Ohio State basketball takes down TTUN, will play for Big Ten Title
By Ryan Stano
Once again it came down to the wire, but the Ohio State basketball team took down Michigan and will now play for a Big Ten championship.
The Ohio State basketball team had all the reasons in the world to lose this game. They didn’t have Kyle Young, who is arguably their most valuable player. They had a 13-point lead with 4 minutes left and had it shaved to one. And yet, they were able to come out on top, 68-67.
The last three offensive possessions were maddening for the Buckeyes though. They turned it over three straight times down the stretch and that allowed Michigan to get back in it. But on the final possession, E.J. Liddell contested a long jump shot that could have given Michigan the win.
Speaking of Liddell, he was good most of this game. He had 18 points and went 3-4 from the three-point line. He also did a good job of limiting Hunter Dickinson inside, even though Dickinson still had 21. Liddell did just enough to keep him from scoring on that last possession.
Duane Washington was fantastic. He had 24 points and was 5-10 from deep. He also added 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Washington hit some tough shots, especially in the second half. He has been the best player Ohio State has had in the last few weeks.
Justice Sueing added 9 points and C.J. Walker had 7 as well. More than that though, both were steadying presences on the floor. Walker had one of the best passes I’ve seen this year when he flung it back from the paint around a defender to a wide-open Washington for a three.
The Buckeyes will now play for a Big Ten Tournament championship tomorrow at 3:30 on CBS. They will play the winner of Iowa and Illinois. Ohio State has gone 1-1 against both of these teams. Whoever they play, it will not be an easy task.
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I thought his Ohio State basketball team was left for dead after they lost four straight to end the regular season. But they have shown me something with this Big Ten Tourney run. They need to be taken seriously in the NCAA Tournament. They can make a deep run.