Balanced Attack Leads Buckeyes Past Samford, 80-62 – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/13/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec 13, 2003
Box Score| Quotes| Notes
By RUSTY MILLER
AP Sports Writer
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Velimir Radinovic scored 19 points and four teammates also hit double figures in Ohio State’s 80-62 victory over Radford on Saturday.
Tony Stockman came off the bench to score 16 points, J.J. Sullinger had 13, Brandon Fuss-Cheatham added a career-best 11 and Matt Sylvester had 10 for the Buckeyes (4-3), who climbed over the .500 mark for the first time after an 0-2 start.
Ohio State came in hitting 44 percent of its shots from the field but made 57 percent against the Bulldogs (2-4).
The Buckeyes used a 16-0 run to take a 42-32 lead at the half while hitting 65 percent of their shots. After Samford got to within three points midway through the second half, the Buckeyes pulled away again with an 11-0 spurt.
Samford, which is moving up to the Ohio Valley Conference this season, relied on 3-point shooting to get back in the game in the second half. The Bulldogs, who finished 11 of 27 behind the arc, pulled to 52-49 on Phillip Ramelli’s 3-pointer with 12:03 left.
Four players scored for Ohio State over the next 5 minutes, led by Radinovic’s four free throws and a 3-pointer by Stockman. The Bulldogs turned the ball over on all four of their possessions during Ohio State’s run which led to a 63-49 lead at the 8:14 mark.
J. Robert Merritt had 16 points for the Bulldogs,with Ramelli adding 14.
As they have for most of the season, the Buckeyes got off to a slow start. They trailed 18-12 after Josh Hare’s free throw with 11:46 left in the half.
But the Buckeyes reeled off the next 16 points while holding the Bulldogs scoreless for almost 5 minutes. Samford, which finished with 16 turnovers, turned the ball over on its first four possessions. After missing a shot the Bulldogs turned it over twice more.
In the meantime, Stockman hit a 3-pointer and two baskets and Sylvester, added a 3-pointer and a pull-up jumper.
Radinovic hit all six of his shots from the field in the opening half while scoring 12 points and finished the game 7 of 8 from the field and 5 of 6 at the line.
