Buckeyes Host Non-Conference Opponent, Florida A&M – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 29, 2006
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Date Jan. 30, 2006
Opponent Florida A&M (10-10)
Site Value City Arena (18,500)
Game Time 8 p.m. EST
Television ESPN Plus/ESPNU
Local TV WBNS 10 TV
TV Talent Tom Hamilton (P-by-P), 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 (Expert Analysis)
OHIO STATE VS. THE RATTLERS
Ohio State won the only meeting with Florida A&M when the teams met in the second season at Value City Arena in 1999-2000. Ohio State, ranked No. 13 at the time, downed the Rattlers 99-47 that year. The Buckeyes have faced members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference on 10 occasions without a loss. Ohio State has two wins vs. Coppin State and single victories against Norfolk State (92-59 earlier this season), Bethune-Cookman, Delaware State, Hampton, Howard, Morgan State, North Carolina A&T and the Rattlers. The Buckeyes have not faced remaining members Maryland-Eastern Shore and South Carolina State.
BUCKEYES LOOK FOR 9TH NON-CONFERENCE HOME WIN
Since Value City Arena opened for the 1998-99 season, Ohio State has won at least seven home games vs. non-conference teams in seven of eight seasons, which includes the Buckeyes’ 8-0 record vs. non-Big Ten foes at VCA this year with one game remaining on the non-conference schedule. The Buckeyes have been undefeated in home non-conference games at VCA twice. OSU was 7-0 in 1998-99 and 8-0 a year ago. The Buckeyes were 8-1 for three-consecutive seasons starting with 1999-2000 through 2001-02. Ohio State is 59-6 overall vs. non-conference foes at VCA. Thad Matta is 16-0 as a Buckeye head coach against non-league foes at VCA. Ohio State is looking for its first nine-win home non-conference season at VCA.
MATTA IMPROVES TO 21-3 IN NON-CONFERENCE GAMES AT OSU
Ohio State won 11 of 14 non-Big Ten Conference games in 2004-05, the first season at OSU for head coach Thad Matta. With the 10-0 start to date in non-conference action in 2005-06, Matta improved to 21-3 against non-league foes. The Buckeyes are 17-0 in Columbus and 16-0 in Value City Arena under Matta’s direction. Ohio State defeated Chattanooga 84-67 in St. John Arena, the former home of the Buckeyes on the OSU campus, a year ago. Ohio State is 8-1 in the month of November with Matta at the helm and 13-1 in December.
BUTLER STEADY AT THE POINT
Sophomore guard Jamar Butler is second among Big Ten players with a +3.4 assist-to-turnover ratio in all games. In league games only, Butler has handed out 33 assists with just six turnovers in seven games for a +5.5 ratio. Butler averages 4.7 assists and 1.0 turnovers a game in league play. In all games, Butler is sixth with an average of 4.70 assists a game. In league games, he is fourth.
2 MILLION AT VCA
For the seventh-consecutive season, all of which played at Value City Arena, Ohio State finished among the Top 18 teams nationally in average attendance in 2004-05. The Buckeyes averaged 13,850 fans in 16 home games at VCA. Overall, in 124 games at VCA, a total of 2,009,577 fans, 16,206 per game, have helped the Buckeyes to a record of 101-23 at the facility. Ohio State exceeded the 2 million mark in home attendance at VCA vs. Wisconsin (16,127) Jan. 18. The Buckeyes have won 14 or more home games in five of the seven years at VCA and 11 or more in six of seven.
NOTING THE BUCKEYES…
* Sophomore Jamar Butler is shooting 44 percent from the field (42-94), up from 33 percent (36-108) as a freshman … has made 23 of 51 (.451) 3-pointers this year–(14-61/.230 a year ago) … rates No. 6 among Big Ten players in 3FG pct. … averages 4.7 assists per game and has seven or more in five games … scoring average up to 8.9 ppg. from 3.6 ppg. as a freshman … 33 assists and just six turnovers in Big Ten play (+5.5 ast./TO ratio) … three games vs. Big Ten with 0 turnovers … just one TO for every 22.5 minutes played this season (494 minutes/22 TOs) … overall +3.4 ast./TO ratio is second-best in Big Ten … nearly 3-to-1 ratio for career (149 asts./53 TOs, +2.81).
* Senior Terence Dials scored 19 points vs. MSU to pass Clark Kellogg on the all-time scoring list Jan. 15 … Kellogg was the expert analyst in the game vs. the Spartans … reached 500 made as a Buckeye (505-906/.555) following a 6 of 14 effort at Iowa (1/28/06) … connecting on 71 percent from the foul line (58-82), his best single season percentage as a Buckeye and an improvement from his .617 effort a year ago (113-183) … double figures in nine of last 11 games … leads team in league play with 14.4 ppg. … has connected on 50 percent or better from the field in 13 of 17 games and in 10 of the last 11 contests … 11 career double-doubles … his 7.0 rebound average rates No. 8 among league players, .556 FG pct. rates seventh.
* Senior Je’Kel Foster is one of just four Buckeyes all-time to record six or more steals in a single game … Troy Taylor (1982-85), Curtis Wilson (1984-88) and Scoonie Penn (1999-2000) are the others … Foster recorded six thefts vs. both Gardner-Webb and Purdue this season … a career 48 percent shooter from the field (162-341) … foul shooting pct. has improved from 65 pct. as a junior (17-26) to 77 pct. this year (36-47) … connected on 2 of 7 3-pointers at Iowa last time out (105-239/.439) … career pct. from long range is second best in OSU history.
* Senior J.J. Sullinger reached 500 career rebounds (517) with six vs. Wisconsin Jan. 18 … reached 100 career steals with one theft vs. MSU Jan. 15 … working on a third-consecutive 300-point season at Ohio State, (161 pts./9.5 ppg.) this year … has made 15 of 17 foul shots in Big Ten play … his FT shooting percentage of .882 in league games rates No. 4 among conference players.
* Senior Matt Sylvester has made a last second 3-pointer to win games in each of the last two seasons … his trey with 5 seconds left gave OSU a stunning 65-64 win vs. then No. 1 Illinois last March … another triple at the 5 second mark gave the Buckeyes the come-from-behind win vs. LSU earlier this season … reached 600 points as a Buckeye (616/6.2 ppg.) with 12 at Penn State Jan. 21 … has 10+ points in four of last five games … rates No. 2 among league players in 3-point field-goal shooting percentage (12-23/.522) vs. Big Ten opponents.
* Junior Ron Lewis gives the Buckeyes 13.2 points a game off the bench … third leading scorer this season, his first as a Buckeye … team’s best foul shooter (.802/69-86) … his .481 FG pct. (65-135) is best of his career … shot .396 (145-366) as a sophomore at Bowling Green in 2003-04 … reached 300 career FGs with 6 of 11 effort at Iowa (1/28/06) for his career (303-724/.419).
LEWIS GIVES BUCKEYES OFFENSIVE SPARK OFF BENCH
In the first 17 games, Ohio State has had 61 double figure games for an average of 3.6 players per game with 10 or more points. Ron Lewis has scored double digits in 14 of 17 games this season to lead the Buckeyes. Terence Dials is next with 13 games with 10 or more points this season.
FOSTER ON PACE TO SET OSU 3-POINT SHOOTING RECORDS
Je’Kel Foster is on pace to become one of just three Buckeyes all-time to knock down 50 or more 3-pointers in a single season twice during their Ohio State careers. Foster made 62 as a junior and has made 43 to date this season. Scoonie Penn (1999-2000) made 88 in 1999 and 65 in 2000. Tony Stockman (2004-05) knocked down 73 as a junior and 66 a year ago. Foster is one of just 11 players in history to make 50 or more in a season. The feat has been accomplished 13 times since 1986-87 when the 3-point shot was introduced in NCAA Division I. Foster also is on pace to become the single season and career leader in 3-point shooting percentage. He is making 45.7 percent of his treys this season and will qualify for the all-time lead officially with a minimum of 50 makes this year. Foster’s one made 3-pointer vs. Wisconsin gave him 100 for his OSU career. He is second all-time in 3-point field goal percentage. He has made 43.9 pct. (105-239) for his career.
MATTA OUT TO TOP 3 START AT OHIO STATE
Thad Matta will coach his 50th game of his OSU career against Florida A&M with a chance to be one of the top three coaches all-time at OSU in winning percentage after the first 50 games at Ohio State. Matta has 49 games under his belt with a 34-15 record to date (.694). The Buckeyes will need to win vs. FAMU for Matta to become just one of three OSU coaches to win 70 percent of the first 50 games coached at Ohio State. Fred Taylor (1959-76) and Randy Ayers (1990-97) both won 36 of their first 50 contests at Ohio State for a winning percentage of .720. Matta is out to a 14-3 start in this his second season with the Buckeyes. Ayers started 17-0 in year two (1990-91). Taylor guided the Buckeyes to a national title in his second season with a 25-3 record (1959-60).
| 1st 50 Gms at OSU | |||
| Coach (Yrs. at OSU) | W | L | Pct. |
| Fred R. Taylor (1959-76) | 36 | 14 | .720 |
| Randy Ayers (1990-97) | 36 | 14 | .720 |
| Thad Matta (2005- present) | 34 | 15 | .694 |
| Harold G. Olsen (1923-46) | 32 | 18 | .640 |
| Lynn W. St. John (1912-19) | 31 | 19 | .620 |
| Gary Williams (1987-89) | 30 | 20 | .600 |
| Floyd S. Stahl (1951-58) | 17 | 33 | .515 |
| George M. Trautman (1920-22) | 24 | 26 | .480 |
| William H.H. Dye (1947-50) | 24 | 26 | .480 |
| Jim O’Brien (1998-2004) | 23 | 27 | .460 |
| Eldon Miller (1977-86) | 21 | 29 | .420 |
BUCKEYES WIN 100th GAME AT VALUE CITY ARENA
Ohio State is playing in its eighth season at Value City Arena in 2005-06. Since the facility opened for the 1998-99 campaign, the squad has won 101 of 123 games (.815).
OHIO STATE VS. RANKED TEAMS AT VALUE CITY ARENA
Following the win vs. No. 15 Wisconsin Jan. 18, Ohio State is 16-8 overall vs. ranked teams at Value City Arena, including the 65-64 win vs. No. 1 Illinois that ended the 2004-05 regular season. When ranked Big Ten teams take the court at VCA, Ohio State is 16-5.
THE BUCKEYES AT SOLD-OUT VCA
The game vs. Wisconsin could be Ohio State’s second-consecutive sellout of the season at VCA (18,500). Ohio State is 23-7 in sold-out games at Value City Arena, which includes a 19-5 record vs. Big Ten opponents and a 9-1 record vs. ranked conference foes in sold-out games.
FOSTER EARNS NATIONAL, LEAGUE HONOR AFTER 3-0 WEEK FOR OSU
Senior Je’Kel Foster averaged 18 points over three wins over Norfolk State (12/12), Belmont (12/14) and Iowa State (12/17) to earn Sporting News national player of the week honors (Dec. 11-17). Foster also was the Big Ten player of the week after knocking down 63 percent of his field goals (17-27) and 58 percent (11-19) of his 3-point FG tries for the week. His 28 points, on 9 of 12 shooting from the field and 6 of 8 from 3-point range, set a career high vs. Iowa State in a neutral-site contest vs. the Cyclones in Des Moines, Iowa. Foster leads Ohio State with 15.8 points a game. Foster leads the Buckeyes with 28 steals and has made a team-best 83 percent of his foul shots (30-36).
BUCKEYES SET 3-POINT SHOOTING RECORD IN WIN VS. IOWA STATE
Ohio State connected on 10 of 22 3-point attempts vs. Iowa State Dec. 17 to give the team 10 or more made 3-pointers in four-consecutive games, a first for the Buckeyes. Ohio State made 10 of 19 vs. Belmont (Dec. 14), 11 of 19 treys at St. Joe’s (Dec. 10) to start the streak and then knocked down 14 of 32 against Norfolk State Dec. 12. Ohio State has made 10 or more from beyond the arc in back-to-back games just six times dating back to the 1986-87 season, the first campaign for the 3-point shot. Opponents have connected on 10+ treys in three-consecutive games or more twice, with both streaks coming during the 1997-98 season. USC (13 of 33), Chattanooga (11 of 25), Kansas (10 of 25) and New Mexico State (16 of 39) set the record with four-consecutive games with 10+ 3-pointers vs. the Buckeyes between Dec. 20 and Dec. 29, 1997. Michigan (10 of 21), Iowa (10 of 24) and Penn State (10 of 22) turned in a streak of three games later that season between Feb. 11 and Feb. 16, 1998. Ohio State and opponents have hit 10 or more 3s in the same game on four occasions. Belmont connected on 10 of 18 in the loss to the Buckeyes Dec. 14. Ohio State is 3-1 in those games. In all, the Buckeyes are 28-5 in the 33 games when scoring on 10 or more 3s while opponents are 30-28 in 58 games with double digits treys made.
OSU 3-pt. Shooting Streak
| Opp. | 3 FG-A | Pct. | W/L, Score | Date |
| St. Joe’s | 11-19 | .539 | W, 81-74 | 12/10 |
| Norfolk St. | 14-32 | .438 | W, 92-59 | 12/12 |
| Belmont | 10-19 | .526 | W, 85-75 | 12/14 |
| Iowa St. | 10-22 | .455 | W, 70-67 | 12/17 |
| Totals | 45-92 | .489 |
BUCKEYES AMONG TOP 20 IN BOTH AP AND COACHES POLLS
Ohio State cracked the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time (Dec. 19) since March of 2002 when the Buckeyes finished the season rated No. 14. The Buckeyes are currently No. 16 in both the AP poll and the USA Today/Coaches Poll. The Buckeyes are 317-103 (.755) when playing as a ranked team in the AP poll. Ohio State has cracked the poll at least once in 28 seasons since its first appearance in 1948-49. The Buckeyes are 29-5 overall, 18-4 vs. Big Ten teams and 11-1 vs. non-conference foes at Value City Arena when ranked by AP. The only non-conference loss was a 59-54 setback to Notre Dame in the opening round of the 1999 preseason National Invitation Tournament. OSU was No. 4 in that Nov. 16 game vs. the Fighting Irish.
2005-06 BUCKEYES CRACK TOP 10 IN 3-POINTERS MADE
As a team, Ohio State cracked the OSU Top 10 in both 3-pointers made after just 17 games this season. The Buckeyes have made 149 of 362 3-point attempts on the season to date. The 149 made rates No. 8 all-time at OSU. The current team is on pace to make 245 3s this year, which would rank No. 2 all time behind the 2004-05 team. That group made 259 3s in 32 games a year ago. Ohio State currently averages 8.76 3-pointers a game and has a minimum of 11 games remaining this season.
MATTA’S BUCKEYES ALREADY TAKING OVER 3-POINT SHOOTING RECORDS
In less than two full seasons as head coach of the Buckeyes, Thad Matta has put his mark in the OSU record book. Six of the Top 10 team 3-point shooting performances have been established in the last two years, including the Top 4 performances. Ohio State knocked down 18 treys in a double overtime loss at LSU last year to set the record for 3s made in a game at Ohio State. The Buckeyes made 17 vs. Chattanooga last November and then knocked down 15 at Clemson in early December a year ago. The No. 4 effort was put in the books Dec. 12 vs. Norfolk St. when the Buckeyes connected on 14 of 32 3-point attempts. Matta’s teams have made 10 or more 3s in a game 16 times and have a 13-3 record in those games. Matta’s opponents at Ohio State have made 10 or more four times and are 2-2 in those games.
DIALS CLIMBING SCORING CHART
Senior Terence Dials has 1,326 career points, good for the No. 22 spot all-time in scoring at Ohio State. He scored 509 points a season ago and with a similar season in 2005-06, Dials has a chance to crack the Top 10 all-time in career scoring. Robin Freeman (1954-56) scored 1,597 career points during his Ohio State career and is 10th all-time in OSU scoring annals. Dials needs 271 or more points to reach the Top 10. The most recent Buckeye to crack the Top 10 was Michael Redd, who currently plays for the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks. He finished his OSU career in 2000 with 1,879 career points.
DIALS JOINS 700 CLUB, TOP 10
Senior Terence Dials reached 700 career rebounds with eight at Indiana (1/7/06). He has 738 boards to become one of 12 Buckeyes to reach the 700 mark all-time. If he reaches the 253 total rebounds he grabbed as a junior, he will tie for the No. 5 spot all time with Clark Kellogg (1980-82) with 872. There are four players with 900 or more rebounds in Ohio State history led by Jerry Lucas (1960-62) with 1,411, a total reached in just three seasons. Herb Williams (1978-81) is No. 2 with 1,111. Perry Carter (989, 1988-91) and Bill Hosket (910, 1966-68) are the only other two players to record 900 or more career rebounds. Hosket’s total also was recorded in three years. Dials is ninth all-time behind No. 8 Ken Johnson (1998-01) with 1,309.
1,000 X 3
Ohio State’s roster contains three players who have scored 1,000 or more points in their collegiate careers. Terence Dials, Ron Lewis and J.J. Sullinger all have reached the 1,000-point plateau. Dials’ total stands at 1,326 points scored to date, good for 22nd on the all-time list at OSU. Lewis, who transferred to Ohio State with 877 points to his credit after two seasons at Bowling Green, has a career total of 1,101, which includes 224 scored as a Buckeye. Senior J.J. Sullinger has scored 1,047 career points. He played one season at Arkansas, scoring 273 points in 2001-02, and now is in his third year at Ohio State.
FAMU VS. DELAWARE STATE
The Florida A&M men’s basketball team fell victim to turnovers en route to a 61-50 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference setback to league-leading Delaware State Saturday. FAMU was riding a four-game winning streak into Dover with hopes of knocking the defending champs down a peg with a win on the road. Delaware State converted 14 FAMU turnovers into 24 points, while defensively, limiting the Rattlers to just 32 shots on the afternoon, with FAMU hitting 50 percent (16 of 32). FAMU’s Tony Tate led the Rattlers with 18 points, becoming the 26th player in school history to reach 1,000 career points.
TATE LEADS RATTLERS’ ATTACK
Senior guard Tony Tate upped his season scoring average to 16.6 points with 18 at Delaware State. He is one of three Rattlers’ to average 10 or more points on the season. Rome Sanders is next with 11.0 points followed by Brian Greene with 10.4 ppg. Jonathan Kelly is the team’s leading rebounder with 5.5 rpg.
ON THIS DATE
Ohio State is 12-7 on this date with wins in three of the last four games. The last time Ohio State played a non-conference foe on this date was in 1946, a 43-33 win at Pittsburgh. The Buckeyes have not played a non-conference home game on this date since 1909, a 36-21 win vs. Ohio Wesleyan.
| Date | W/L | Opponent | Score |
| 1/30/09 | W | Ohio Wesleyan | 36-21 |
| 1/30/12 | W | @Wabash | 21-13 |
| 1/30/20 | L | @Chicago | 22-46 |
| 1/30/26 | L | @Chicago | 20-21 |
| 1/30/46 | W | @Pittsburgh | 43-33 |
| 1/30/50 | W | @Purdue | 59(13)-52 |
| 1/30/54 | W | @Purdue | 77-73 |
| 1/30/60 | W | Michigan State | 111(5)-79 |
| 1/30/61 | W | @Wisconsin | 100(1)-68 |
| 1/30/65 | W | Wisconsin | 98-86 |
| 1/30/67 | L | @Northwestern | 77-100 |
| 1/30/71 | L | Michigan State | 70-82 |
| 1/30/78 | W | @Illinois | 87-84 |
| 1/30/82 | L | @Iowa | 66-76(6) |
| 1/30/86 | L | @Minnesota | 65-70 |
| 1/30/92 | W | @Illinois | 74(10)-72 |
| 1/30/93 | L | Illinois | 76-86 |
| 1/30/97 | W | Indiana | 73-67(17) |
| 1/30/99 | W | @Illinois | 64(15)-61 |
OHIO STATE VS. THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE
Ohio State is 679-650 vs. the current members of the Big Ten Conference.
OSU vs. The Big Ten
| Illinois | 60-100 |
| Indiana | 70-99 |
| Iowa | 66-73 |
| Michigan | 83-70 |
| Michigan State | 46-59 |
| Minnesota | 74-53 |
| Northwestern | 105-44 |
| Penn State | 20-13 |
| Purdue | 74-78 |
| Wisconsin | 81-61 |
| Totals | 679-650 |
LEWIS, DIALS COMBINE FOR 35 IN LOSS AT IOWA
Adam Haluska scored 18 points to lead Iowa to a 67-62 victory over No. 16 Ohio State. Haluska scored just two points in the second half, but he made them count. With 25 seconds remaining, he sank a pair of free throws to put Iowa up 65-62. After an errant Buckeye pass rolled out of bounds, Jeff Horner was fouled and sank both free throws with 16 seconds left. Ron Lewis scored 19 points to lead the Buckeyes. Terence Dials scored 16 points, but was held to just one field goal in the second half. The Hawkeyes shot 42 percent and held the Buckeyes to 35 percent shooting. The Buckeyes, ranked seventh in the nation in 3-point percentage at 41.4, shot 37 percent from behind the arc and were held without a field goal in the final six minutes. Ohio State trailed 40-36 at the half, but stormed back early in the second. The Buckeyes grabbed their first lead since the opening minute when Lewis hit a wide-open 3-pointer at the 13:15 mark. Je’Kel Foster stole a pass on the following possession and scored on a lay-up to put the Buckeyes up 51-47. Lewis, who hit four 3-pointers, struck again with 6:34 remaining, hitting another 3 to put Ohio State back in front 61-58. But Iowa’s defense stiffened down the stretch, allowing just one point after Lewis’ basket.
NOTING THE IOWA GAME
* The Buckeyes fell to 66-73 all-time in games vs. the Hawkeyes and to 22-46 in Iowa City vs. Iowa. When Ohio State is ranked in the AP poll, the Buckeyes are 6-4 vs. the Hawkeyes. The last time an unranked Iowa team defeated a ranked Ohio State squad was at the Big Ten Tournament in 2001, a 75-66 victory vs. the then No. 24 Buckeyes (3/9/01). OSU is 679-650 vs. the current members of the Big Ten Conference.
* Ron Lewis made his second-consecutive start and fourth of the season. He finished with a game-high 19 points.
* Senior Je’Kel Foster was credited with a game-high six assists. That total also is a career-best effort in that category.
* The Buckeyes are 317-103 (.755) when playing as a ranked team in the AP poll.
* Senior Terence Dials remains No. 22 in career scoring at Ohio State after scoring 16 vs. the Hawkeyes. He has amassed 1,326 points at Ohio State. Jim Cleamons (1969-71) is next at No. 21 with 1,335 career points. Dials also remained in the No. 9 spot all-time in career rebounding after an eight-rebound effort vs. the Hawkeyes. He has 738 career boards, one behind Ken Johnson (1998-01).
* As a team, Ohio State knocked down 9 of 24 from beyond the arc vs. the Hawkeyes. The team total for makes this season is 149 in 17 games, which moves the 2005-06 squad into the No. 8 position all-time for team 3-pointers made in a season. The current team’s 362 attempts is closing on the OSU Top 10 list. The 1993-94 squad attempted 385 over 29 games to rate 10th.
SEVEN ESPN PLUS OHIO STATE GAMES TO APPEAR ON ESPNU
ESPNU, an ESPN cable property which televises a variety of college sporting events, will carry seven Ohio State men’s basketball games this season, the Big Ten announced Nov. 22. The games will be produced by ESPN Regional Television and will be carried locally in Columbus on WBNS 10 TV as an originally scheduled ESPN Plus telecast. ESPN Plus games are typically carried by WOIO (CBS) or WAOH (independent) in Cleveland, Ohio; WHIO (CBS) or UPN 17 in Dayton, Ohio; and WYTV in Youngstown, Ohio, in addition to WBNS (CBS) in Columbus. The Buckeyes’ games added to ESPNU are Norfolk State (W 92-59, Dec. 12), Belmont (W 85-75, Dec. 14), Tennessee State (W, 74-65, Dec. 23), Louisiana State (W, 78-76), at Penn State (W 75-64, Jan. 21), Florida A&M (Jan. 30) and Purdue (March 5).
A PAIR OF FIRST TEAMERS
Sylvester Mayes was a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) First Team All-American for Redlands Community College as a sophomore. He shot 51 percent from the field (201-397), 42 percent from 3-point range (68-164) and 77 percent from the foul line (139-181) in leading Redlands to a 27-4 record in 2004-05. He is one of two first team NJCAA All-Americans on the Ohio State roster. Je’Kel Foster earned the same recognition before joining the Buckeyes a year ago. Foster played at Chipola (Fla.) Junior College. Last year, Foster averaged 7.7 points a game for Ohio State while knocking down 43 percent of his 3-point attempts (62-145). He added 78 assists and 43 steals as well. He also grabbed 104 rebounds. His all-around effort earned him a starting spot the final 12 games of the season, helping Ohio State to a 20-12 overall record.
MATTA GOES FOR 6TH 20
Thad Matta doesn’t know what it’s like to end a season with fewer than 20 wins during his head coaching career. The second year Ohio State coach came to the Buckeyes with a streak of four 20+ win seasons at Butler (24 wins in 2001) and Xavier (26 in all three years from 2002-04). With 20 victories a year ago at Ohio State, Matta is one of two coaches nationally to record 20 or more wins in the first five seasons of his coaching career. Mark Few of Gonzaga is the other with 20+ in all six years with the Bulldogs.
OHIO NATIVES DOMINATE BUCKEYE ROSTER
Eight of the 11 players on the roster this year chose to stay in state, play for the Buckeyes and pursue their education in Columbus. Seniors Terence Dials (Youngstown), Matt Sylvester (Cincinnati), J.J. Sullinger (Columbus); juniors Ron Lewis (Columbus) and Ivan Harris (Springfield); sophomores Jamar Butler (Lima) and Matt Terwilliger (Troy) and freshman Samuel Payne (Columbus) all played high school basketball for their hometown teams in Ohio.
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 2004. Ohio State played host to the first and second rounds in March 2004, as it will in 2007. Games were played at Nationwide Arena in downtown Columbus, which will again be the site of the event in 2007.
BUCKEYES LOOK TO ELDERS
Terence Dials, J.J. Sullinger and Matt Sylvester are the Top 3 returning scorers for Ohio State. The three have been in Columbus a combined total of 14 years entering the 2005-06 season. All were fifth-year seniors when school started in September. Both Dials and Sylvester have spent all five years at Ohio State with each missing a season with injury. Dials sat out most of the 2002-03 season with a back ailment while Sylvester missed the majority of 2001-02 with leg and back injuries. Sullinger played one year at Arkansas before leaving for Ohio State. He sat out the 2002-03 season to satisfy NCAA transfer rules. In addition to these three, Je’Kel Foster again will be a significant contributor in 2005-06. He too is a senior with three years playing experience, two at the junior college level and one season in Columbus.
SULLINGER’S SHOOTING EFFORT VS. PSU ONE OF OSU’S BEST ALL-TIME
J.J. Sullinger connected on all eight of his field goal attempts in the win vs. Penn State (1/5/06) on his way to 18 points. He connected on both of his 3-point tries and eclipsed the 1,000-point plateau as well. In addition, Sullinger is now one of just four Ohio State players all-time to make eight or more shots in a game without a miss. Sullinger joins Brian Brown (9-9 vs. Florida State Nov. 23, 2000), John Havlicek (9-9 at Michigan Feb. 4, 1961) and Jerry Lucas (8-8 vs. Wisconsin Feb. 27, 1960).
