Big Ten Lead Up for Grabs When Hoosiers, Buckeyes Square Off – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/18/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan 18, 2002
This is not a game most expected to be the early season battle for Big Ten supremacy.
But that will be the case at Value City Arena on Saturday when No. 25 Indiana visits Ohio State with sole possession of first place on the line.
Illinois, Iowa and Michigan State, which has won at least a share of the last four Big Ten titles, were the teams many picked to be the class of the conference.
Few expected much from the Hoosiers and Buckeyes, but they’re the only teams with unblemished Big Ten records. All other teams in the conference have at least two losses.
“Both of us are 4-0 in the Big Ten,” Ohio State forward Zach Williams said. “These are the games you love to play in.”
A victory will surely push the Buckeyes (13-2, 4-0) into the rankings for the first time this season. They’ve won seven in a row since losing back-to-back games to Louisville and Pittsburgh.
Indiana (11-5, 4-0) is the last Big Ten team to win a regular-season game against Ohio State, which has since ripped off 10 consecutive conference wins. The Hoosiers are off to their best Big Ten start since 1992-93, when they won their first 13 conference games before losing to Ohio State.
Indiana is coming off two impressive wins over ranked teams, routing Michigan State before knocking off then-No. 13 Iowa 77-66 on Sunday.
“Our guys are playing so well right now and I have nothing to do with it,” Indiana coach Mike Davis said after Sunday’s win at Iowa City. “For us to come in here and win this game really gives a boost to our confidence.”
The star of the latest victory again was Jared Jeffries, who scored 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting, hit both of his 3-point attempts and grabbed seven rebounds. The 6-foot-10 sophomore is averaging 20.3 points over the last six games.
“If you guard (Jeffries) with someone his size, he has the ability to take that player away from the basket and shoot 3s and possibly go by him,” Buckeyes coach Jim O’Brien said. “If you guard him with somebody smaller, he obviously has the ability to go inside and post up. That’s a real dilemma.”
Jeffries is facing a tenacious Ohio State defense which is allowing a conference-low 58.2 points per game.
The Buckeyes have a more balanced offense, with four players averaging in double figures. Brian Brown leads the team with 14.3 points per game, followed by Boban Savovic at 12.5, Brent Darby with 11.1 and Williams adds 10.9.
This is the 160th meeting between these rivals, with Indiana leading 93-66.
