Buckeyes Return Home To Face Minnesota – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/15/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 15, 2004
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Date Jan. 17, 2004
Opponent Minnesota
Site Value City Arena (19,200)
Game Time Noon (EST)
TV ESPN Regional
Local TV WBNS 10 TV
TV Talent Wayne Larrivee (Play-by-Play), Bill Hosket (Color)
Radio OSU Radio Network (59 stations)
Local Radio WBNS FM-97.1 AM-1460
Radio Talent Paul Keels (P-by-P), Ron Stokes (Color)
Ohio State Buckeyes
Probable Starters (8-7, 0-2)
G 2 – Brandon Fuss-Cheatham, 6-1, Jr.
G 0 – J.J. Sullinger, 6-5, So.
G 12 – Nick Dials, 6-1, Fr.
C 14 – Velimir Radinovic, 7-0, Sr.
F 34 – Terence Dials, 6-9, So.
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Probable Starters (8-6, 0-2)
G 31-Adam Boone, 6-3, Jr.
G 22-Ben Johnson, 6-3, Sr.
G 11-Maurice Hargrow, 6-5, Jr.
C 42-Jeff Hagen, 7-0, Jr.
F 32-Kris Humphries, 6-9, Fr.
O’Brien 18-6 With Week to Prepare
Ohio State has a record of 18-6 (.750) under Jim O’Brien when there is a week or more between games over the last seven seasons. The Buckeyes had a streak of 11-consecutive wins snapped with a loss to Georgia Tech earlier this year (73-53, Dec. 3). Ohio State is 1-1 this season heading into the game vs. Minnesota after a week off between contests. O’Brien is 6-3 against Big Ten teams when there is a week to prepare and 6-1 since his first season at Ohio State in 1997-98. The last loss to a league opponent following an extended break was an 80-77 loss at Illinois in the Big Ten opener Jan. 6, 2000.
Overall Big T Yr. Rcd. Rcd. 1997-98 1-2 0-2 1998-99 3-2 2-0 1999-2000 4-1 1-1 2000-01 3-0 1-0 2001-02 3-0 0-0 2002-03 3-0 2-0 2003-04 1-1 0-0 Totals 18-6 6-3
Second Half Run Lifts Penn State
Marlon Smith scored 23 points to lead Penn State to a 64-47 win against Ohio State last Saturday. A 14-2 run to open the second half put Penn State ahead by 13. Robert Summers scored six-consecutive points to cap the stretch. Smith, a freshman, had three assists to go with his career-high scoring total. Summers finished with eight rebounds while Aaron Johnson came off the bench to score 12 and grab six rebounds. Velimir Radinovic led the way for Ohio State with 16 points and 11 rebounds. The Buckeyes went to the free-throw line just eight times, compared to Penn State’s 32. The Nittany Lions shot 56.6 percent in the second half and scored 28 points off Ohio State turnovers in the game.
Radinovic One of Big Ten’s Most Consistent Shooters
Senior Velimir Radinovic leads the Big Ten in field goal shooting percentage, knocking down 67.6 percent of his shots (50-74). He made 6-of-9 shots against Penn State and both attempts at Illinois. He has made 55 percent of his shots for his career (206-371) in 96 games.
Buckeyes Play 105th Hoops Season, 91st in Big Ten Conference
This is the 91st season of Big Ten membership in men’s basketball for the Buckeyes. Ohio State is 50-41 (.549) in conference openers, 61-29 (.678) in league home openers and 34-57 (.374) in the first road game of the season in Big Ten play. Ohio State has a record of 82-23 (.781) in season-opening games over the 105 years of men’s basketball at OSU. The Buckeyes are 86-19 (.819) in home openers and 49-54 (.476) in road/neutral openers. Ohio State did not play a road game in 1900-01.
O’Brien Win Percentage Soars When 70 Points Reached
In Jim O’Brien’s seven seasons in Columbus the Buckeyes have won nearly 81 percent of their games when scoring 70 or more points. Ohio State is 4-1 this season when the 70-point mark is reached. The Buckeyes were 4-7 when scoring 70 points in O’Brien’s first year in 1997-98. Since that season, Ohio State has been successful 86 percent of the time when scoring 70 or more points.
Rcd. when Win Year Scoring 70+ Pct. 1997-98 4-7 .364 1998-99 21-5 .808 1999-2000 15-2 .882 2000-01 12-1 .923 2001-02 19-3 .864 2002-03 10-1 .909 2003-04 4-1 .800 Totals 85-20 .810
Stockman, Sullinger Pace Buckeyes
Junior Tony Stockman leads Ohio State with an average of 13.1 points a game. He has connected on 85 percent of his foul shots (23-27). With a total of 29 steals, Stockman is among Big Ten leaders (4th) with an average of 1.93 thefts a game. Sophomore J.J. Sullinger averages 10.1 points a game, second on the team.
T. Dials Playing Well Inside at Both Ends
Sophomore center/forward Terence Dials, who missed the majority of 2002-03 with a back injury, is the team’s leading rebounder and fourth leading scorer. He is averaging 8.2 points and 6.6 rebounds, including a career-high 14-rebound effort in Ohio State’s 77-71 win over Central Michigan at the Maui Invitational.
Noting the Penn State Game
* The Buckeyes fell to 14-13 against Penn State in the all-time series, which includes a 5-7 record in State College.
* O’Brien has sent different starting lineups to the court in seven-consecutive games. For the year, the combination of Terence Dials, Velimir Radinovic, Ricardo Billings, Nick Dials and Tony Stockman is the ninth different Buckeye starting lineup used this season.
Ohio State Player Notes
* Ohio State freshman guard Nick Dials set a career high with 37 minutes played in the game vs. Penn State.
* Senior center Velimir Radinovic made 6-of-9 field goals he attempted in the game to keep his league-leading shooting percentage at 67.6 percent (50-74).
* Radinovic also recorded his first double-double of the season and third of his career with 16 points and 11 rebounds. He is the third Buckeye to post a double-double this season (T. Dials, Sullinger).
* Junior Brandon Fuss-Cheatham reached 100 career assists in the game vs. the Nittany Lions. He has 36 assists this season, his best single season total while at Ohio State.
Noting the Buckeyes
Redshirt sophomore Terence Dials has been known for his scoring touch around the basket. In 53 career games, he has made 140-of-260 shots from the floor for a shooting percentage of .538. He has improved his foul shooting this year as well, hitting on 71 percent (43-61) of his shots. He has grabbed five or more rebounds in 12 of 15 games this year. With 21 points, he will reach 400 for his career. His next made foul shot will be No. 100 as a Buckeye. He has connected on 99-of-153 career free throw attempts (.647).
Freshman Ivan Harris has played double-digit minutes in each of the first two Big Ten games this season. He has made 6-of-12 shots off the bench and recorded a career-high six rebounds at Penn State.
Junior Brandon Fuss-Cheatham’s playing time is up to 23 minutes a game this year. He has set career highs in scoring twice this season with 11 and 13 points, respectively, vs. Samford and Furman. He has 100 career assists, which includes 36 this season, a season best total.
Senior captain Velimir Radinovic reached 500 career points (594) for his Buckeye career with a game-high 19 points vs. Samford. He needs four vs. the Golden Gophers to reach the 600 mark. He’s averaged 6.2 points in 96 games at Ohio State. From the field, Radinovic has been much improved though he has not been getting many shots per game. As a senior, he is connecting on 68 percent of his shots (50-74). For his career, he has connected on 206-371 shots (.555).
Junior Tony Stockman is closing on 1,000 career points (913). He eclipsed the 900-point mark with 10 at Illinois. He came to Ohio State with 716 points after two years at Clemson. Stockman has proven to be a dependable scorer at the foul line, hitting 23-27 shots (.852) this year. He’s made 78 percent of his free throw attempts for his career (104-133). With five field goals vs. UMBC, Stockman reached 300 made for his career. Of his 311 made shots for his career, 187 have come from 3-point range (60 percent).
Sophomore J.J. Sullinger is four minutes shy of 1,000 played in his career, which includes 616 as a freshman at Arkansas in 2001-02. With 10 points against Dartmouth, Sullinger reached 400 career points, which includes 273 scored as a Razorback. With four made foul shots he will reach 100 for his career. In two seasons of collegiate action, he has made 96-of-153 attempts from the free throw line (.627).
Nick Dials has made the most of his minutes this season. The New Haven, Ohio, native has 20 assists and 16 steals in 201 minutes with just seven turnovers. He averages just one turnover for every 28.7 minutes played. Of his 15 field goals, 10 have been from 3-point range. Since missing his first attempt from the foul line against San Diego State Nov. 24, Dials had made 12-consecutive free throw attempts before a miss at Illinois. He has connected on 88 percent of his foul shots this year (14-16).
The Bucks in the Big Ten
Terence Dials rates as the No. 9 rebounder in the Big Ten with 6.6 a game. Velimir Radinovic leads the conference in field goal percentage (.676) and is No. 6 in offensive rebounds (2.73). Tony Stockman is No. 5 in 3-pointers made per game (2.13) and No. 4 in steals (1.93).
Golden Gophers Drop Big Ten Openers
Minnesota opened Big Ten play at Penn State Jan. 7 and fell to the Nittany Lions 75-72. The Golden Gophers entered Big Ten play with a 7-4 non-conference make before defeating Princeton last Saturday. Minnesota fell to Iowa Tuesday in Minneapolis to enter the matchup against Ohio State with an 8-6 record overall and an 0-2 Big Ten mark.
Humphries Paces Trio in Double Figures for Minnesota
Golden Gopher freshman Kris Humphries is the leading scorer and rebounder in the Big Ten. He averages a double-double with 22.8 points and 10.4 rebounds a game. Humphries connects on 50 percent of his field goals (117-235) and on nearly 78 percent of his foul shots (79-102). Maurice Hargrow (12.4 ppg.) and Ben Johnson (11.6 ppg.) join Humphries in double figures offensively for the Golden Gophers.
Monson in Year Five at Minnesota
Dan Monson is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Golden Gophers. He has an overall record of 75-63 in Minnesota and a mark of 127-80 in seven seasons as a collegiate head coach. He spent two seasons at Gonzaga before taking over in Minneapolis.
The Buckeyes vs. Minnesota
The Buckeyes own a 72-51 advantage over Minnesota in the all-time series. Ohio State is 45-17 in Columbus and 27-34 in Minneapolis. The Buckeyes have won six of the last seven meetings and the last four in Columbus. The teams have played close games at Ohio State. The Buckeyes average a winning score of 64-60 in the 62 games played on Ohio State’s home court. When Ohio State scores 70 or more points against Minnesota, the Buckeyes have won 45 of 60 games for a winning percentage of .750.
Ohio State vs. the Big Ten Conference
Ohio State is playing its 91st season of Big Ten basketball in 2004. The Buckeyes own 17 regular season titles and one postseason tournament championship (2002). Ohio State’s last regular season title came in 2002 as well. The Buckeyes last won an outright title in 1992.
Ohio State vs. the Big Ten Illinois 59-98 Indiana 68-95 Iowa 65-69 Michigan 82-69 Michigan State 46-56 Minnesota 72-51 Northwestern 103-44 Penn State 14-13 Purdue 71-78 Wisconsin 80-56 Totals 660-629
On This Date, OSU 12-4
Ohio State is 12-4 in games played on Jan. 17. The Buckeyes have won nine of the last 11 games played on this date. The last seven games played on Jan. 17 have been contested in Columbus Ohio State winning five of those games.
1/17/05 W Ohio Medical Univ. 8-7 1/17/08 W Muskingum 81-8 1/17/14 L Oberlin 21-23 1/17/20 W Purdue 37-35 1/17/25 L @Michigan 29-39 1/17/31 W Michigan 22-16 1/17/42 W Iowa 54-52 1/17/48 W Pittsburgh 74-56 1/17/49 W @Wisconsin 57-54 1/17/59 W Northwestern 88-77(11) 1/17/70 W Northwestern 93-67 1/17/76 L Purdue 80-84 1/17/80 W Minnesota (ot) 75(2)-70 1/17/87 W Wisconsin 81-66 1/17/96 W Northwestern 72-71 1/17/98 L Michigan 61-79(19)
The Buckeyes at the VCA
Nov. 5, 2003 marked the five-year anniversary of the opening of Value City Arena. The 2003-04 campaign is the sixth season of basketball in the facility. Ohio State has a record of 74-15 (.831) at the VCA and has ranked among the Top 10 nationally in attendance each year. When all 19,200 seats are occupied, the Buckeyes have responded with a 21-6 record over the last six seasons. The nation’s best teams have also had their troubles with the Buckeyes at Value City Arena. Seventeen teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 have battled the Buckeyes at VCA. Ohio State has turned away 13 of those squads.
T. Dials Back on Court After Year Layoff
Sophomore center Terence Dials returns to the Ohio State lineup after missing the majority of his true-sophomore season with a back injury. Dials played the first six games in 2002-03 before going down for the remainder of the year with the injury. He was awarded a medical redshirt season a year ago and will retain three years of eligibility. The 6-9, 250-pounder from Youngstown, Ohio, set a freshman record at Ohio State with a .620 field goal shooting percentage (86-138). He leads the team with 7.0 rebounds a game this season.
Wait Over for Stockman, Sullinger, Billings in 2003-04
A trio of Buckeyes tasted their first official action as Buckeyes when the regular season opened Nov. 21 at San Francisco. Sophomores Ricardo Billings and J.J. Sullinger along with junior Tony Stockman all were on the Ohio State campus a year ago but did not play in games for the Buckeyes. Both Sullinger and Stockman practiced with the Buckeyes following transfers from Arkansas and Clemson, respectively. Billings sat out the 2002-03 season to concentrate on academics. He did not practice with the Buckeyes last season. Sullinger and Billings will have three years of eligibility with the Buckeyes. Stockman will have two.
O’Brien Welcomes Changes on Staff
Rick Boyages, who originally was on Jim O’Brien’s staff at Ohio State following their move from Boston College in 1997-98, is back with the Buckeyes as the associate head coach. Boyages spent the last three years as the head coach at William and Mary. After the 1999-2000 season, Boyages left Columbus to take over at William and Mary, where he compiled a record of 35-52. Another former Buckeye also returns in 2003-04. David Egelhoff, a former student manager, returns to take over the video operations of the men’s basketball team. He worked in the same capacity a year ago with the NBA’s Orlando Magic.
The Postseason Streak
Ohio State will be looking to qualify for postseason play for the sixth-consecutive season under head coach Jim O’Brien in 2003-04. The Buckeyes made four trips to the NCAA tournament from 1999-2002 before accepting a bid to play in the 2003 National Invitation Tournament a year ago. The current streak is the second longest in school history behind a 12-year stretch (1982-1993) in which Ohio State played in seven NCAA tournaments and made five NIT appearances.
O’Brien is tied with Eldon Miller for the most-consecutive postseason appearances while coaching the Buckeyes. Miller took three teams to NCAA tournament play and two to the NIT from 1982-86.
7 Buckeyes Spend Year in Residence
A total of seven student-athletes on the 2003-04 roster have spent a year on the Ohio State campus without playing in games for the Buckeyes. Sophomore Ricardo Billings sat out 2002-03 to satisfy academic requirements for eligibility this season. Sophomores Terence Dials (2002-03) and Matt Sylvester (2001-02) each sat out a season with back injuries but received medical redshirt seasons to retain four years of eligibility. Senior Shaun Smith (1999-00) did not play basketball his first season in Columbus before walking on with freshman eligibility for the 2000-01 campaign. Junior Matt Marinchick (2000-01) decided to redshirt his first year in Columbus to gain strength and experience. Finally, junior Tony Stockman and sophomore J.J. Sullinger both sat out the 2002-03 season to satisfy NCAA transfer rules after leaving Clemson and Arkansas, respectively, following the 2001-02 season.
