Postgame Notes From No. 13 Ohio State vs. No. 18 Michigan State – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/23/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 23, 2006
Recap | Box Score
Ohio State has defeated the last four ranked opponents it hasfaced this season. Since the double overtime loss to No. 14Michigan State Jan. 15 in Columbus, Ohio State has defeated No. 15Wisconsin (77-67) Jan. 18, No. 22 Michigan (94-85) in Ann Arbor,No. 10 Illinois (69-53) and No. 18 Michigan State in East Lansing.The last time Ohio State won four-consecutive games vs. rankedteams was during the 2001 and 2002 Big Ten seasons. Ohio Statedowned No. 3 Illinois 63-61 Feb. 22, 2001 and then won three gamesvs. No. 9 Iowa (72-62, Jan. 5), No. 25 Indiana (73-67, Jan. 19) andNo. 12 Illinois (78-67, Jan. 29) during the 2002 Big Ten campaign.The last time Ohio State won four-consecutive games vs. rankedteams in the same season was during the 1998-99 campaign when theBuckeyes won six in a row vs. ranked foes, four vs. Big Ten teams(at Purdue, at Iowa, at Indiana and Wisconsin) and two during NCAAtournament play (Auburn, St. John’s). Senior Terence Dials hasrecorded 10+ points and rebounds in each of the last four games,the longest double-double streak of his career. Dials scored 19points and grabbed a career-high 16 boards vs. Illinois (2/12/06)to start the most recent streak. He tallied 24 points and 11 boardsat Wisconsin (2/15/06), had 14 points and 15 boards last Saturdayvs. Northwestern and then scored 19 points with 10 boards in theroad win vs. Michigan State Wednesday. He is averaging 19 pointsand 13 rebounds in the last four games. Dials has 15 careerdouble-doubles and five this season. The last time an Ohio Stateplayer put together a streak of four or more consecutivedouble-doubles was during the 1985-86 season when Brad Sellers hada streak of nine-consecutive games with 10 or more points andrebounds. Head coach Thad Matta is 40-14 as the head coach at OhioState. He has won 20 games in each of his two seasons in Columbusand for the sixth time in his coaching career. He is one of twocoaches nationally to reach the 20-win plateau every year as acollegiate head coach. Mark Few of Gonzaga has reached 20 wins inall seven of his years as a head coach. Matta is the second coachin Ohio State history to reach 20 wins in the first two seasons asa Buckeye. Matta, the 13th coach in OSU history, tied GaryWilliams, who reached 20 wins during the 1986-87 and 1987-88seasons. Senior Matt Sylvester tied his career high with sixassists in the win vs. the Spartans. He has 26 assists in the lastfive games in which he as played. Senior Je’Kel Foster knocked down3 of 8 3-pointers to give him 130 for his career and 68 on theseason. Foster scored 17 points against the Spartans. Ohio State is23-3 when Foster knocks down three or more 3-pointers and 26-2 whenhe scores 10 or more points in a game. Foster has 130 career3-pointers made, good for the No. 7 spot all-time at OSU. His 68treys made this year rank No. 4 for made 3s in a single season.Sophomore Jamar Butler handed out seven assists, a game high. OhioState is 18-3 when Butler hands our 4 or more assists in a game.Junior Ron Lewis came off the bench to score 13 points. He hascontributed 10 or more points off the bench 12 times this season.The win vs. the Spartans was the first in East Lansing since 1992,a 78-65 victory Feb. 29 that season. Ohio State is 47-59 all-timevs. the Spartans and 14-38 in East Lansing. The Buckeyes are 17-12vs. MSU when ranked nationally by the Associated Press Poll. OhioState is 4-6 vs. MSU when both teams are ranked. The Buckeyes wereranked No. 13 while the Spartans entered the game Wednesday No. 18.Ohio State is 323-104 (.756) when playing as a ranked team. Fiveplayers scored 10 or more points Wednesday vs. MSU. The last timethe Buckeyes place five players in double figures was at MichiganFeb. 9. The win gave Ohio State its 21st 20 win season in schoolhistory. Ohio State made 11 of 24 3-point attempts. Ohio State is32-5 all-time when making 10 or more 3s in a game, which includes a10-0 mark this season. Ohio State has made 10 or more treys 20times under Matta’s direction. Ohio State is 17-3 in those games.Ohio State won at both Michigan and Michigan State this season, afirst for the Buckeyes since 1992. In the two games played inMichigan this year, Ohio State has made 26 of 48 3-point attempts(.542). Ohio State made 15 of 24 at Michigan Feb. 9 and knockeddown 11 of 24 vs. the Spartans. The nine Big Ten wins for OSU thisyear is the most since going 11-5 in 2002. The Buckeyes tied forthe league title that season. The Buckeyes have four road wins thisseason in the Big Ten, which ties the 2002 squad that when 4-4 inBig Ten road games. The Buckeyes have recorded 20 or more assistsin a game five times this year, all wins. Ohio State dished out 20assists vs. the Spartans.
