No. 20 Buckeyes Blow By Michigan, 69-47 – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/24/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan 24, 2002
Box Score| Quotes| Notes
Post Game audio:
Head Coach Jim O’Brien
Michigan Head Coach Tommy Amaker
By RUSTY MILLER
AP Sports Writer
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – It’s reached the point that even Ohio State coach Jim O’Brien doesn’t blame his 20th-ranked Buckeyes for being confident.
“I don’t think we’re cocky. I don’t want our guys to be cocky,” O’Brien said after the Buckeyes beat Michigan 69-47 Thursday night for their 13th consecutive Big Ten victory. “We have to be realistic about what’s ahead. But they think they can play with a lot of teams right now.”
Brian Brown scored 17 points, Brent Darby had 16 and Boban Savovic added 15 in Ohio State’s most lopsided win over its chief rival in 34 years. The Buckeyes beat the Wolverines 103-70 on Jan. 20, 1968.
“I think it was our worst performance of the season,” Michigan coach Tommy Amaker said.
Ohio State (15-2, 6-0) won its ninth in a row overall. The Buckeyes have not lost in the Big Ten since falling 70-67 at home to Indiana almost a year ago. Savovic had seven assists and four rebounds as Ohio State maintained its one-game lead over Indiana in the conference.
As the margin rose in the second half, Ohio State’s student section chanted, “Just like football.” The Buckeyes won last November’s game, 26-20.
“It was even better because it was on ESPN and we’re on top of the Big Ten,” Brown said.
Lavell Blanchard had 11 points for Michigan (7-9, 3-4), which was plagued by scoring lapses against Ohio State. The Buckeyes came into the game seventh in the country in points allowed (58.7).
The Wolverines went 3{ minutes without scoring in the first half, almost four minutes in the middle of the game and another five minutes in the second half.
“I thought we were very good defensively. This is a team that came in averaging over 70 points a game. To hold them to under 50 is a terrific accomplishment,” O’Brien said.
Michigan shot 30.4 percent (17-of-56), including 4-of-20 from 3-point range.
An Ohio State scoring drought of almost eight minutes turned a 15-5 lead into a 16-15 deficit. But the Buckeyes scored the final eight points of the half – four by Brown – to take a 29-23 lead.
“The way we finished the first half was a sign of things to come,” Amaker said.
Darby – a native of River Rouge, Mich. – hit a 3-pointer to start the second half and make it an 11-0 run.
“I love Michigan,” Darby said. “I grew up in Michigan. That’s all I watched as a kid. But I’m a Buckeye.”
The Wolverines trailed 39-29 after Chris Young’s two free throws with 14:39 left, but then went without a point until Blanchard’s 3-pointer at the 9:22 mark cut Ohio State’s lead to 48-32.
The Buckeyes, second in the nation in field goal percentage (50.5), shot 43 percent (26-of-61). Only twice before this season have they shot worse from the field.
“We were extremely unselfish,” O’Brien said. “We played very well together. When you combine that with the way we played on defense, that’s a good formula.”
Ohio State also held the upper hand in rebounding (43-36) and had just seven turnovers – half of Michigan’s total.
The Buckeyes have won the last five meetings between the schools.
The 13-game Big Ten winning streak is Ohio State’s longest since winning 14 in a row in the 1970-71 and 1971-72 seasons.
“I don’t want it to be fool’s gold,” O’Brien said. “But they have a right to feel good about themselves at this stage.”
