Wright State Completes Non-Conference Slate for Buckeyes – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/26/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 26, 2014
| Sophomore Marc Loving rates No. 2 nationally in 3-point shooting percentage. |
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No. 18 Ohio State Buckeyes (10-2) vs. Wright State Raiders (8-5)
| Date: | Dec. 27, 2014 |
| Site: | Value City Arena (19,049) |
| Game Time: | 7 p.m. ET |
| Television: | BTN |
| Talent: | Tom Hamilton (Play-By-Play) Jim Jackson (Expert Analysis) |
| Radio: | OSU-IMG Sports Network (56 stations) |
| Satellite Radio: | Sirius 84/XM 84 |
| Local Radio: | WBNS FM-97.1 AM-1460 |
| Radio Talent: | Paul Keels (play-by-play) Ron Stokes (expert analysis) |
Ohio State, Matta vs. Ohio Opponents
Ohio State owns a 230-76 record all-time vs. teams from the state of Ohio and a 71-21 record vs. Ohio’s Division I teams. During his tenure at Ohio State, Thad Matta is 14-1 vs. Ohio teams. Matta teams are: 3-0 vs. Miami (Ohio), 2-0 vs. Cincinnati, 2-0 vs. Cleveland State, and 1-0 vs. Kent State, Youngstown State, Xavier, Bowling Green, Ohio and Wright State. The Buckeyes are 1-1 vs. Dayton with Matta at the helm.
Offense Clicking in Non-Conference Action
Ohio State has scored 85 or more points in seven of 12 games this season and has eclipsed the 70-point plateau in 11 of 12 games. The last time Ohio State scored 85 or more points seven or more times in a season was in 2011-12 (7 times). The 2010-11 Buckeyes reached or surpassed 85 points 11 times. The 2012 team advanced to the NCAA Final Four. The 2011 squad fell to Kentucky in the NCAA “Sweet 16.”
Loving a Big Ten Leader at the Line, From 3
Sophomore Marc Loving is one of the top shooters in the country, in the Big Ten and certainly on Ohio State’s 2014-15 roster. The Toledo, Ohio, native is connecting on 91 percent of his foul shots to lead Ohio State and rate No. 1 in the Big Ten. He is No. 19 nationally in free throw percentage. From 3-point range, Loving is the conference and Ohio State leader, making 59 percent from distance (24-41). He ranks No. 2 nationally in 3-point field goal percentage.
Scott, Russell One of Top Combinations
Senior Shannon Scott and freshman D’Angelo Russell lead the country in combined assists per game with an average of 13.3 helpers a contest. Scott (7.8 apg.) is No. 2 nationally. Russell (5.5 apg.) rates No. 50(t). The next closest is the duo from Providence, Kris Dunn with 7.0 apg. and Kyron Cartwright with 4.0 apg, for a combined 11.0 apg.
Matta Chasing Career, Ohio State History
Thad Matta has made a habit of achieving records and milestones over his coaching career, which spans 15 years. After a season at Butler, three at Xavier and the last 11 in Columbus, Matta coached his 500th career game as a head coach last Dec. 13 vs. Morehead State.
As an Ohio State head coach, the 13th in the history of the program, Matta is closing in on the all-time wins record currently held by Fred Taylor with 297 career wins over 18 seasons from 1959-1976. Matta needs 13 wins added to his Ohio State career record of 285-85 to claim the career wins record at Ohio State. Matta teams have never failed to win at least 20 games. His Ohio State teams have averaged 27.5 victories over his 10 full years in Columbus.
Buckeyes in the B1G
Shannon Scott is leading the Big Ten Conference in assists with a total of 94 and an average of 7.8 apg. He also is tops in steals with an average of 2.8 a game (33 total). Marc Loving is the league’s top shooter from 3-point range (24-41/.585) and rates No. 1 in free throw shooting (.909/40-44). As a team, Ohio State leads in scoring margin (+25.3), is No. 1 in field goal percentage (.519) and is No. 2 in steal (9.4 apg.), turnover margin (+6.8) and assist/turnover ratio (+1.5).
Russell Among Nation’s Best Freshmen
Among true freshmen nationally, Ohio State rookie D’Angelo Russell is the fourth-leading scorer in the country with an average of 17.2 points a game over his first 12 appearances in Columbus. Russell has been credited with 66 assists, the most among the Top 25 rookie offensive leaders nationally. He is second among all rookies in combined points+assists+rebounds (PAR) with an average of 27.3.
Buckeyes In Top 5 nationally in Field Goal Percentage, Scott 2nd in assists per game
Senior Shannon Scott is No. 2 in the nation in assists per game with 7.8 a contest and the Buckeyes are No. 5 nationally in field goal shooting percentage at 52 percent scoring accuracy. Ohio State has made 375-of-723 field goal attempts (.519).
Scott Setting Assist Records
In the opening three games of the 2014-15 season, Ohio State senior Shannon Scott handed out 10 or more assists in three-consecutive games. He set career highs in helpers each time out the first three games of the season with 11 assists in the season opener vs. UMass-Lowell, 14 vs. Marquette and an Ohio State-record 16 assists vs. Sacred Heart Sunday. His 94 assists rate No. 2 in the country in total assists. Scott is No. 2 nationally in assists per game with 7.8. Scott also has set Ohio State records for consecutive games with 10 or more assists (3) and the highest assist total over three consecutive games (41) and in back to back games (30). In his career, Scott has 415 assists. He is in the No. 8 spot all-time at Ohio State. In Big Ten history, Scott’s 16 assists vs. Sacred Heart is tied for the No. 4 spot all-time with four others, most recently by Demetri McCamey of Illinois vs. Purdue (1/12/94).
It’s Give and Take for Shannon Scott
Not only is Shannon Scott rewriting the single game records in assists at Ohio State, he continues to move up the charts in career steals as well. With 185 thefts for this career, Scott is No. 4 spot all-time. David Lighty holds down the No. 3 position with 191 steals from 2007-11.
Scouting the Wright State Raiders
Wright State is 8-5 and has won four of the last five games before taking on the Buckeyes in Columbus. The wins in the last five games were against Urbana at home, on the road vs. Belmont and back home against Miami, Ohio, Dec. 14 (68-59) and at Western Carolina. The Raiders lost to George Mason at home just before the Christmas Holiday. The Raiders have three players averaging in double figures offensively. Junior forward JT Yoho, a Solsberry, Indiana, native, leads the team with 17.7 points per game. Joe Thomasson (12.1 ppg.), a junior guard from Dayton, and Chrishawn Hopkins (10.2 ppg.), a senior guard from Indianapolis, each average double figures as well. Yoho is the top rebounder with an average of 7.5 rpg. Thomasson contributes 5.8 boards a game.
The Ohio State vs. Wright State Series
Ohio State is 3-0 all-time vs. the Raiders with all games being contested in Columbus. The first game was played Dec. 12, 1990 at St. John Arena. The Buckeyes won 90-60. The second meeting, also at SJA, took place Dec. 16, 1992. Ohio State won that one 76-55. The most recent meeting, a Nov. 11, 2011 game at Value City Arena, was won by the Buckeyes, ranked No. 3 nationally at the time, 73-42. In all, Ohio State is 23-1 all-time vs. members of the Horizon League. The Buckeyes have faced all nine members of the conference. The lone loss was to Cleveland State Dec. 17, 1994 (75-73) at what was then Gund Arena in Cleveland. Valparaiso was the last Horizon League team to face the Buckeyes. That meeting, an 80-47 win for the No. 3-ranked Buckeyes was played Nov. 25, 2011 in Columbus.
Last Time vs. Wright State
COLUMBUS, Ohio–Preseason All-America Jared Sullinger had 19 points and nine rebounds to lead Ohio State to a 73-42 victory over Wright State in the Global Sports Shootout (11/11/11). William Buford had nine of his 13 points to lead a second-half charge for the Buckeyes. Point guard Aaron Craft had 10 points and just one turnover in 28 minutes in the opener for both teams. A.J. Pacher had 13 points and Reggie Arcenaux added 11 for Wright State. Ohio State was 26 of 38 at the free-throw line compared to Wright State being 10 of 15. Up by 14 at halftime, the Buckeyes pulled away on field goals by Buford, Deshaun Thomas and Sullinger to push the lead to 40-20. Buford, the Buckeyes’ second-leading scorer in 2010-11, added two more field goals in the 10-0 run. The lead hovered around 30 points for most of the second half as both teams emptied their benches. The Buckeyes led 34-20 at halftime with Sullinger picking up nine of his 13 points at the line. Wright State had 16 turnovers at halftime and finished with 25. Ohio State never trailed from the moment Craft hit a 3-pointer from the right corner to open the scoring. Ahead just 19-14 after the Raiders’ John Balwigaire hit a 3-pointer at the 8:26 mark, the Buckeyes went on a 13-3 run over the next 6 minutes with Sullinger scoring six points. The loudest roar of the game from a crowd of 15,645 at Value City Arena came on a backdoor, alley-oop dunk by J.D. Weatherspoon off a pass from Buford.
Noting the Miami (Ohio) Game
? Ohio State is 6-2 in the all-time series vs. Miami with the Buckeyes owning a 4-1 record in Columbus. Last time out, the No. 2 Buckeyes defeated the RedHawks, 69-40, Dec. 22, 2011.
? Ohio State is 54-13 vs. members of the Mid-American Conference.
? Five players scored in double figures for the Buckeyes: Kam Williams (18) Marc Loving (16), D’Angelo Russell (15) and Keita Bates-Diop (12) and Jae’Sean Tate (10).
? Six players recorded steals for the Buckeyes, including all five starters, for 10 team steals vs. Miami. The Buckeyes have recorded 10 or more team steals six times this season.
? Of the 11 Buckeyes who saw action vs. Miami, nine scored at least four points and played at least 10 minutes.
? Ohio State went 26-66 (.545) from the field vs. Miami. The Buckeyes have shot above 50 percent eight times this season.
? Shannon Scott and D’Angelo Russell combined for 16 assists vs. Miami. The duo leads the country with 13.3 combined assists per game.
? The Buckeyes recorded a season-high 25 assists vs. Miami.
? Ohio State has scored 90 or more points in a game six times this season.
? Ohio State scored 26 points off 19 RedHawk turnovers.
? The Ohio State bench added 46 points vs. Miami.
? Since the 2009-10 season, Ohio State has the most home wins nationally with a 98-8 (.925) record.
? Ohio State is 118-6 all-time vs. non-conference opponents at Value City Arena and is 103-1 in the last 104 games vs. unranked foes. The last loss was Dec. 27, 2008 vs. West Virginia.
? Ohio State has won 58 consecutive games at home vs. unranked non-conference opponents.
? Thad Matta is 285-85 during his career at Ohio State and 387-116 overall as a head coach. With the win vs. Miami, Matta has recorded at least 10 wins in non-conference play for the 11th-consecutive season.
? Matta teams are 14-1 against Ohio teams.
? Matta teams have 143 wins vs. non-conference opponents and 142 wins vs. Big Ten foes over his 11 years in Columbus.
? The Buckeyes are 211-48 (.815) when carrying a Top 25 ranking into competition during the Thad Matta era.
? Ohio State is 68-11 under Matta in the month of December.
? D’Angelo Russell scored 15 points for the Buckeyes, tying his career-high with four 3-pointers made vs. Miami. He has scored in double figures in 10-consecutive games this season and has passed the 200-career point mark in his first 12 appearances with the Buckeyes.
? Russell totaled a career-high nine assists vs. the RedHawks and leads the Top 25 true freshman nationally with 66 assists this season.
? For the season, Russell ranks No. 1 nationally among freshmen with a PAR (points+assists+rebounds/game) of 27.3.
? Shannon Scott recorded two steals. He is fourth on Ohio State’s all-time steals list with 185 behind David Lighty with 191 thefts. Scott needs 15 more this season to become the third Buckeye all-time to reach 200 steals in a career.
? With seven helpers vs. Miami, Scott moves to No. 8 in Ohio State history with 415 assists. He needs four more to tie Ronnie Stokes (1982-85) for No. 7 all-time.
? Scott collected two rebounds, totaling 300 boards for his career.
? Marc Loving scored 16 points, passing the 300-point mark for his careers. He has scored in double figures five of last seven contests.
? Loving totaled a career-high eight rebounds vs. the RedHawks, while dishing a career-high four assists.
? Kam Williams scored a team-high 18 points vs. Miami, shooting 7-10 from the floor.
? Kam Williams tied his career-high with two steals.
? Keita Bates-Diop totaled a career-high 12 points vs. Miami, shooting 5-9 from the floor.
? Bates-Diop collected a career-high seven rebounds. vs. Miami
? Jae’Sean Tate scored 10 points for the Buckeyes and has scored in double figures three of the last five games.
? Tate recorded six rebounds vs. Miami.
? Amir Williams added seven points with eight rebounds vs. the RedHawks.
? Williams led the team with two blocks vs. Miami and has recorded a block in 11 consecutive games for the Buckeyes.
For more on the Buckeyes, click on the Ohio State Notes link above.
