Postgame Notes From No. 21 Ohio State vs. Gardner-Webb – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/28/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 28, 2005
Recap | Box Score | Quotes
* Ohio State is 7-0 in non-conference home games this season. The Buckeyes have won 7 or more home non-Big Ten games in 7 of 8 seasons since Value City Arena opened for the 1998-99 campaign.
* Head coach Thad Matta is 14-0 vs. non-conference foes in Value City Arena while coaching the Buckeyes the last two seasons. Overall, Ohio State is 58-6 vs. non-Big Ten teams at VCA since it opened in 1998. Matta is 20-3 overall in all games vs. non-conference opponents.
* Ohio State is 10-0 against members of the Atlantic Sun Conference all-time and 1-0 vs. Gardner-Webb.
* The Buckeyes have won the last 5 games played on Dec. 28 and eight of the last nine. Ohio State is 22-16 all-time on this date.
* With 23 points, Terence Dials moved to the No. 27 spot all time in career scoring with 1,201 career points. He passed Lawrence Funderburke (1992-94), who completed his tenure with 1,179 career points. No. 26 Luke Witte (1971-73) is up next with 1,211.
* With nine rebounds, Dials now is No. 12 all-time in career rebounds (682), passing Brad Sellers (1985-86) who finished with 680 for his career. No. 11 Gary Bradds (1962-64) is up next with 706.
* Ohio State is 9-0 for the first time since the 1990-91 season when that squad started the year 17-0. Ohio State has been 9-0 on just four occasions all-time.
* The Buckeyes are 18-1 when Je’Kel Foster, a senior guard, scores 10 or more points (14 vs. Gardner-Webb) and 17-2 when he connects on 3 or more 3-pointers in a contest. He hit for 3 of 4 3s vs. the Bulldogs.
* Foster has reached double figures in scoring in 7 of 8 games this season. He scored 10 or more in 11 games as a junior.
* Je’Kel Foster had a career-best six steals against Gardner-Webb. His previous best was four, set against Portland State Dec. 11, 2004. It marked an OSU season high, topping the four Sylvester Mayes had against Chicago State. Foster leads the Big Ten with 2.56 steals a game.
* Foster’s six steals tied the Value City Arena record, set four times previously. The last was by Tony Stockman against Northwestern Feb. 4, 2004. Scoonie Penn had six steals in a game twice (vs. Vermont Nov. 29, 1999 and vs. Indiana Jan. 9, 1999) and Boban Savovic had six vs. UNC-Wilmington Dec. 2, 2001.
* Foster’s six steals vs. Gardner-Webb is tied for third-best in program history. A player had six steals in a game 14 times previously, the last was Stockman vs. Northwestern (Feb. 4, 2004).
* Senior J.J. Sullinger played in his 100th career game and his 71st as a Buckeye. He played in 29 games as a freshman at Arkansas in 2000-01.
* Sullinger and junior Ron Lewis both entered the game with 973 career points. Sullinger (978) played one year at Arkansas and is in his third season at OSU. Lewis (987) played for two years at Bowling Green and is in his first year at Ohio State.
* Lewis scored 14 points to give him double figures in 8 of 9 games this season.
* Jamar Butler has dished out 4 or more assists (4 vs. Gardner-Webb) in each of the last five games (30 total) while only being charged with 6 turnovers during that span. Ohio State is 11-2 when Butler is credited with 4 or more assists in a game.
* On the season, Ohio State is 8-0 when leading at the half (42-25), when leading at the 5-minute mark of the second half and when scoring 70 or more. OSU is 9-0 when the opponent shoots less than 50 pct. (.361).
* With the win, the Buckeyes improved to 312-100 when played as a ranked team in the AP Poll, including a 10-1 mark against non-conference teams in Value City Arena.
* The Buckeyes’ 42 points in the first half marked the fourth time this season the squad had 40 or more in the first half. Ohio State scored 40 against Chicago State and Tennessee State and 46 vs. Virginia Tech.
* The Buckeyes had a team season-low five turnovers vs. the Runnin’ Bulldogs. The team’s previous low was 10 vs. Tennessee State.
