COLUMBUS, Ohio — The momentum was there. And it all started with a 6-0 run by Joey Brunk.
The roof was about to blow off of the Schottenstein Center Sunday afternoon against Michigan., turning a one-point lead into a nine-point lead with the help of a red hot redshirt center and a layup from freshman guard Malaki Branham near the end of the first half.
Everything was in grasp: the double-bye, riding the hot hand of a team that had seemingly regained its mojo. Mistakes were made, but it was something the Buckeyes overcame with good defense and an aggressive offense.
But the mistakes continued and Michigan woke up and could not be stopped.
The Wolverines used a 26-7 run in the first 10 minutes of the first half, taking the hopes and the dreams of the Buckeyes with them. And while Ohio State was able to cut their deficit to as many as four, Michigan remained in control in an atmosphere unable to muster the same energy it had in the first half no matter how many times it played House of Pain’s “Jump Around.”
Even as senior forward Justin Ahrens tried to muster a comeback by himself with two 3-point makes in the final two minutes of his final game at the Schottenstein Center, Ohio State couldn’t hold back the raging Wolverines, losing its final; home game, 75-69, to secure a six-seed in the Big Ten tournament.
In his final appearance for Ohio State at home, junior forward E.J. Liddell recordedwith 16 points, hitting seven of his nine tries at the free-throw line. Branham led the team with 18 points, making six of his 11 tries from the floor.
Michigan outscored Ohio State 45-32 in the final 20 minutes.
Here are a few takeaways.
Turnovers kill Ohio State
Ohio State tried to be aggressive against Michigan, much like it was in Ann Arbor less than a month ago.
At the Crisler Center, the Buckeyes kept a hold of the basketball, recording only eight turnovers on three Michigan steals, and the Wolverines responded with only four points.
Sunday, in the season finale, Michigan showed a lot more physicality and pressure on the Buckeyes’ primary ball-handlers – Liddell, Branham and Brunk – around the paint, double-teaming them and forcing turnovers.
In the first 20 minutes, the Buckeyes had seven turnovers — including six steals from six different Michigan players. But the Wolverines responded with only two points off those miscues, shooting 35.1 percent from the field.
The turnovers never wavered for the Buckeyes in the second half. And Michigan’s offense woke up.
As Ohio State’s offense evaporated into the thin air of what had been an electric Schottenstein Center atmosphere, Michigan started to roll, outscoring the Buckeyes 26-7 in the first 9:47 of the second half, scoring 10 points off of the Buckeyes five turnovers.
The Buckeyes finished with 13 turnovers Sunday afternoon, allowing 12 points off those miscues. And with that came momentum for the Michigan offense, shooting 48.4 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes.
Michigan finished the game with 11 steals.
Zed Key returns
Coming into the game as a game-time decision after missing the last three games with an ankle injury, sophomore forward Zed Key took the court pregame without a boot on his right foot.
He went through his typical routine without any stipulations and without any real hesitancy. He seemed just fine.
Ten minutes into the game, Ohio State needed him. Michigan was without its 7-foot-1 center Hunter Dickinson, instead playing forward Brandon Johns Jr., someone who was a much better matchup for the 6-foot-8 Buckeye sophomore.
Checking in, Key looked as good as new, taking an offensive rebound off a dribble-drive from senior forward Justin Ahrens and tipping it in.
In the paint, Key was dominant, grabbing three misses off the offensive glass and a block, providing the barreling physicality that the Buckeyes missed down low.
Seconds later, Key was out, hobbling off the court and into the tunnel, hopping on his left leg.
As the Buckeyes prepared for the second half, Key looked like he would give it a try. The sophomore lightly jogged out with the team, clearly trying to mask a slight limp, but enough to go through warmups without an issue.
But as soon as the half started he was back in the locker room, rejoining the team on the bench five minutes into the second half.
He checked into the game again, playing 51 seconds before checking out of the game again, coming in sporadically throughout the second half, finishing the game with four points and four rebounds in seven minutes.
While Joey Brunk followed up his Michigan State masterpiece with another solid performance in the post, scoring eight points with four makes on six attempts, the Buckeyes could not overcome a short-handed Michigan team, despite being neck and neck on the glass.
What it means: Six-seed secured
What ensured Sunday was really the worst-case scenario for Ohio State.
After Rutgers beat Penn State by one to start Sunday, the Buckeyes fell to sixth in the Big Ten, losing the head-to-head matchup after a loss to the Scarlet Knights in Piscataway earlier this season: a two-point collapse in the final three minutes, which turned out to define Ohio State’s place in the Big Ten tournament.
Instead of getting the rest it desperately needs heading into the postseason, the Buckeyes instead get the nightcap of the second night of the tournament against either Nebraska or Penn State.
News and notes
Ohio State redshirt forward Kyle Young missed his second-straight game after suffering a concussion against Maryland Feb. 27.
What’s next
Ohio State will open the Big Ten tournament March 10 against either Nebraska or Minnesota, or Penn State or Maryland.
The roof was about to blow off of the Schottenstein Center Sunday afternoon against Michigan., turning a one-point lead into a nine-point lead with the help of a red hot redshirt center and a layup from freshman guard Malaki Branham near the end of the first half.
Everything was in grasp: the double-bye, riding the hot hand of a team that had seemingly regained its mojo. Mistakes were made, but it was something the Buckeyes overcame with good defense and an aggressive offense.
But the mistakes continued and Michigan woke up and could not be stopped.
The Wolverines used a 26-7 run in the first 10 minutes of the first half, taking the hopes and the dreams of the Buckeyes with them. And while Ohio State was able to cut their deficit to as many as four, Michigan remained in control in an atmosphere unable to muster the same energy it had in the first half no matter how many times it played House of Pain’s “Jump Around.”
Even as senior forward Justin Ahrens tried to muster a comeback by himself with two 3-point makes in the final two minutes of his final game at the Schottenstein Center, Ohio State couldn’t hold back the raging Wolverines, losing its final; home game, 75-69, to secure a six-seed in the Big Ten tournament.
In his final appearance for Ohio State at home, junior forward E.J. Liddell recordedwith 16 points, hitting seven of his nine tries at the free-throw line. Branham led the team with 18 points, making six of his 11 tries from the floor.
Michigan outscored Ohio State 45-32 in the final 20 minutes.
Here are a few takeaways.
Turnovers kill Ohio State
Ohio State tried to be aggressive against Michigan, much like it was in Ann Arbor less than a month ago.
At the Crisler Center, the Buckeyes kept a hold of the basketball, recording only eight turnovers on three Michigan steals, and the Wolverines responded with only four points.
Sunday, in the season finale, Michigan showed a lot more physicality and pressure on the Buckeyes’ primary ball-handlers – Liddell, Branham and Brunk – around the paint, double-teaming them and forcing turnovers.
In the first 20 minutes, the Buckeyes had seven turnovers — including six steals from six different Michigan players. But the Wolverines responded with only two points off those miscues, shooting 35.1 percent from the field.
The turnovers never wavered for the Buckeyes in the second half. And Michigan’s offense woke up.
As Ohio State’s offense evaporated into the thin air of what had been an electric Schottenstein Center atmosphere, Michigan started to roll, outscoring the Buckeyes 26-7 in the first 9:47 of the second half, scoring 10 points off of the Buckeyes five turnovers.
The Buckeyes finished with 13 turnovers Sunday afternoon, allowing 12 points off those miscues. And with that came momentum for the Michigan offense, shooting 48.4 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes.
Michigan finished the game with 11 steals.
Zed Key returns
Coming into the game as a game-time decision after missing the last three games with an ankle injury, sophomore forward Zed Key took the court pregame without a boot on his right foot.
He went through his typical routine without any stipulations and without any real hesitancy. He seemed just fine.
Ten minutes into the game, Ohio State needed him. Michigan was without its 7-foot-1 center Hunter Dickinson, instead playing forward Brandon Johns Jr., someone who was a much better matchup for the 6-foot-8 Buckeye sophomore.
Checking in, Key looked as good as new, taking an offensive rebound off a dribble-drive from senior forward Justin Ahrens and tipping it in.
In the paint, Key was dominant, grabbing three misses off the offensive glass and a block, providing the barreling physicality that the Buckeyes missed down low.
Seconds later, Key was out, hobbling off the court and into the tunnel, hopping on his left leg.
As the Buckeyes prepared for the second half, Key looked like he would give it a try. The sophomore lightly jogged out with the team, clearly trying to mask a slight limp, but enough to go through warmups without an issue.
But as soon as the half started he was back in the locker room, rejoining the team on the bench five minutes into the second half.
He checked into the game again, playing 51 seconds before checking out of the game again, coming in sporadically throughout the second half, finishing the game with four points and four rebounds in seven minutes.
While Joey Brunk followed up his Michigan State masterpiece with another solid performance in the post, scoring eight points with four makes on six attempts, the Buckeyes could not overcome a short-handed Michigan team, despite being neck and neck on the glass.
What it means: Six-seed secured
What ensured Sunday was really the worst-case scenario for Ohio State.
After Rutgers beat Penn State by one to start Sunday, the Buckeyes fell to sixth in the Big Ten, losing the head-to-head matchup after a loss to the Scarlet Knights in Piscataway earlier this season: a two-point collapse in the final three minutes, which turned out to define Ohio State’s place in the Big Ten tournament.
Instead of getting the rest it desperately needs heading into the postseason, the Buckeyes instead get the nightcap of the second night of the tournament against either Nebraska or Penn State.
News and notes
Ohio State redshirt forward Kyle Young missed his second-straight game after suffering a concussion against Maryland Feb. 27.
What’s next
Ohio State will open the Big Ten tournament March 10 against either Nebraska or Minnesota, or Penn State or Maryland.
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