Buckeyes Advance to 2002 Big Ten Tournament Finals vs. Iowa – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/10/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 10, 2002
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%^$Noting the 94-88 Win Over Illinois
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Ohio State head coach Jim O’Brien won his 100th career game atOhio State Saturday against Illinois (94-88) in the semifinals ofthe 2002 Big Ten Tournament. O’Brien is 100-56 in his five-yearcareer with the Buckeyes with a 22-7 record this season. O’Brien is335-273 in his 20-year coaching career. He will take his 11th teamto postseason play this year, his seventh to the NCAA tournament.The Buckeyes will set an Ohio State record with itsfourth-consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament this season.%^$
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Ohio State is looking to win three games in three consecutivedays for the first time since downing Alabama-Birmingham, NorthCarolina State and Mississippi from Dec. 21-23, 1999 to claim theSan Juan Shootout.%^$
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The Buckeyes have won three-consecutive games against Illinoisand four of the last five.%^$
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The Buckeyes advance to the championship game of the Big Tentournament for the first time in the five-year history of theevent. The Buckeyes are 3-4 all time in the event.%^$
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Four of the five Ohio State starters reached double figures inscoring against the Illini. Senior Brian Brown scored a career-high27 points. He connected on 6-of-12 shots from the field, includinga 3-of-5 effort from 3-point range. After missing his first foulshot of the game, he then knocked down 12-consecutive free throwsto set a career high for made foul shots in a game.%^$
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Brent Darby reached the 20-point mark for the fifth time thisseason with 23 against the Illini. He made 8-of-12 shots from thefield, including a 2-of-4 3-points and 5-of-7 free throws.%^$
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This season, Ohio State is 19-3 when leading at the half, 20-1when leading with 5:00 remaining in the game, 18-3 whenoutrebounding its opponent, 18-2 when shooting a higher percentagevs. its opponent, and 18-4 when scoring 70 or more points.%^$
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Ohio State is 18-12 vs. Illinois when the Buckeyes are rankedamong the Top 25 in the Associate Press Poll, including bothmeetings this season.%^$
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Individually, sophomore Zach Williams set an OSU record with 13total rebounds and nine defensive caroms in a Big Ten tournamentgame…the 13 rebounds also were a career high for Williams…BrianBrown’s three made 3-pointers tied an OSU Big Ten tournamentrecord…his 12 made and 13 attempted free throws were OSUtournament records.%^$
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As a team, the 56.6 (30-53) shooting percentage, 30 (tie) madefield goals and 27 (tie) made free throws, set a OSU Big Tentournament records.%^$
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The Buckeyes improved to 4-1 on the year against rankedopponents. Wins were over No. 9 Iowa (72-62, Jan. 5), No. 25Indiana (73-67, Jan. 19), No. 12 Illinois (78-67, Jan. 29) and No.10 Illinois (94-88, March 9). The loss was to No. 23 Indiana(63-57, Feb. 20).%^$
%^$Noting the Matchup with Iowa
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Ohio State advances to face Iowa, a 62-60 winner over Indiana.The Buckeyes won the two regular season meetings vs. the Hawkeyes.Ohio State down No. 9 Iowa 72-62 Jan. 5 in Columbus and 72-66 Feb.16 in Iowa City.%^$
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Ohio State last faced Iowa at the Big Ten tournament March 9,2001 in Chicago. The Hawkeyes prevailed in that contest, 75-66.%^$
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The game with Iowa today is the third vs. the Hawkeyes at aneutral site. Ohio State is 1-1 in the previous two meetings. TheBuckeyes downed Iowa 85-81 March 12, 1968 in West Lafayette, Ind.,in a Big Ten playoff game to decide the Big Ten’s entrant in theNCAA tournament that season. Ohio State went on to the Final Fourthat year.%^$
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Brian Brown (12.0 ppg.) and Brent Darby (10.2 ppg.) lead theBuckeyes in scoring in games vs. the Hawkeyes. This will be the 8thmeeting for Brown and the sixth for Darby against the Hawkeyes.Zach Williams is the team’s leading rebounder vs. Iowa with 5.0rebounds a game in four career meetings.%^$
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No. 21 (AP)/No. 17 (ESPN/USA Today) Ohio State is 17-10 ingames vs. Iowa when the Buckeyes are ranked in the Associated PressTop 25 Poll, including the 72-66 win over the Iowa earlier thisyear as the No. 20 team nationally.%^$
%^$Noting the Buckeyes
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Brian Brown is one of just three players in Ohio State historyto score over 1,300 points (1,323), grab 400 rebounds (440), handout 350 assists (368) and record 11 steals (121)…only KelvinRansey (1977-80) and Jim Jackson (1990-92) are the only others toreach those statistical goals…Brown has scored in double figuresin all but two games this season (27-of-29), including the last24…has played 30 or more minutes in 24-of-29 games…has started95-consecutive games for the Buckeyes…has scored 1,323 points inhis career to rank 20th in all-time scoring at Ohio State…his 126games played ranks sixth all-time at Ohio State.%^$
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Boban Savovic has reached double figures offensively in each ofhis last five games and in 18 contests this year…his 119 career3-pointers made and 316 career long-range attempts rank No. 5,respectively, in Ohio State history.%^$
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Brent Darby has reached double figures in 21 games thisseason…Ohio State is 16-5 in those contests.%^$
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Velimir Radinovic has connected on all five of his field goalattempts and both free throws so far in the Big Ten tournamentwhile adding five rebounds in 24 minutes of action.%^$
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Zach Williams leads the Buckeyes’ starters in field goalshooting percentage (117-202/.579)…upped his season scoringaverage to 10.2 points a game with 16 vs. the Illini.%^$
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Sean Connolly led the Buckeyes with five assists against theWolverines…he also added nine points on 3-of-4 shooting, hittingboth 3-point attempts…he has made at least one 3-point attempt in17 games this season, including the eight of the last nine.%^$
