Postgame Notes From Ohio State vs. Tennessee – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/22/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Ohio State is now 4-1 all time vs. Tennessee and 28-25 against members of the Southeastern Conference. The Buckeyes defeated Florida (62-49) earlier this season in Columbus.
Jamar Butler improved to the No. 40 spot all-time in career scoring with eight points against the Volunteers. He has 1,024 and trails both Jamie Skelton (1991-94) and Ken Johnson (1998-2001). The pair is tied for the No. 38 spot with 1,055 career points.
Butler handed out seven assists at Tennessee to up his career total to 473. He is currently No. 3 in career assists, just two back of Curtis Wilson (1984, 1986-88) with 475. Kelvin Ransey is Ohio State’s career leader with 516. Butler needs to average 3.1 assists over the remainder of the regular season (minimum 14 games) to take over the top spot all-time.
Butler knocked down all three of his free throw attempts to up his consecutive streak of makes to 34, the Ohio State record. Butler has not missed since his first of two attempts vs. Coppin State (12/10/07), a span of a little more than 10 games.
Butler has connected on 46 of 48 foul shots this season (.958) and is shooting .859 for his career, the third best percentage in school history. Jody Finney (1968-70) is No. 2 at .862 (250-290).
Butler will make career start No. 100 against Illinois Tuesday. He is on pace to play in more games than any other Buckeyes in history. He has appeared in 120 career games and is on pace for 134 appearances with a minimum of 14 games remaining. Jerry Francis (133) is the career leader in games played from 1986-89).
Senior Othello Hunter tied a career high with 17 points vs. the Volunteers. He also set career bests with 14 rebounds and five assists. The Buckeyes blocked five shots in the game with Hunter swatting three in a career best 39 minutes played.
Freshman Evan Turner recorded his first career double-double with a game-high 21 points and 10 rebounds, both career bests. He also had 37 minutes of court time vs. the Vols, to go with nine made field goals on 15 attempts, all career bests.
With two double doubles in the game for the Buckeyes by Hunter (17 pts./14 rebs.) and Turner (21/10), Ohio State has 10 on the season from four different players. Freshman Kosta Koufos leads with four followed by Butler with three and Hunter with two.
Matta’s Buckeyes have recorded at least one double-double in 45 games. Ohio State is 39-6 in those contests. The Tennessee game marked the third time on Matta’s tenure a pair of Buckeyes managed a double-double in the same game.
Ohio State, all-time, is 524-248 when at least one Buckeye records a double-double, 128-50 with two double-doubles in a game and 14-1 with three in a contest.
