes own a 39-30 record in Evanston and a 59-14 mark in Columbus. Ohio State has a four-game winning streak over the Wildcats, including a 58-44 win at Welsh-Ryan Arena last year.
The Buckeyes vs. Northwestern
Brian Brown is the Buckeyes’ leading scorer in games played against the Wildcats. In four career games, Brown averages 9.3 ppg. in 25.5 minutes per game. He also is 8-of-8 from the free throw line vs. Northwestern. Ken Johnson, who has played five games vs. the Wildcats, averages 8.0 points and 5.4 rebounds in games vs. NU.
Leading the Buckeyes
Junior Brian Brown leads the Buckeyes offensively with a scoring average of 14.7 points per game. He leads the team in minutes played (33.3 mpg.). Sophomore Sean Connolly leads in 3-point shooting (40-91, .440). Connolly is the team’s leading free throw shooter (33-41, .805). Ken Johnson is the team’s leading rebounder with 7.0 a game. He is the most accurate Buckeye from the field as well hitting 56 percent of his shots (119-211). Brown leads in assists with 104 and steals, 39.
OSU opponents fare well in polls
Six 2000-01 Buckeye opponents are rated among the Top 25 in the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today polls. Illinois (3/4), Michigan State (5/5), Kansas (11/10), Alabama (14/14), Syracuse (17/12) and Wisconsin (19/17) are rated in the Top 25. Iowa and Penn State are receiving votes in one or both polls.
Johnson led nation in blocks, average fifth in NCAA
Ohio State center Ken Johnson led the Big Ten and the nation in blocks in 1999-00. Johnson sent back 5.37 shots per game with 161 blocks on the year. Johnson has the fifth highest block per game average in NCAA history. His total of 161 is the seventh most in a single season in NCAA history.
NCAA Single Season Blocks Avg. 1. #Adonal Foyle, Colgate 1997 6.43 2. #Keith Closs, C. Conn. St. 1996 6.36 3. #David Robinson, Navy 1986 5.91 4. Adonal Foyle, Colgate 1996 5.69 5. #Ken Johnson, OSU 2000 5.37 # Led nation in blocks.
OSU vs. the Big Ten
The Buckeyes opened the Big Ten season Jan. 3 at home against Northwestern. The Buckeyes have more victories over the Wildcats (98) than any other league school. Ohio State has 78 wins each over Michigan and Wisconsin. Illinois has the most wins over the Buckeyes with 95. This is the 89th season of Big Ten play for Ohio State in men’s basketball.
Big Ten Series Records
Illinois 57-95
Indiana 66-93
Iowa 60-67
Michigan 79-67
Michigan State 45-52
Minnesota 71-50
Northwestern 98-44
Penn State 11-12
Purdue 68-77
Wisconsin 79-54
Totals 633-611
2-year home record rates high at OSU
Ohio State has compiled a 43-6 (.878) record over three seasons in Value City Arena. The Buckeyes were 14-1 in the inaugural season in VCA (1998-99) and notched a 15-2 record at home in 1999-00. Ohio State completed the home schedule this year with a 14-3 home record. In back-to-back seasons in which the Buckeyes have won at least 25 combined home games, the OSU record from 1999-00 of 29-3 stands fourth all-time for home record in consecutive seasons. The record over the 2000-01 seasons is 29-5, which rates No. 5 for combined two-year record all-time. The 1962-63 teams posted a 25-0 record during a span of 50 home games in which the Buckeyes were undefeated from 1960-64.
Ohio State home record in back-to-back seasons Seasons 2-yr. home Rec. Win Pct. 1962-63 25-0 1.000 1991-92 30-1 .968 1990-91 27-2 .931 1999-00 29-3 .906 2000-01 29-5 .853 1985-86 26-5 .839 1982-83 25-5 .833 1986-87 26-7 .788 1985-86 26-5 .781
OSU 3-pt FG streak extended to 277
Ohio State has connected on at least one 3-point field goal attempt over the last 277 games. Sophomore Brent Darby extended the streak in the first half against Illinois (2/22/01). The last time an OSU team missed all attempts from 3-point range was Feb. 2, 1992 when the Buckeyes went 0 for 5 in a 68-58 OSU win over Michigan. Buckeye opponents have a streak of 269-consecutive games with at least one 3-pointer made. Michigan went 0-10 from long range March 3, 1992 in an OSU 75-66 victory, marking the last time an opponent was held without a 3-pointer.
A change in lineup
Ohio State used its second starting lineup of the season with sophomore Sean Connolly starting in place of sophomore Brent Darby against Eastern Kentucky. According to STATS Inc., Ohio State was among just six schools to use just one or two different starting lineups in 1999-00.
Johnson helps Olympic team prepare for Gold in Sydney
Ken Johnson was selected as one of 12 collegiate players who gathered to practice against the 2000 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball team last summer in Maui, Hawaii. Johnson was the only true center on the 2000 USA Basketball Men’s Select team and its tallest player at 6-feet 11-inches. The Select team scrimmaged the Olympic team each day during the week-long camp. The camp ended with a nationally-televised (NBC) contest Sept. 2 at the University of Hawaii Stan Sheriff Center.
