Aggies Pull Away From Buckeyes In Overtime, 77-68 – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/15/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 15, 2001%^$
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%^$%^$Box Score%^$%^$
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%^$By JENNA FRYER
%^$AP Sports Writer
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GREENSBORO, N.C. – Utah State’s first NCAA tournament victory since%^$1970 was a year in the making.%^$
After leaving ashamed following a first-round loss last season, the%^$12th-seeded Aggies beat Ohio State 77-68 in overtime Thursday in one of the%^$biggest opening-day upsets.%^$
“The first time you go to the tournament you are in awe and you don’t know%^$how to handle it,” said Tony Brown, who scored 17 points, including the%^$game-tying jumper with 1.8 seconds to play in regulation in the East Regional.%^$
“You go there the first year to get over all the nervousness and%^$excitement, then hope you get a second chance to go back.”%^$
The Big West Conference team was in awe of Connecticut last year in a 75-67%^$loss.%^$
“They were not content to have lost by only eight points to the defending%^$national champions and felt like the magnitude of the event got the best of%^$them,” coach Stew Morrill said. “This whole season has been about getting%^$back here and getting another chance.”%^$
Curtis Bobb scored eight of his 14 points in overtime to help the Aggies%^$(28-5) knock fifth-seeded Ohio State out in the first round for the first time%^$since 1982.%^$
“It’s obviously a disappointing loss for us,” Ohio State coach Jim O’Brien%^$said. “But you’ve got to give a world of credit to those guys. In my mind,%^$they were the better team.”%^$
Bernard Rock scored 18 points to lead Utah State, which will play UCLA in%^$the second round. The Bruins beat Hofstra 61-48.%^$
The Aggies also were quicker and more aggressive than Ohio State (20-11).%^$They forced 21 turnovers, including 12 steals, and committed only five%^$turnovers.%^$
Utah State also shut down Ken Johnson, Ohio State’s shot-blocking center, in%^$the second half. Johnson had only six points – all on free throws – and one%^$block after halftime. He finished with 14 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.%^$
“We never felt like Ohio State was the better team and always believed we%^$could beat them,” said Dimitri Jorssen, who guarded Johnson most of the day.%^$
“I hope this puts us on the map and gets people to go to our web site%^$because we proved we can play with the top teams.”%^$
Bobb, who was scoreless until hitting a 3-pointer with five minutes to play%^$in the second half, scored seven straight points in overtime to give the Aggies%^$control.%^$
He put Utah State up 62-61 with a short jumper, then scored on a putback%^$that drew a foul. He made the free throw, giving the Aggies a 65-62 lead.%^$
Ohio State missed its next attempt, but was called for traveling on the%^$rebound, giving the Buckeyes the ball back.%^$
Bobb then settled down his teammates, yelling, “Don’t worry, we got it! We%^$got this game!”%^$
He proved it on the next possession, when Shawn Daniels came up with a steal%^$and tossed it in to Bobb for a dunk and a 67-62 Utah State lead.%^$
“We got the traveling call and I saw some heads go down and some yelling%^$and I just wanted them to know that we could only lose the game, they couldn’t%^$beat us,” Bobb said. “We had to stay together or else Ohio State could take%^$the game.”%^$
Ohio State then gave up the ball on passes or off-balance, risky shots.%^$
The Buckeyes got 3-pointers from Brian Brown and Sean Connolly, but they had%^$to foul after every possession and Utah State was 8-of-12 from the line in the%^$2:08 of the game.
