Darby Lifts Men’s Basketball Past Wildcats – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/5/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 5, 2003
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By JASON STRAIT
AP Sports Writer
EVANSTON, Ill. – Brent Darby made two free throws with 3.4 seconds to go and scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half as Ohio State beat Northwestern 52-48 on Wednesday night.
Ohio State (14-12, 7-8 Big Ten) finished with a 49-29 edge in rebounding and held the Wildcats to just one field goal over the last 10:03. Ohio Stat has won nine in a row against Northwestern.
Ohio State trailed 38-31 when Matt Sylvester made a pair of baskets to cut the deficit to three. Darby, just 1-of-8 in the first half, hit a 3-pointer and a fall-away jumper inside the 3-point line to cap an 11-0 run that gave the Buckeyes a 42-38 lead.
Darby, an 83 percent free throw shooter, had an off night from the foul line. He missed a pair of free throws with 24 seconds to go and Ohio State was up by three, giving Northwestern a chance to tie.
However, Aaron Jennings passed up an open 3-point attempt and instead tried to throw it down low to Jason Burke – committing one of several costly turnovers for the Wildcats (11-15, 3-12).
Northwestern turned the ball over 15 times and shot 30 percent.
Darby, who missed four straight free throws over the last minute before making three in a row to close out the game, was 5-of-12 from the free throw line and 5-of-14 from the field.
Velimir Radinovic had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Ohio State.
Both teams had trouble scoring in the first half.
Northwestern held Ohio State scoreless for 6:06 in the first half to open up a 20-9 lead with 8:13 to go in the half. Jitim Young, the team’s leading scorer, hit a 3-pointer and scored eight straight during the 11-0 spurt.
Up by 11, Northwestern didn’t score the rest of the half.
Darby’s first points of the game sparked a 10-0 run as Ohio State closed to 20-19 at halftime.
Winston Blake led Northwestern with 12 points and freshman T.J. Parker had 10 points.
Blake, a reserve forward who got the start because of Senior Night, made his first two 3-point attempts and scored nine of Northwestern’s first 12 points.
