Ohio State And Duke Paired Again For ACC-Big Ten Challenge

Duke will get a chance to avenge a lopsided loss to Ohio State as the Blue Devils host the Buckeyes in an ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Wed., Nov. 28, at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C.

Exact game times for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge will be set at a later date, but the OSU-Duke match-up is almost certain to air in a prime spot on ESPN.Ohio State took an 85-63 win over Duke in a Challenge match-up on Nov. 29 at Value City Arena. That game matched up No. 2-ranked Ohio State with No. 3 Duke in arguably the biggest nonconference game in the 14-year history of VCA.

Duke has four starters back from a 27-7 team that fizzled down the stretch with three losses in its last four games. The capper was a 75-70 loss to 15th-seeded Lehigh in an NCAA second-round tournament game – in Greensboro, N.C., no less. That was certainly an early exit for a Duke program just two years removed from its latest national title under Mike Krzyzewski.

Guard Austin Rivers is leaving Durham after one year for the NBA. But 6'10" Mason Plumlee (11.1 ppg, 9.2 rpg) will be back for his senior year.

Also returning are guard Seth Curry (13.2 ppg), forward Ryan Kelly (11.8 ppg) and guards Andre Dawkins (8.4 ppg), Quinn Cook and Tyler Thornton. Duke also adds shooting guard Rasheed Sulaimon (ranked 11th nationally).

Ohio State has three starters back from its 31-8 team that won a share of the Big Ten title and reached the Final Four. The Buckeyes lost guard William Buford to graduation and saw center Jared Sullinger leave early for the NBA.

Wing Deshaun Thomas (15.9 ppg) announced he would be back. Thomas averaged just under 20 points per game in OSU’s Final Four run and could be poised for a big year. Guards Aaron Craft and Lenzelle Smith Jr. also return. OSU coach Thad Matta will ask sophs-to-be Sam Thompson, LaQuinton Ross, Shannon Scott and 6'11" Amir Williams to step up and fill the voids.

Thomas, Buford Blow By Illinois 83-67

Deshaun Thomas scored 19 points and Ohio State (No. 9 ESPN/USA Today, No. 8 AP) regained its shooting touch, rolling over Illinois 83-67 on Tuesday night to remain in the thick of the Big Ten race.

Ohio State shot 65 percent from the field.

William Buford, much maligned for his recent poor shooting, had 17 points, and Aaron Craft added 11 to go with five assists. Jared Sullinger, third in the conference at 17.5 points a game, managed just nine before fouling out.

The Buckeyes (23-5, 11-4) stayed on the heels of Big Ten leader Michigan State with three games remaining. The sixth-ranked Spartans are 11-3 in league play heading into a game at Minnesota on Wednesday night. Ohio State will visit Michigan State in the regular-season finale on March 4.

Meyers Leonard had 21 for Illinois (16-12, 5-10), which has lost six in a row and nine of 10.

The game was a dramatic turnaround for Brandon Paul, who had 43 points in Illinois' 79-74 stunner over then-No. 5 Ohio State on Jan. 10. Paul almost destroyed the Buckeyes by himself, making 11 of 15 shots from the field -- including 8 of 10 3-pointers -- and 13 of 15 free throws.

Basketball Recap: #2 Ohio State 87, Northwestern 54

William Buford had career-highs of 28 points and five 3-pointers as No. 2 Ohio State showed off its perimeter shooting in an 87-54 victory over Northwestern on Wednesday night in the Big Ten opener for both teams.

Jared Sullinger added 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Buckeyes (13-1, 1-0), who dominated the boards 49-30. Deshaun Thomas had 16 points for Ohio State, which broke the game open with a 13-0 first-half run fueled by 3-pointers. Jordan Sibert added 12 points, all on 3s.

The conference's top two scorers, John Shurna and Drew Crawford, had miserable games. They were held to 11 and 13 points, respectively, on a combined 9-for-30 shooting. The loss was the 31st straight for the Wildcats (10-3, 0-1) in Columbus, dating to 1977.

Ohio State came in 11th in the Big Ten in 3-pointers per game at 4.8. They had hit more than six in only one game, when they made 8 of 14 in a stunningly easy 85-63 rout of then-No. 3 Duke on Nov. 29. Yet they were 7 of 14 behind the arc in the first half alone Wednesday to build a lead they never lost. The Buckeyes finished 10 of 20 on 3-pointers.

Basketball Recap: #2 Ohio State 74, South Carolina 66

Thomas carried the Buckeyes with 30 pts

Ohio State coach Thad Matta might have a second career ahead as a comedian. Asked about the status of injured star forward Jared Sullinger, Matta quickly said the Buckeyes sophomore wasn't hurt, just yanked from the second-ranked Buckeyes' 74-66 win over South Carolina on Saturday for shoddy defense.

"He had no problems, we just sent him to the showers," Matta told the room of stunned media.

Then Matta acknowledged the joke and Sullinger's bone bruise in his left foot. Ohio State's coach was just glad he could laugh a little bit since his leading scorer wasn't more seriously hurt.

"We think he'll be fine," Matta said. "We're just happy there wasn't a break in there."

Still, Ohio State (10-1) showed it could succeed with Sullinger sidelined. Deshaun Thomas had a career-high 30 points and William Buford added 17 as Matta collected his 200th win in nine seasons with the Buckeyes.

"We had to get a little juice into us," Thomas said. "We made some mistakes on offense in the first half with turnovers and that's not us. So we just put a little fire and juice into us."

That looked as if it might be hard once Sullinger left the game. The Buckeyes were trailing 33-29 at the half and had appeared a step slower than the Gamecocks (4-6).

The Buckeyes used a 20-8 charge in the second half to take control.

Thomas got the run started with a jumper. Lenzelle Smith Jr. had a basket and a 3-pointer to put Ohio State in front for good, 41-37. Thomas added a 3-pointer and finished the surge with a short jump shot for a 49-43 lead.

Basketball Recap: #2 Ohio State 82, USC Up State 58

Thomas was excellent last night

Everyone was pleased with how All-America forward Jared Sullinger played in his first game back after missing two because of back spasms.

Everybody but Sullinger, that is.

Deshaun Thomas scored 23 points and No. 2 Ohio State welcomed back Sullinger in an 82-58 victory over South Carolina Upstate on Wednesday night.

"I was terrible tonight," he said with a laugh after collecting a workmanlike 12 points and 10 rebounds in 33 minutes. "I was tired. Taking two weeks off is a killer."

The 6-foot-9 sophomore wasn't cleared to play until earlier Wednesday. He had missed the Buckeyes' win over Texas-Pan American and Saturday's 78-67 loss at No. 13 Kansas.

Coach Thad Matta said Sullinger played just about the way he expected.

"I thought he did a pretty decent job," Matta said. "He hadn't played since the Duke game (an 85-63 rout on Nov. 29). To get him out there and get him moving, he knew he was going to be rusty and probably a little bit winded. But now that gives him some confidence to get back (to where he was) and to go to work."

Sullinger received polite applause when he entered the game at the 14:37 mark of the first half. He took his time getting into the pace of the game.

"Sullinger looked like all really good players," Spartans coach Eddie Payne said. "He had quiet production. He had 12 and 10 and didn't seem like he did a whole lot."

It was Sullinger who suggested to Matta that he not start.

Basketball Recap: #2 Ohio State 67, #13 Kansas 78

The absence of Sullinger was too much

Kansas and Thomas Robinson took full advantage of Sullinger's absence inside to score 21 points, and newcomer Kevin Young came off the bench to add a career-high 14 for the Jayhawks (6-2), who extended their winning streak to 47 games over nonconference opponents at Allen Fieldhouse.

William Buford had 17 of his 21 points in the second half for Ohio State (8-1), which was playing on the road for the first time this season. Deshaun Thomas added 19 points.

"When you make mistakes, Kansas is so good, they're going to make you pay, and we made some key mistakes," Buckeyes coach Thad Matta said. "Our guys competed -- just made mistakes down the stretch."

It was more publicly known that Sullinger was a question mark, but he wasn't ruled out until just before the game, when his balky back simply wouldn't loosen up.

"As I told Coach Self when we shook hands before the game, 'Merry Christmas'" Matta said.

"I don't think his exact words were, 'Merry Christmas,'" Self said with a grin. "I think there were some other words in there, maybe describing the holiday."

"I don't think you put an asterisk with the win," Self added. "Ohio State can certainly say, and rightfully so, 'Jared didn't play.' And we know he didn't play, and they're a much better team with him. We wanted him to play. But just because he plays doesn't guarantee anything."

Report: Jared Sullinger Won't Play Against Kansas

According to Dan Wallenberg, Jared Sullinger will not be playing in the basketball game today against the #13 ranked Kansas Jayhawks. Once again, Evan Ravenel will start in his place and we'll also see Amir Williams get on the court in some situations as well.

As of now, Sullinger's back spasms aren't expected to keep him out of Wednesday's game against SC-Upstate, but anything can change. This is a pretty big deal against a tough opponent and makes me wonder how bad this injury really is, and if Thad Matta is holding back when he says it's not that serious.

It appears that Sullinger tried to get it stretched out before the game, but he did not make an appearance along with the rest of his team during the shootaround. He finally emerged from the tunnel with about 30 minutes left before the tipoff wearing jeans and a sweater.

Sullinger also missed the second-ranked Buckeyes' game against Texas Pan-American last Saturday.

Not only does Sullinger average better than 19 points and 10 rebounds, he also would have been tasked with guarding Thomas Robinson, the Jayhawks' own All-American candidate. It will be interesting to see how the Buckeyes are able to take this in, and if they can pull out a W.