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
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. The Buckeyes have won seven-consecutive games overMichigan. The last time they won seven-consecutive games over theWolverines was when Ohio State won eight straight from 1967 to1972. Ohio State leads the all-time series against the Wolverines,82-67. The victory marks the first time Ohio State has won threegames in the same season against any opponent. Ohio State playedMichigan three times in 1999, losing the first meeting that year inAnn Arbor (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). This was the third time OSU has faced Michigan three timesin the 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.Ohio State is now 2-4 all-time in Big Ten tournament play with bothwins coming against Michigan. Ohio State placed five players indouble figures against Michigan with freshman Terence Dials leadingwith 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field and a 4-of-4effort from the foul line. Dials has scored in double figures inseven games this season. Ohio State is 27-4 vs. Michigan when theBuckeyes are ranked among the Top 25 in the Associate Press Poll,including all three meetings this season. This season, Ohio Stateis 18-3 when leading at the half, 19-1 when leading with 5:00remaining in the game, 17-3 when outrebounding its opponent, 17-2when shooting a higher percentage vs. its opponent, 17-4 whenscoring 70 or more points, and 18-4 when holding opponents under 70points. Ohio State is 27-4 vs. Michigan when the Buckeyes areranked among the Top 25 in the Associate Press Poll, including allthree meetings this season. Freshman Terence Dials set an OhioState record for field goal percentage in a Big Ten tournamentgame. Dials connected on 5-of-7 shots from the floor for a 71.4shooting percentage. As a team, the 48.1 (26-54) shootingpercentage, 46.2 (6-13) 3-point shooting percentage and 77.3(17-22) free throw shooting percentage against Michigan also arethe best shooting efforts for the Buckeyes at the Big Tentournament. The 19 assists vs. the Wolverines tied an OSUtournament record set against Michigan (3/5/99) and Illinois3/6/99). 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
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). Ohio State last facedIllinois at the Big Ten tournament March 6, 1999 in Chicago. TheIllini prevailed in that contest, 79-77, in the only neutral-sitegame between the two schools. Illinois owns the all-time serieslead 95-58. Brent Darby (12.7 ppg.) and Brian Brown (11.1 ppg.)average double figures offensively in their careers vs. Illinois.Darby, in four career games, has made 20-of-22 (.909) career freethrows vs. the Illini. Brown, in seven career meetings, hasconnected on 29-of-56 (.517) career field goals against Illinois.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
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). Boban Savovic hasreached double figures offensively in each of his last four gamesand in 17 contests this year…his 117 career 3-pointers made and311 career long-range attempts rank No. 5, respectively, in OhioState history. n Brent Darby has reached double figures in 20 gamesthis season…Ohio State is 15-5 in those contests. VelimirRadinovic connected on all three of his field goal attempts andboth free throws against Michigan while adding five rebounds in 17minutes of action, his most playing time since playing 19 minutesin a road win over Massachusetts (1/9/02). Zach Williams leads theBuckeyes’ starters in field goal shooting percentage(111-192/.578)…upped his season scoring average to 10.0 points agame with 11 vs. the Wolverines. Sean Connolly led the Buckeyeswith five assists against the Wolverines…he also added ninepoints on 3-of-4 shooting, hitting both 3-point attempts…he hasmade at least one 3-point attempt in 17 games this season,including the last eight games.
