Buckeyes Return to St. John Arena – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/26/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 26, 2004
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Opponent Chattanooga (1-0)
Site St. John Arena (13,276)
Game Time 8 p.m.
TV ESPN Plus
Local TV WBNS 10 TV (CBS)
TV Talent Tom Hamilton, Play-by-Play, Bill Hosket, Expert Analysis
Radio OSU Radio Network (59 stations)
Local Radio WBNS FM-97.1 AM-1460
Radio Talent Paul Keels (P-by-P), Ron Stokes (Color)
Buckeyes Take Blue Jays to Overtime, Fall in Kansas City
Ivan Harris and J.J. Sullinger earned all-tournament honors but the Buckeyes fell to Creighton in overtime (65-63) in the Guardians Classic championship game Wednesday in Kansas City, Mo. Sullinger’s tip-in with eight seconds remaining in regulation tied the game at 57, sending the contest into overtime. Creighton scored the first five points in the extra session before Tony Stockman scored five-consecutive points for Ohio State after a Sullinger free throw to tie the game again at 63 with 16 seconds to play in OT. Creighton’s Tyler McKinney then scored on a leaner in the lane with seconds left to give the Blue Jays the advantage for good. Stockman drove the length of the court in the final four seconds but his final shot fell short. Sullinger led the Buckeyes with 16 points and tied Terence Dials for the team lead with seven rebounds. Brandon Fuss-Cheatham led with seven assists. He finished the two games in Kansas City with 16 assists with just one turnover.
Harris, Sullinger Pace Buckeyes in Guardians Event
Ivan Harris led three players in double figures in the two games played in Kansas City in the Guardians Classic. Harris averaged 15.0 points followed by Tony Stockman (13.5 ppg.) and J.J. Sullinger (11.5 ppg.). Terence Dials grabbed 9.5 rebounds during the semifinals and finals. In the four games played in the Guardians Classic, Sullinger was the top scorer with 12.5 points a game. Dials was second with 12.3 ppg. followed by Stockman (11.5) and Harris (10.0). Dials averaged 7.3 rebounds in the four games.
Chattanooga Wins Opener
Chris Brown led six UTC players in double figures Nov. 20 at the McKenzie Arena as Chattanooga defeated Toccoa Falls 113-52 to give head coach John Shulman a victory in his first game as a head coach. Chattanooga jumped out to a 7-0 lead on a 3-pointer from Brown and never trailed in the game, holding the Eagles to just 37 percent shooting on the night. Brown was 7-of-12 from the field, including six buckets in the first half, to lead all scorers with 19 points and six rebounds. Mindaugas Katelynas had a double-double, scoring 17 points and grabbing 15 off the glass. The Mocs, 1-0, shot 59 percent from the field in the first half and led 57-26 at intermission. UTC, which shot 61 percent for the game and led by 64 points with nine seconds to play, outrebounded the Eagles 52-22. Toccoa Falls’ Mike Taber led his squad with 13 points and four rebounds, and Jason Shaffer had nine including two from beyond the 3-point line.
A Return to St. John
Ohio State faces Chattanooga today at St. John Arena, the longtime home of the Buckeyes prior to the opening of the Jerome Schottenstein Center in the fall of 1998. A scheduling conflict at Value City Arena and the desire to play a game in Columbus this weekend provided the opportunity for the game to be played at St. John. Ohio State last played at St. John Arena Feb. 28, 1998, an overtime loss to Penn State (89-85). Ohio State is 426-151 in 577 games played from 1956-1998 at St. John for a winning percentage of .738.
The game at St. John marks the second-consecutive season in which the Buckeyes will play a game in Columbus away from Value City Arena. Ohio State faced Virginia Tech Dec. 6, 2003 at Nationwide Arena in downtown Columbus. That game was played as a preview of the 2004 NCAA First and Second round games, which were contested in Columbus last March at Nationwide.
Buckeyes in the Big Ten
Brandon Fuss-Cheatham’s 6/1 assist to turnover ratio leads all Big Ten players with more than one game played. Fuss-Cheatham leads league players with 24 assists and has just four turnovers in five games. As a team, the Buckeyes have a +6.40 turnover margin over opponents (10.8-17.2) to lead the league. The team’s assist to turnover ratio (+1.56) also tops league schools. Ohio State’s 3-point field field percentage defense also is best in the league (.248) and the overall field goal percentage defense is third (.368).
Ohio State Owns 10-4 Record vs. the Southern Conference
Ohio State has played 14 games against teams representing the Southern Conference. The Buckeyes are 3-1 against Chattanooga all time. Ohio State is 2-0 vs. East Tennessee State, 1-0 against Appalachian State, North Carolina Greensboro and Furman. Davidson is 3-2 in games against Ohio State.
The Series
Ohio State and Tennessee-Chattanooga have met four times in history. The Buckeyes are 3-1 since the series began on Dec. 27, 1984 at the Citrus Classic in Orlando Fla. Ohio State won that game 84-62. The teams played three times between 1994 and 1997 with Ohio State claiming victory Dec. 15, 1994 (84-83 in overtime) and Dec. 22, 1997 (63-54) in Columbus. The Mocs won a Dec. 19, 1995 matchup in Chattanooga, 83-70.
Ohio State on Nov. 27
The last time Ohio State played Nov. 27 it was a win over North Carolina State in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge in Columbus. Ohio State last played a Nov. 27 game in St. John Arena was in 1993, a 110-73 victory over Missouri-St. Louis. Overall, the Buckeyes are 7-1 in Nov. 27 games, including a streak four. The only loss was a one-point setback against Iona in 1981 at the Great Alaska Shootout.
11/27/72 W Wis.-Milwaukee 92(10)-81 11/27/76 W Butler 69-66 11/27/78 W Miami (Ohio) 85-69 11/27/81 L vs Iona 57-58 11/27/88 W vs Vanderbilt 97(16)-82 11/27/89 W Mount St. Mary’s 102-63 11/27/93 W Missouri-St. Louis 110-73 11/27/01 W -N.C. State 64-50
Shulman in First Year at Chattanooga
Jeff Shulman is in his first season at Chattanooga. He won his debut against Toccoa Falls 113-52, Nov. 20. Shulman was an assistant with the Mocs for two years before taking over the program from Jeff Lebo, who left to take over at Auburn.
Newcomers, Buckeyes Value the Ball
The four first-year Buckeyes on the 2004-05 roster have just seven turnovers and as a team Ohio State has 54 on the year in five games and 1,025-combined minutes played by the team. Freshmen Jamar Butler (91 minutes), Matt Terwilliger (52) and Jermyl Jackson-Wilson (12) have played a combined 155 minutes with three turnovers. Je’Kel Foster, a junior college transfer, has played 110 minutes without four miscues. Ohio State has 25 more assists (84-59) and 32 fewer turnovers (54-86) than the five opponents to date. Ohio State has 30 more assists (84) than turnovers (54) this year. Senior Brandon Fuss-Cheatham leads the Buckeyes with 24 assists and has just four turnovers on the year.
Matta Era Underway
The 13th head coach in Ohio State history, Thad Matta took over the Ohio State men’s basketball program July 7. The new staff begins with a roster of 13 players for the 2004-05 campaign, nine of which are returning letterwinners from a 14-16 squad in 2003-04. That Buckeyes team finished ninth in the Big Ten with a 6-10 league mark and a first round exit in the Big Ten tournament.
Noting the Guardians Classic Games
The Buckeyes opened the Houston game on a 21-2 run in the first5:40, making 10-consecutive shots from the field before a 3-pointmiss by Je’Kel Foster with 12:16 to play with a 23-6 lead. Seniorguard Brandon Fuss-Cheatham dished out a career-high 9 assists inthe win and had just 1 turnover vs. the Cougars. The Buckeyes haveled at halftime in all five games this season. Sophomore IvanHarris scored a game-high 19 points against Houston, he previouslyhad 13 against San Diego State in his second game as a Buckeye ayear ago. Nine players scored in the win over UH for the Buckeyes,seven recorded assists and six had steals. The Buckeyes also hadnine made threes by five different players. Ohio State took theCreighton game to overtime with a tip-in basket by J.J. Sullinger.The Buckeyes are 35-49 all-time in overtime games with a 3-10 markin neutral games with an extra session. The last time Ohio Statewas involved in a neutral site overtime game was against Utah Statein the first round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament in Greensboro, N.C.The Buckeyes fell 77-68 in that game. Senior guard BrandonFuss-Cheatham dished out 7 assists with no turnovers in the loss tothe Blue Jays. He handed out 16 assists with just one turnover inthe final two games of the Guardians Classic. Sophomore Ivan Harrisscored 30 points in the two games in Kansas City to earn a spot onthe all-tournament team. J.J. Sullinger, with 16 points and 7rebounds in the title game, also was an all-tournament team member.
Noting the Buckeyes
Junior J.J. Sullinger has connected on 71 percent of his shots from the field (25-35) in five games this season. He has scored in double figures in four of the five games on the year. He trails Terence Dials (6.6 rpg.) for the team rebounding lead with 4.6 rpg. Sullinger’s four blocks also leads the team. With 23 points in Kansas City, he upped his career scoring average to 10.0 points a game with 639 career points in 64 career games. He also reached 100 career assists (101) with four helpers in the final two games of the Guardians Classic.
Senior Brandon Fuss-Cheatham owns the team lead with 24 assists against just four turnovers from the point guard position. He assist to turnover ratio of 6/1 is the best of his career. In 110 minutes, he as averaged one turnover in 27.5 minutes a game. He is playing 22.0 minutes a contest to date and has less then one turnover a game.
Sophomore Ivan Harris has started five games this year after making two all of his freshman season. He scored a career high 19 points in the semifinals of the Guardians Classic against Houston and then added 11 points in the overtime loss to Creighton, earning him a spot on the all-tournament team alongside teammate J.J. Sullinger. Harris is connecting on 57 percent of his shots (20-35) from the field.
Senior Tony Stockman averages 14.4 points a game this season in 29 minutes a game. He tallied 13.6 points a game a year ago in 33.5 minutes a contest. Against Delaware (11/19) he scored 26 points, his career-high effort as a Buckeye. He also knocked down six 3-pointers against the Blue Hens. Stockman has connected on 6 or more 3 pointers three times as a Buckeye. Stockman leads Ohio State with 11 steals and 29.0 minutes a game. Stockman’s shooting percentage of .569 (29-51) is the best of his career. After five games a year ago, he was shooting 42 percent (27-65) from the field.
Freshman Jamar Butler has played the most minutes of the freshman class to date (91/18.2 per game). He has just two turnovers to go with 11 assists. Butler has gone to the line six times and has yet to miss a charity toss.
Junior Je’Kel Foster has made the most of his court time off the bench this season. In five games he has averaged 8.6 points a game in 22.0 minutes a contest. He is shooting 52 percent from long range (12-23) and is second on the team with nine steals. His 10 assists is third on the squad.
Junior Terence Dials is shooting 54 percent from the field (20-37), helping the team to a 52 percent shooting percentage on the year. Dials has made 54 percent of his shots for his career (232-427). With a 10.2 points per game scoring average, he is No. 3 this season behind Stockman (14.4 ppg.) and Sullinger (12.4).
Junior Matt Sylvester has made 53 percent of his shots this year in five games (10-19). He is connecting on 4 of 7 3-point attempts for a .571 shooting percentage.
Ohio State Shooting Percentage Improves
Seven of Ohio State’s 10 players who log 10 or more minutes a game are shooting 50 percent or better from the field after five games this year. The team averages a shooting percentage of .521 on the season and has shot 50 percent or better in four of the five games. A year ago, after five games, nine players averaged 10 or more minutes. Two of those, Velimir Radinovic (9-10/.900) and J.J. Sullinger (23-42/.561) were connecting on 50 percent or better from the field in 2003-04. The Buckeyes are averaging 74.2 points while allowing 55.6 a game this year. The Buckeyes averaged 64.6 points after five games last year while allowing 73.8 a year ago.
Buckeyes Play Often in Early Going
In a span of 10 days Ohio State played five games after the season tipped off Nov. 15 in the opening round of the Guardians Classic. The Buckeyes played Houston and Creighton in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday and Wednesday in the semifinals and finals of the Guardians event. Ohio State plays at home, this time at St. John Arena, Saturday against Chattanooga. The Buckeyes then hit the road for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge game against Clemson Dec. 1. Ohio State then gets a break for final exams before a home game against Portland State Dec. 11.
Hoops Coaches 10-3 In First Games at OSU
The 13 all-time men’s basketball head coaches at Ohio State have a combined record of 10-3 in their first games as Buckeye head coaches. Thad Matta, coach No. 13 in Ohio State history, won his opener vs. Towson, 74-53, Nov. 15.
Ohio State is 50-55 in Away Openers
Ohio State opened its 106th season of men’s basketball against Towson in the first round of the Guardians Classic in Columbus Nov. 15. The Buckeyes are 83-23 (.783) all time in season openers after the win over the Tigers. In the first road game of the year, Ohio State is 50-55 (.476). The Buckeyes did not play a road game in 1900-01. Ohio State is 87-19 (.821) in home openers.
Buckeyes Win No. 102 this Decade
Ohio State’s record in the first decade of the 21st century is shaping up to be one of the best in the history of the program. Ohio State is 102-58 (.638) since the beginning of the 1999-2000 season. The winning percentage is the second highest since 1910-19. The Buckeyes were 188-69 (.732) from 1960-69.
Buckeyes Seek Continued Nov. Success
The fall portion of the men’s basketball season at Ohio State typically goes well for the Buckeyes. Ohio State has played 73 November games with a record of 55-18, for a winning percentage of .753 heading into the game against Chattanooga. The Buckeyes will play six games in November this year.
A Look at the 2004-05 Buckeyes
Tony Stockman, a senior guard and the squad’s leading scorer from a year ago, contributed a solid campaign statistically during his first year in Columbus. The transfer from Clemson led the Buckeyes with 13.6 points per game, 74 assists and 61 steals. He knocked down 73 3-pointers and played the most minutes (972). His gambling defensive style and abilities to knock down long-range shots on the break could mesh well with Matta’s plans for an up-tempo style of play.
To compliment the outside game, junior captain Terence Dials returns to shore up the Ohio State front court, depleted by the loss of 7-foot center Velimir Radinovic (10.3 ppg./6.0 rpg.). Dials was steady throughout the season, making 51 percent (111-220) of his shots from the field and nearly 72 percent of his foul shots (91-127). With a scoring average of 10.4 points and a rebounding mark of 6.6 rpg., the coaches will have a solid interior presence with Dials in the paint. He excelled at the end of last season, making 14-of-17 shots from the floor and 16-of-22 foul shots over the final two games of the season vs. Illinois and Indiana.
J.J. Sullinger also contributed double digits offensively with 10.1 points a game in his first year at Ohio State following a transfer from Arkansas after his freshman campaign.
A number of student-athletes will have an opportunity to fill out the starting lineup. Senior Brandon Fuss-Cheatham will be challenged by incoming freshman Jamar Butler, the 2004 Ohio Mr. Basketball honoree, at the point guard spot. Stockman also spent significant time quarterbacking the Buckeyes last year.
Guards Je’Kel Foster, a junior college transfer, and Ricardo Billings, a junior from Detroit, also will get opportunities with Sullinger at the wing position.
Sophomore Ivan Harris, junior Matt Sylvester, and freshman Jermyl Jackson-Wilson will vie for playing time at forward with freshman Matt Terwilliger battling for time inside with Dials and senior Matt Marinchick.
Stockman Puts Name in Record Book
Tony Stockman made 73 3-point field goals as a junior, the third most by an OSU player in a single season. His 61 steals total for 2003-04 tied him for the No. 7 spot with Michael Redd (1998) for single season steals at OSU. Stockman also attempted 202 3-pointers a year ago, good for the No. 3 spot all-time for single season long range attempts.
Ohio State 80-20 at VCA
The Buckeyes began season No. 7 at Value City Arena Nov. 15 against Towson in the opening round of the Guardians Classic. The facility opened for the start of the 1998-99 season and since the Buckeyes have built a record of 80-20 in 100 home games. The Buckeyes have not had a home losing season in the VCA’s existence and have 11 or more wins in five of the six years to date, including 15 victories in 1999-2000 and 2001-02 and 14 wins in both 1998-99 and 2000-01.
2007 NCAA Tournament Returns to Columbus
The NCAA tournament will return to Columbus for the opening rounds of the 2007 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, the organization announced in July. Ohio State played host to the first and second rounds in 2004. Games were played at Nationwide Arena in downtown Columbus, which will again be the site of the event in 2007. Ohio State will act as the host institution for the event.
Clemson, LSU Last to Face OSU
Entering the 2004-05 season, the Buckeyes had played every team from both the Atlantic Coast and Southeastern conferences except for one member school from each league. With both Clemson (ACC) and Louisiana State (SEC) on the schedule this year, Ohio State will finish the year with at least one meeting against every member of the ACC and SEC.
5th Ohio Mr. Basketball Joins Buckeyes
Jamar Butler is the 17th overall and fifth Ohio Mr. Basketball Award winner to play for Ohio State. Butler joins Tony Stockman (2000), Damon Stringer (1995), Greg Simpson (1991, 1992) and Jim Jackson (1988, 1989) as former Ohio Mr. Basketball award winners who went on to play for the Buckeyes.
Attendance in Top 20 for 6th-consecutive Year
Attendance at Ohio State men’s basketball games remained in the Top 20 nationally in 2003-04 and has ranked among the national leaders in all six seasons at Value City Arena. Attendance averaged 14,521 in 15 home games a year ago to rank No. 18 nationally. A total of 1,631,437 have crossed the turnstiles at VCA for an average of 16,819 over 97 total home games since the facility opened for the 1998-99 season. The average is 3,543 more than the capacity (13,276) at St. John Arena, the former home of the Buckeyes (1956-1998).
NCAA Attendance in VCA Era Division I Home Attendance Leaders Year Gms. Total Avg. NCAA Rk 1999 15 258,348 17,223 7 2000 17 317,936 18,702 5 2001 17 298,172 17,540 4 2002 17 282,250 16,603 5 2003 16 256,914 16,057 10 2004 15 217,817 14,521 18 Totals 97 1,631,437 16,819
The Schedule
Ohio State opened the season Nov. 15 at home in the first of two rounds in the Guardians Classic. The Buckeyes advanced in the event to Kansas City against Houston (Nov. 23) and Creighton Nov. 24. Other non-conference highlights include the game at St. John Arena against Chattanooga, a road game at Clemson Dec. 1 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, and additional road games at Texas Tech in Dallas Dec. 16 and at Louisiana State Jan. 15. The Texas Tech game concludes a home-and-home with the Red Raiders. The contests vs. St. Joseph’s and LSU begin home-and-home series with each school. St. Joseph’s, which spent time ranked No. 1 a year ago, will visit Value City Arena Dec. 31. Thad Matta, Ohio State’s first-year head coach, is familiar with the Hawks, having knocked off No. 1 St. Joseph’s 87-67 in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Tournament last March in Dayton.
Lewis to play for hometown Buckeyes
Ron Lewis, who played his first two seasons of college basketball at Bowling Green State University, transferred to his native Columbus to join Thad Matta at Ohio State. Lewis, a 2002 Brookhaven High School graduate, averaged 14.6 points and scored 877 points in his two seasons with the Falcons. He averaged 17.0 points and earned second team All-Mid American Conference honors as a sophomore before his transfer to Ohio State. Lewis started 55 of 60 career games at BGSU and was an 81 percent foul shooter (340-420) for his career. He will have two years of eligibility at Ohio State beginning with the 2005-06 campaign and becomes the first player to join the Buckeyes under Matta’s direction.
Majority of Buckeye Roster from Ohio
Nine of the 14 student athletes on the 2004-05 Buckeyes roster hail from their home state of Ohio. Seniors Matt Marinchick (Hudson) and Tony Stockman (Medina), juniors J.J. Sullinger (Columbus), Ron Lewis (Columbus), Terence Dials (Youngstown) and Matt Sylvester (Cincinnati), sophomore Ivan Harris (Springfield) and freshmen Jamar Butler (Lima) and Matt Terwilliger (Troy) all found their way home to play for Ohio State.
7 Buckeyes Spend Year in Residence
A total of seven student-athletes on the 2004-05 roster have spent a year on the Ohio State campus without playing in games for the Buckeyes. Junior Ricardo Billings sat out 2002-03 to satisfy academic requirements for eligibility last season. Juniors 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 Matt Marinchick (2000-01) decided to redshirt his first year in Columbus to gain strength and experience. Finally, senior Tony Stockman and junior 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. Ron Lewis, a junior transfer from Bowling Green, is sitting out the 2004-05 season and will become eligible to play for the Buckeyes in 2005-06. He will have two years of eligibility.
