Men’s Basketball Drops One To No. 13 Georgia Tech, 73-53 – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/3/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec 3, 2003
Box Score| Quotes| Notes
By RUSTY MILLER
AP Sports Writer
COLUMBUS, Ohio – B.J. Elder and Marvin Lewis combined for nine points in a 13-0 first-half run and Isma’il Muhammad’s high-wire dunk shifted the momentum in the second half to lead No. 13 Georgia Tech over Ohio State 73-53 Wednesday night in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
It was Ohio State’s worst loss ever in its six years in Value City Arena, where the Buckeyes came in with a 69-13 record, including 13-3 against ranked opponents.
Elder finished with 18 points, Lewis had 15 and Jarrett Jack 14 for the Yellow Jackets (6-0), who matched their best start since the 1994-95 season.
Georgia Tech won the Preseason NIT last week, along the way pounding No. 1 Connecticut 77-61 and Texas Tech 85-65.
The Yellow Jackets’ win was the fifth in six games for the ACC in the challenge. Georgia Tech came in having won just one of four games in the annual head-to-head meetings with the Big Ten, while Ohio State was 1-1.
Ricardo Billings and Velimir Radinovic each scored 12 points and J.J. Sullinger added 10 for Ohio State (2-3), which shot just 32.7 percent from the field and had 20 turnovers.
The Yellow Jackets led 10-8 when the Buckeyes didn’t score for 9? minutes, missing all seven of their shots from the field with four turnovers as the lead expanded to 23-8.
Ohio State, down 34-23 at halftime, drew as close as 44-36 when Tony Stockman hit three free throws after he was fouled by Muhammad.
Muhammad, who finished with nine points, took away the momentum the Buckeyes had gained when he dunked while jumping over Billings, and was fouled on the play. Even a partisan crowd of 13,859 oohed and aahed after Muhammad soared in for the three-point play.
Muhammad, averaging 15 points off the bench, then hit a rebound follow to make it 49-36.
Ohio State’s worst previous loss at Value City Arena was 72-58 to Michigan State last March 8. Last season ended with the Buckeyes losing to Georgia Tech 72-58 in the first round of the NIT.
The Buckeyes, winners of 10 of 13 alltime against Georgia Tech, were 2-of-14 on 3s and had four players with at least three turnovers.
The Yellow Jackets have opened the season by outscoring opponents by an average of 22 points.
