Men’s Basketball: Ohio State Downs Northwestern, 65-47 – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/14/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) -Kosta Koufos scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Jamar Butler set the school’s all-time assist record, and Ohio State beat Northwestern 65-47 for a much-needed victory on Wednesday night.
With their NCAA hopes in doubt after reaching the finals last year, the Buckeyes (17-8, 8-4 Big Ten) could not afford a letdown after losing two of their previous three games. The defending Big Ten champions went on a 19-4 run in the second half to give coach Thad Matta his 200th career win and put away a team that is still searching for its first conference victory.
Butler had 12 points and six assists, giving him 517 – one more than former record holder Kelvin Ransey.
Othello Hunter, who scored 14 points, started the decisive run with a basket down low and a dunk that turned a one-point lead into a 39-34 advantage with 12:40 left. Jon Diebler scored six of his nine points during that stretch, including a 3-pointer that made it 54-38 with just over five minutes remaining. And Evan Turner had five of his 10 during that run.
Craig Moore scored 15 for Northwestern (7-15, 0-11), but it wasn’t enough to snap the Wildcats’ 16 game conference losing streak – not counting a loss to Michigan State in last year’s tournament.
Postgame Notes
At the 2:52 mark of the second half, senior Jamar Butler recorded his 517th career assist, setting the Ohio State all-time record. He surpassed Kelvin Ransey who dished out 516 assists from 1977-80. Butler finished the game with six assists and 12 points on four 3-pointers.
The win gives Thad Matta win No. 200 for his career. He is 200-61 after one season at Butler, three at Xavier and four in Columbus. Matta also recorded win No. 98 in 128 games at Ohio State.
The senior duo of Butler and Matt Terwilliger have 98 career wins between them, tying the Ohio State all-time record.
Butler’s six assists give him 157 on the year, tying him for sixth place on Ohio State’s single-season list.
Butler’s 12 points moves him up to 34th on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,115 points.
Butler’s four 3-pointers gives him 69 on the season sixth on the single-season list and improves his career-leading total to 207.
Butler made his 94th-consecutive start Wednesday night. The streak is the 13th longest in the nation this season. (Jonathan Wallace of Georgetown has the longest at 125 games)
Ohio State leads the all-time series with Northwestern 105-44.
Evan Turner finished with a game-high seven assists, tying his personal best.
The Buckeyes outscored the Wildcats 36-22 in the second half and forced Northwestern into 16.7 percent (2-of-12) shooting from 3-point range in the final period.
