Ohio State Stops Coppin State, 80-42 – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/30/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 30, 2000
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By RUSTY MILLER
%^$AP Sports Writer
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ken Johnson blocked Coppin State’s first two shots and%^$then opened the second half by scoring the first eight points as Ohio State%^$beat Coppin State 80-42 on Saturday.%^$
Johnson, who led the nation in blocked shots a year ago, had as many blocks%^$(7) as the Eagles had field goals until 8:42 remained. That was almost six%^$minutes after Johnson left the game for good with the Buckeyes on top 48-15.%^$
The 6-foot-11 senior finished with 12 points and seven rebounds to go with%^$his seven blocks – in just 16 minutes.%^$
Ohio State (9-3), which has won seven of its last eight, righted itself%^$after losing to then-No. 9 Kansas 69-68 a week ago.%^$
Brian Brown had a 10 points and a career-high eight assists and Sean%^$Connolly also had 10 points for the Buckeyes, who hit half of their 58 shots%^$from the field.%^$
The loss was the fourth in a row for Coppin State (4-6), which is in the%^$midst of eight straight road games.%^$
Enrique Nieves and Joe Brown – who made 3-of-16 shots from the field – each%^$scored nine points for the Eagles, who shot 31 percent from the field.%^$
Ohio State used a 26-0 run in the heart of the game to pull away. Coppin%^$State went scoreless for 11:38, missing all 10 of its shots from the field -%^$two of them blocked by Johnson – with seven turnovers.%^$
The disparity in the middle wasn’t too surprising. Coppin State was without%^$second-leading rebounding Michael Poster, suspended for a violation of team%^$rules, and the entire roster had combined for only five blocked shots this%^$season.%^$
Johnson blocked shots by Larry Tucker and Terek Wright on the Eagles’ first%^$two attempts from the field.%^$
By halftime, Ohio State rode a 15-0 run to lead 34-13 and the shooting%^$statistics were even more lopsided.%^$
With Johnson blocking six shots, Coppin State managed to hit just 5-of-26%^$shots for 19 percent – even though the Eagles had 12 offensive rebounds.%^$
Coppin State players drove the lane three other times only to confront%^$Johnson, then reversed themselves and pulled the ball back outside. On three%^$other occasions, players attacked the basket but were called for turnovers when%^$they fumbled the ball as Johnson’s shadow loomed over them.%^$
Meanwhile, Ohio State was hitting 54 percent of its shots (14 of 26), many%^$on layups and uncontested shots inside off backdoor cuts.%^$
Johnson then scored the first eight points in an 11-0 run Ohio State run to%^$start the second half. Three of his four baskets came on high-flying dunks,%^$including one on a reverse slam dunk in heavy traffic.%^$
That brought a paid crowd of 16,406 to its feet. The biggest crowd for%^$Coppin State – which hasn’t played at home since Nov. 28 – was 487 to see the%^$opener against Iona at the Coppin Center.
