Buckeyes Start Back to Back Weekends in TSUN vs. Spartans – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 13, 2015
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No. 23 Ohio State Buckeyes (19-6, 8-4) vs. the Michigan State Spartans (16-8, 7-4)
| Date: | Feb. 14, 2015 |
| Site: | Breslin Center (18,797) |
| Game Time: | 12 p.m. ET |
| Television: | ESPN |
| Talent: | Bob Wischusen (Play-By-Play) Dan Dakich(Expert Analysis) |
| Radio: | OSU-IMG Sports Network (56 stations) |
| Satellite Radio: | Sirius 84/XM 184 |
| Local Radio: | WBNS FM-97.1 AM-1460 |
| Radio Talent: | Paul Keels (play-by-play) Ron Stokes (expert analysis) |
Buckeye Bullets
- In the Thad Matta era (2005-present), the Buckeyes have made 9,999 total field goals in 21,150 attempts for a field goal percentage of .473 … all three of those totals rate No. 1 in the Big Ten over the last 11 years.
- Thad Matta has led the Buckeyes to 19 wins to date … all 14 of his previous teams have reached at least 20 wins, which includes one year at Butler, three at Xavier and all 10 at Ohio State.
- Rookie D’Angelo Russell has scored 486 points this season in 25 games … with 14 more points he will become the 32nd Buckeye all-time to reach 500 points in a single season … The last freshman to score 500+ in a season at Ohio State was Jared Sullinger in 2011 with 635 points (17.2 ppg.) … Matta teams have had at least one 500-point scorer in nine of 10 seasons prior to this season.
- Russell has 70 made 3-pointers this season … he needs three made treys to take over the No. 10 spot in an Ohio State single season … Deshaun Thomas holds the No. 10 spot with 72 made threes in 2013.
- Senior Shannon Scott has 199 career steals, good for the No. 3 spot in Ohio State history … his 133 career game appearances ranks No. 8 all-time.
- Scott has 156 assists this season, eight shy of the No. 10 spot in single season history at Ohio State currently held by Aaron Craft (2011-14) with 164.
- Senior Sam Thompson has scored 899 career points over 136 career games … his games played total ranks No. 7 all-time … Dallas Lauderdale (2008-11) is No. 6 with 138 games played.
- As Ohio State had coach, Matta recorded his 150th win vs. Big Ten opponents with the 75-55 win vs. Penn State Wednesday … he has 154 career wins vs. Big Ten foes over his 15-year head coaching career.
- Ohio State’s four-year senior class (Shannon Scott, Sam Thompson, Amir Williams, Trey McDonald) has 104 career wins and has recorded at least 20 wins in its previous three years (31,29,25). The Buckeyes are 19-6 this season.
Russell Among Wooden Late Season Top 20
The Los Angeles Athletic Club named Ohio State rookie D’Angelo Russell to the 2015 Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 Feb. 11. Russell is one of four freshmen nationally to make the list. In 25 games, Russell leads the Buckeyes with 19.4 points per game. That scoring average rates No. 1 in the country among freshmen. He has six times been named the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Week.
Buckeyes on Feb. 14
Ohio State is 15-12 when playing on Feb. 14. The Buckeyes have been successful of late, winning four of the last five games on St. Valentine’s Day. The Buckeyes, No. 23 in the most recent Associated Press poll, have been ranked in each of the last six games, including Saturday vs. the Spartans, played on Feb. 14. The game Saturday is the first vs. Michigan State on this date. Matta teams are 4-1 on this date. Ohio State, including Saturday, have been on the road for seven of the last eight on this date.
Russell Sweeps B1G Weekly Awards Again
For the second time this season, Ohio State freshman guard D’Angelo Russell has swept both the Big Ten Player and Freshman of the Week awards. Russell now has a pair of B1G POW honors and six FOW awards. Russell, the nation’s top freshman scorer at 19.4 points per game, averaged 21.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists last week, helping the Buckeyes to a split in road games at Purdue (L, 60-58) and Rutgers (W, 79-60). Against Rutgers, Russell recorded the fourth triple-double in Ohio State history with 23 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 11 assists. The feat was the first by an Ohio State freshman, the first by a freshman this year in college basketball, the first for a Buckeye vs. a Big Ten opponent and the first on the road. Russell is the third Ohio State player to record a triple-double. Dennis Hopson was the first with 27 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists vs. Ohio University at St. John Arena Dec. 6, 1986. The Buckeyes won that game 93-75. Evan Turner had two triple-doubles during his junior National Player of the Year campaign in 2009-10. The first was a 14-point, 17-rebound, 10-assist effort vs. Alcorn State Nov. 9, 2009 at Value City Arena. The second was Nov. 28, 2009 at home vs. Lipscomb in an 84-64 win. He tallied 16 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists in that game.
Buckeyes Lead in B1G Rookie Award
With D’Angelo Russell’s sweep of Big Ten weekly honors Feb. 9, Ohio State now has tallied the most Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors and the most Big Ten Player of the Week laurels earned by freshmen. The Buckeyes’ 13 freshmen who earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors are one more than Indiana and Ohio State’s 20 Big Ten Freshman of the Week recipients are one more than Indiana and Michigan. Jared Sullinger garnered Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors 12 times, while Russell has accomplished the feat six times and Aaron Craft and Deshaun Thomas picked up the award once each.
Matta 22-5 vs. Rookie B1G Coaches
Since the Big Ten began expanding with the addition of Penn State in 1990, the league added three more teams to the league in Nebraska (2011), Maryland (2015) and Rutgers (2015). The Scarlet Knights and Buckeyes met for the first time Sunday as league opponents. Ohio State is 9-5 in first-time meetings with league foes. The Buckeyes have won the last six such games, including the 79-60 win at Rutgers and the 80-56 win in Columbus vs. Maryland Jan. 19. Since Thad Matta took over the Ohio State program in 2004-05, he has faced 15 coaches in their first year in league. He is 22-5 vs. first-year Big Ten coaches, which includes a 14-0 record in Columbus. Matta is 8-5 in road games vs. coaches in their first year in the league.
Remaining Game Times Finalized
Game times for Ohio State home games vs. Purdue March 1 and Wisconsin March 8 have been set. The game vs. the Boilermakers will tip at 7:30 p.m. ET Sunday, March 1. The Wisconsin game, the final regular-season game of the year and senior day for Shannon Scott, Sam Thompson, Amir Williams, Trey McDonald and Anthony Lee, will tip at 4:30 p.m. ET Sunday, March 8. Ohio State’s game at Michigan Sunday, Feb. 22, was recently confirmed for a 1 p.m. ET tip.
Wayman Tisdale Watch List Includes Russell
The 2015 Integris Wayman Tisdale Award Midseason Watch List includes 14 players under consideration for the national freshman of the year award. Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell is among the contenders. Russell is the leading freshman scorer in the country at 19.4 ppg. He also is among the leaders in several other categories. He has earned two Big Ten player of the week ward and six league freshman of the week accolades, including the last four. Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger earned the 2011 Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award following his rookie campaign.
Matta Climbing All-Time Big Ten Wins Chart
Thad Matta has 129 career regular-season wins in Big Ten Conference play to rank No. 15 all-time in Big Ten history. Matta passed Dr. Tom Davis of Iowa (125 wins from 1986-99) with an 82-70 win in Columbus vs. Indiana Jan. 26.
Scouting the Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State is 16-9 overall and 7-4 in the Big Ten. The Spartans opened the season with a 9-4 record prior to the conference opener vs. Maryland, a double-overtime home loss to the Terps. Michigan State has played five overtime games this season and are 3-2 in those games. The Spartans are led by junior guard Denzel Valentine’s 14.4 points per game. Two others, senior guard Travis Trice (13.5 ppg.) and classmate Branden Dawson (11.8 ppg.) contribute double digits offensively. Junior transfer Bryan Forbes, who spent two seasons at Cleveland State before joining the MSU roster, adds 9.8 ppg. Dawson is the team’s leading rebounder with 9.9 rpg.
Ohio State vs. Michigan State Series
Michigan State leads the all-time series with the Buckeyes 62-54. The Buckeyes are 34-22 in Columbus, 17-38 in East Lansing and own a 3-2 advantage in neutral-site games. Thad Matta’s Buckeyes are 11-10 vs. the Spartans. Ohio State has won three of the last four in the series. As a ranked team, Ohio State is 22-12 in the series and 8-4 under Matta’s direction. Ohio State’s senior class has played eight games vs. the Spartans. Sam Thompson is the leading scorer for the Buckeyes in the series with 6.0 points per game. Amir Williams is the top rebounder with 3.3 a contest in six career appearances vs. MSU.
Ohio State vs. The Big Ten
Ohio State is in its 103rd season as a member of the Big Ten Conference in 2014-15. The Buckeyes own an overall record of 779-689 against current league members. Thad Matta, in 15 seasons as a head coach, owns an overall record of 154-66 vs. league members, including a mark of 150-63 while coaching the Buckeyes.
Noting the Penn State Game
? Ohio State leads the all-time series with Penn State, 30-14.
? The Buckeyes are 16-4 in Columbus and 8-1 in Value City Arena vs. the Nittany Lions.
? As a ranked team, Ohio State is 17-4 in the series and 13-2 under Matta’s direction.
? This was the first time in program history the Buckeyes have been ranked No. 23. Ohio State is now 1-0 when ranked No. 23.
? Two players scored in double figures for the Buckeyes: Sam Thompson (22) and D’Angelo Russell (17).
? The Buckeyes held the Nittany Lions to 19 field goals, the seventh time this season Ohio State has held its opponent to under 20 field goals.
? Scott and Russell combined for 13 assists. Russell’s seven assists equaled the Nittany Lion’s roster, which also registered seven team assists.
? The Buckeyes scored 75 points vs. the Nittany Lions and are 17-1 this season when recording more than 70 points.
? The Buckeyes are 18-0 when leading at the half this season. Ohio State led Penn State, 37-23, at halftime.
? Ohio State scored 21 points off 15 Penn State turnovers.
? The Buckeyes outrebounded the Nittany Lions, 40-38. When outrebounding their opponent, Ohio State is 15-0.
? Ohio State outscored Penn State 15-4 in fast break points and 30-20 in the paint.
? The Buckeyes went 21-31 (.667) from the free-throw line.
? Ohio State has the most home wins nationally with a 104-9 (.920) record since the 2009-10 season.
? The Buckeyes own an overall record of 779-689 against current league members.
? Thad Matta is 294-89 during his career at Ohio State and 396-120 overall as a head coach.
? Matta is 154-67 overall vs. Big Ten opponents, including a mark of 150-63 while coaching the Buckeyes.
? The Buckeyes are 52-25 during February in the Matta era.
? Matta is 18-2 vs. the Nittany Lions as head coach of the Buckeyes.
? D’Angelo Russell recorded 17 points, seven assists, six rebounds and one steal vs. Penn State.
? He has scored 486 points this season, posting double figures 24 of 25 games this season.
? Russell went 8-10 from the free-throw line, tying his career-high for free throws made in a game.
? With seven assists vs. the Nittany Lions, he has totaled 137 helpers this season.
? Sam Thompson led all scorers with a career-high 22 points vs. Penn State, connecting on 6 of 11 shots from the floor and 7 of 9 from the free-throw line. He has scored 899 career points and 418 career points in conference contests as a Buckeye.
? Thompson recorded five rebounds and one steal vs. the Nittany Lions.
? Shannon Scott earned a career-high 10 rebounds vs. Penn State.
? Scott dished six assists vs. Penn State and remains fifth in Ohio State history with 477 assists. With the effort, he passes
Curtis Wilson (475) and is No. 4 for career assists. He needs 40 more to pass Kelvin Ransey for No. 3 (516).
? Scott recorded two steals vs. the Penn State and is ranked No. 3 all-time on Ohio State’s all-time steals list with 199 thefts. Scott needs one more steal this season to become the third Buckeye all-time to reach 200 steals in a career and six more to pass Jay Burson for No. 2 in program history (204).
? Amir Williams recorded one block vs. the Nittany Lions. With 177 blocks for his career, he ranks fifth on Ohio State’s all-time list for blocked shots acquired in a career. He needs 11 more to surpass Brad Sellers for the No. 4 spot.
? A. Williams scored five points and earned seven rebounds.
? Keita Bates-Diop registered seven points vs. Penn State, scoring his 100th career point.
? Bates-Diop tied his career-high with three blocks and two steals vs. Penn State, while collecting five rebounds.
? Jae’Sean Tate scored nine points vs. Penn State (4-6).
? Tate also recorded three rebounds and one block.
For more on the Buckeyes click on the Ohio State Notes link above.
