Buckeyes Advance to 2002 Big Ten Tournament Semifinals – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/9/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 9, 2002
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%^$Noting the (75-68) Win Over Michigan
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Ohio State head coach Jim O’Brien will be going for his 100thcareer win at Ohio State Saturday against Illinois. O’Brien is99-56 in his five-year career with the Buckeyes with a 21-7 recordthis season. O’Brien is 334-273 in is 20-year coaching career. Hewill take his 11th team to postseason play this year, his seventhto the NCAA tournament. The Buckeyes will set an Ohio State recordwith its fourth-consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament thisseason.%^$
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The Buckeyes have won seven-consecutive games over Michigan.The last time they won seven-consecutive games over the Wolverineswas when Ohio State won eight straight from 1967 to 1972. OhioState leads the all-time series against the Wolverines, 82-67.%^$
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The victory marks the first time Ohio State has won three gamesin the same season against any opponent. Ohio State played Michiganthree times in 1999, losing the first meeting that year in AnnArbor (84-74, 1/16/99) before winning the next two in Columbus(74-69, 2/9/99) and in Chicago at the Big Ten tournament (87-69,3/5/99).%^$
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This was the third time OSU has faced Michigan three times inthe same year. OSU was 2-1 vs. the Wolverines in both 1999 and1992. Ohio State also has played Penn State (2-1 in 2000) andIndiana ( 0-3 in 1998 and 1-2 in 1979) three times in one year.%^$
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Ohio State is now 2-4 all-time in Big Ten tournament play withboth wins coming against Michigan.%^$
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Ohio State placed five players in double figures againstMichigan with freshman Terence Dials leading with 14 points on5-of-7 shooting from the field and a 4-of-4 effort from the foulline. Dials has scored in double figures in seven games thisseason.%^$
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Ohio State is 27-4 vs. Michigan when the Buckeyes are rankedamong the Top 25 in the Associate Press Poll, including all threemeetings this season.%^$
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This season, Ohio State is 18-3 when leading at the half, 19-1when leading with 5:00 remaining in the game, 17-3 whenoutrebounding its opponent, 17-2 when shooting a higher percentagevs. its opponent, 17-4 when scoring 70 or more points, and 18-4when holding opponents under 70 points.%^$
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Ohio State is 27-4 vs. Michigan when the Buckeyes are rankedamong the Top 25 in the Associate Press Poll, including all threemeetings this season.%^$
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Freshman Terence Dials set an Ohio State record for field goalpercentage in a Big Ten tournament game. Dials connected on 5-of-7shots from the floor for a 71.4 shooting percentage.%^$
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As a team, the 48.1 (26-54) shooting percentage, 46.2 (6-13)3-point shooting percentage and 77.3 (17-22) free throw shootingpercentage against Michigan also are the best shooting efforts forthe Buckeyes at the Big Ten tournament. The 19 assists vs. theWolverines tied an OSU tournament record set against Michigan(3/5/99) and Illinois 3/6/99).%^$
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LaVell Blanchard tied an opponent record for free throwshooting against Ohio State in Big Ten tournament play. Blanchardconnected on 9-of-10 (.900) foul shots to tie Glen Worley of Iowa(3/9/01), Louis Bullock of Michigan (3/5/99) and A.J. Guyton ofIndiana (3/5/98).%^$
%^$Noting the Matchup with Illinois
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Ohio State advances to face Illinois, a 92-76 winner overMinnesota. The Buckeyes won the only meeting of the regular seasonvs. the Illini in Columbus, 78-67 (1/29/02).%^$
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Ohio State last faced Illinois at the Big Ten tournament March6, 1999 in Chicago. The Illini prevailed in that contest, 79-77, inthe only neutral-site game between the two schools. Illinois ownsthe all-time series lead 95-58.%^$
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Brent Darby (12.7 ppg.) and Brian Brown (11.1 ppg.) averagedouble figures offensively in their careers vs. Illinois. Darby, infour career games, has made 20-of-22 (.909) career free throws vs.the Illini. Brown, in seven career meetings, has connected on29-of-56 (.517) career field goals against Illinois.%^$
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Ohio State is 16-12 in games vs. Illinois when the Buckeyes areranked in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll, including the 78-67 winover the Illini earlier this year. The Buckeyes were No. 25 at thetime and Illinois was No. 12.%^$
%^$Noting the Buckeyes
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Brian Brown has scored in double figures in all but two gamesthis season (26-of-28), including the last 23…has played 30 ormore minutes in 23-of-28 games…has started 94-consecutive gamesfor the Buckeyes…has scored 1,296 points in his career to rank20th in all-time scoring at Ohio State…his 125 games played rankstied for sixth with Dennis Hopson (1984-87).%^$
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Boban Savovic has reached double figures offensively in each ofhis last four games and in 17 contests this year…his 117 career3-pointers made and 311 career long-range attempts rank No. 5,respectively, in Ohio State history.%^$n Brent Darby has reacheddouble figures in 20 games this season…Ohio State is 15-5 inthose contests.%^$
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Velimir Radinovic connected on all three of his field goalattempts and both free throws against Michigan while adding fiverebounds in 17 minutes of action, his most playing time sinceplaying 19 minutes in a road win over Massachusetts (1/9/02).%^$
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Zach Williams leads the Buckeyes’ starters in field goalshooting percentage (111-192/.578)…upped his season scoringaverage to 10.0 points a game with 11 vs. the Wolverines.%^$
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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 last eight games.
