Ohio State Advances To Face Xavier – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/16/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 16, 2007
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No. 1-seed Ohio State (31-3) vs.
No. 9 Xavier (25-8) March 17, 2007
1:10 p.m. Saturday (CBS)
Second Round NCAA Tournament
Rupp Arena, Lexington, Ky.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Ohio State advanced to play a second game in the NCAA tournament for the 19th time in 20 appearances with a 78-57 win vs. Central Connecticut State Thursday. The Buckeyes will take on intrastate foe Xavier, who defeated BYU 79-77, Saturday with a trip to San Antonio, Texas, on the line.
The Xavier Series
The Buckeyes and Musketeers have not met since the 1984 season when the Buckeyes played at Xavier in the opening round of the National Invitation Tournament. Ohio State leads 2-1 overall in the series. All three previous games were played in Cincinnati. Ron Stokes, who currently provides commentary for the Ohio State radio network, played in the last meeting with the Musketeers in 1984, his junior season.
The Ohio State vs. Xavier Series
| 1/20/33 | W | @Xavier | 31-19 |
| 12/31/34 | W | @Xavier | 31-28 |
| 3/15/84 | L | #@Xavier | 57-60 |
# NIT 1st Round
Matta and the Musketeers
Thad Matta, head coach of the Buckeyes, coached for three seasons at Xavier prior to taking over the Ohio State program in the summer of 2004. Matta won 26 games in each of his three years in Cincinnati. He compiled a record of 78-23 at Xavier. Each of his Musketeer teams competed in the NCAA tourament with his final edition advancing to the Elite Eight in 2004. Matta guided Xavier to a pair of Atlantic 10 regular-season and postseason Atlantic 10 tournament crowns.
Buckeyes Go 4-0 vs. Ohio Teams
The game with Xavier will be the fourth against a school from Ohio this year for the Buckeyes. Kent State (W 81-59), Youngstown State (W 91-57) and Cleveland State (W 78-57) all played in Columbus this year. The Buckeyes’ meeting with Cincinnati (W 72-50) in Indianapolis Dec. 16 was the first against the Bearcats since 1962. The last time Ohio State faced four in-state schools was in 1992-93 when Ohio University, Bowling Green and Wright State played in Columbus during non-conference play and Miami (Ohio) took on the Buckeyes in the National Invitation Tournament in March. Ohio State has not played five Division I Ohio schools in a single season.
Conley To Join Big Ten’s All-Time Elite
With one point against Xaiver, Mike Conley Jr. will become the second Buckeye and 15th player in Big Ten history to record at least 350 points, 150 assists, 100 rebounds and 50 steals in the same season. Scoonie Penn accomplished the feat for Ohio State in 1998-99 with 609 points, 150 assists, 70 steals and 140 rebounds. Conley enters the game Saturday vs. the Musketeers with 349 points, 214 assists, 77 steals and 110 rebounds.
Other Big Ten players with at least 350 points, 150 assists, 100 rebounds and 50 steals in a single season:
Scott Skiles (MSU-1986)
Magic Johnson (MSU-1978, `79)
Gary Grant (Michigan-1986, `87, `88)
Rumeal Robinson (Michigan 1989)
Scoonie Penn (OSU-1999)
Bruce Douglas (ILL-1984, `85)
Kiwane Garris (ILL-1997)
Frank Williams (ILL-2002)
Luther Head (ILL-2005)
Dee Brown (ILL-2003, `04, `05)
Melvin Newbern (Minn-1990)
Isiah Thomas (IND-1980, `81)
Tom Coverdale (IND-2002)
Tim Doyle (NU-2007)
Noting the CCSU Game
Ohio State improved to 33-18 in NCAA tournament games. As a No.1 seed, the Buckeyes are now 6-2. The Buckeyes led throughout thegame, with their largest lead of 27 points (51-24) coming at 15:35of the second half. This was the second meeting all-time betweenthe Buckeyes and Central Connecticut State. The two last met Nov.26, 1995 in Columbus, in a 79-52 Ohio State victory. Head coachThad Matta made his sixth NCAA tournament appearance and continuedhis streak of never losing in the opening round. He is 9-5 in NCAAtournament games. The Buckeyes are now 7-0 all-time against currentmembers of the Northeast Conference. Central Connecticut State is0-7 all-time against the Big Ten Conference and is 0-3 in NCAAtournament games. Ohio State, ranked No. 1 in both of the mostrecent ESPN/USA Today and Associated Press polls, is 56-4 all-timewhen playing as the top-ranked team. The win was Ohio State’s18th-consecutive dating back to a 68-66 home victory againstTennessee Jan. 13. In the opening 8 minutes of the game Thursday,Ohio State held CCSU to 1-of-6 shooting and forced three turnovers.Ohio State held the Blue Devils without a field goal for 7:07 (last5:22 of first half, opening 1:45 of second half), during which theBuckeyes outscored them 18-4 (CSSU made four free throws during thespan). Greg Oden recorded his 12th double-double of the season witha team-high 19 points and 10 rebounds. It was his thirddouble-double in as many games. The last Ohio State player torecord 12 double-doubles in a season was Dennis Hopson in 1986-87.Brad Sellers tied the Ohio State single season record with 26double-doubles in 1985-86. Jerry Lucas recorded 26 in each of hisseasons as a Buckeye (1960-62). Jamar Butler tied his career-highwith five 3-pointers. He was 5-of-6 from beyond the arc andfinished second on the team in scoring with 17 points. With 67 made3-pointers this season, Butler is tied for fifth all time withDennis Hopson (1987). Butler and Mike Conley Jr. both had fiveassists. Ohio State is 36-7 when Butler dishes out four or moreassists as a Buckeye. The Buckeyes hit 11-of-20 3-pointers in thegame. OSU is 24-5 under Matta when making 10 or more treys,including 6-2 this season. The 55 percent 3-point percentage is aseason high. Ohio State finished with a 51.9 field goal percentagevs. CCSU. It was the 15th time this season the Buckeyes have shot50 percent or better from the field with a 14-1 record in thosegames. Ohio State improved to 19-1 when scoring 70 or more points.The Buckeyes led 70-51 with five minutes remaining in the game tomove to 29-0 this year when leading at that mark. Ohio State had a22-0 advantage in bench points, led by Daequan Cook with ninepoints. Ohio State went on an 11-0 run to end the first half andtake a 38-17 lead into the break. The Buckeyes are 29-1 whenleading at the half this season. Obie Nwadike of the Blue Devilscame into the game leading the team and NEC conference in reboundsper game at 10.9 this season. Against Ohio State, he grabbed justfive (1 off., 4 def.). Ohio State will play the winner of No 9-seedXavier vs. No. 8 BYU game at 1:10 p.m. Saturday. Ohio State hasbeen ranked among the nation’s Top 25 teams (AP) in each of thelast 59 games (50-9) and has been among the Top 10 in the last 41games (36-5). All time, the Buckeyes are 226-54 as a Top 10 squadand 325-94 as a Top 25 team.
