Ohio State Defeated By Wisconsin – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/18/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan 18, 2003
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Post Game Press Conference Audio
Ohio State Head Coach Jim O’Brien
Wisconsin Head Coach Bo Ryan
By RUSTY MILLER
AP Sports Writer
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Kirk Penney scored on a shot inside with 7.4 seconds left and Alondo Tucker blocked an Ohio State shot in the final seconds as Wisconsin beat the Buckeyes 53-52 Saturday night.
Ohio State (8-7, 1-3 Big Ten) trailed by 11 points with just over 5 minutes left but took the lead at 52-51 with 37.7 seconds remaining when Brent Darby fed Velimir Radinovic and his shot rolled around the rim before falling in.
Wisconsin (12-4, 2-2) calmly brought the ball down the court and isolated Penney who was being guarded by Sean Connolly. From the left wing, Penney drove through the heart of the lane and avoided heavy traffic to put up a hanging shot that went in.
The Buckeyes hurried down floor with Darby driving the right side as time melted away. His off-balance shot went up with 2 seconds left and several Badgers tried to block it, Tucker getting a hand on it to swat it away as the final horn sounded.
Tucker led the Badgers, who had lost two of their last three games, with 15 points.
Shun Jenkins had 16 points and 11 rebounds for Ohio State, which has lost four of five. Darby had 10 points and five assists.
The game matched two of the four teams who tied for the Big Ten title a year ago.
Down by five points at the half, the Badgers went on an 11-2 run to turn a 32-29 deficit into a 40-34 lead. Andreas Helmigk started the surge with a 3-pointer from the top of the key to tie it. After Wisconsin’s Boo Wade and Ohio State’s Jenkins traded baskets, the Badgers ran off the next six points.
Mike Wilkinson scored off a backdoor cut, Devin Harris missed a shot inside and then appeared to get straight-armed to the floor as he flipped up another shot that went in, and then Penney sped past two defenders on a baseline drive from the right wing to make it 40-34.
Ohio State pulled to 42-37 before Tucker hit a drive and was fouled and Wade poured in a 3-pointer from the left side to push the lead back to 48-37.
The Buckeyes came back once again. Darby hit a free throw and then scored on a drive through heavy traffic before feeding Jenkins inside for a three-point play – Jenkins banking in the free throw with 3:14 left to cut it to 50-47.
After the teams traded free throws, Wisconsin took time off the clock before Penney’s shot inside was blocked by Radinovic. Darby then meshed a pair of foul shots at the other end to set up the wild finish.
A week after upsetting No. 15 Indiana 81-69 with a big lineup that included the 7-foot Radinovic, Ohio State went with a small lineup with three guards and the 6-6 Jenkins at center.
Wisconsin scored the first five points and still led 17-14 with less than 7 minutes left in the opening half. The Buckeyes then went on a 9-2 run – Williams scoring two buckets inside – to build a 27-22 lead by halftime.
