Men's Basketball
Buckeyes KO Illini to Move Toward Top of Big Ten Standings
By John Porentas
"When we came out of the locker room we said we wanted to throw the first punch, and that's what we did." ----OSU guard Je'Kel Foster.
No. 19/17 Ohio State (18-3, 7-3 Big Ten) did indeed throw the first punch in a brawl with No. 9/10 Illinois (20-4, 6-4) for the right to stay near the top of the Big Ten standings. Ohio State's opening haymaker set the tone for the rest of the night as the Buckeyes went wire-to-wire for a 69-53 win over the Illini. The win kept Ohio State within a half-game of the Big Ten lead and sent Illinois into a fifth-place tie with Michigan State.
When Ohio State opened the game with a 5-0 run on a basket by Dials and a three-pointer by Foster they had indeed landed that first punch that set the tone for the entire game.
Ohio State guards Je'Kel Foster and Jamar Butler made punching bags of Illinois guards Dee Brown and Rich McBride, particularly in the first half when the OSU duo outscored the Illinois pair by a margin of 21-2. Foster was five-for-five and Butler two-for-two from three point range in the first half while denying Brown and McBride scoring opportunities.
"Foster just did a great job in Rich (McBride) and never let him get going," said Illinois Head Coach Bruce Weber.
For the game, Butler and Foster combined for 40 points as compared to 15 for Brown and McBride. Butler finished with a game-high and career high 22 points while Foster ended with 18. Brown ended the game with 11 while McBride scored just two.
While Foster and Butler were whipping up on their counterparts, OSU center Terence Dials was doing a little knocking around himself. After perhaps his worst outing of the season against Michigan last Thursday, Dials played one of his best this season and perhaps of his career against Illinois. Dials scored 19 points, but more importantly, grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds and played credible defense against Illinois' baseline players. Illinois center James Augustine was limited to 11 points, and no other Illinois baseline player was able to reach double figures.
"It ranks as one of my best," said Dials of his game against the Illini.
"I just tried to stay aggressive. The last game (vs. Michigan) wasn't one of my best, it was probably one of my worst games. I just tried to erase that memory and come out here and play as hard as possible. When I play hard, good things happen."
Ohio State led by 11 at the half, 37-26, and delivered what appeared to be a knockout punch to the Illini to open the second half. Illinois had possession to start the half, but Foster made a spectacular steal and flipped the ball into the backcourt while falling over the Illinois bench. Butler outraced everyone to the ball and arrived at the three point line with two defenders in front of him. It didn't matter. Butler drilled a three to extend OSU's lead to 40-26 despite the defenders.
"When I got the ball from Je'Kel I saw that his (Illinois defender Dee Brown) hands were down so I just took the shot," said Butler. The Buckeyes liked that play so much that on Illinois' ensuing possession J. J. Sullinger got a steal and once again fed Butler who once again buried a three to put OSU on a six-point run in the first 52 seconds of the half.
"The key stretch was the start of the second half. We turn it over and Butler hits the three, back-to-back threes in transition," said Weber.
The Buckeyes opened as much as a 21 point lead at 53-32 and appeared to have the game well in control, but the Illini were able to drag themselves off the canvass to make one more flurry at OSU. The Illini scored 12 unanswered points in an impressive run to cut the Ohio State lead to 53-44 with 9:44 remaining, but a dunk by Terence Dials off an assist from Foster put an end to the run and put the Buckeyes back up by 11. OSU scored the next five on another basket by Dials and a three pointer by Foster to regain the momentum and were never seriously threatened after that.
"I thought we came out a little casual with them and let them dictate the game. They're a very good team. They're an experienced team, they play very well at home," said Weber.
"Butler might be the most-improved player in the league. To make five of six threes and six out of eight, we've got guys that can't make free throws like that.
"They're playing at a high level and they're good, there's not doubt about it," Weber said.
Illinois did not lead in the game and there were no ties. There was no question as to who the winner was.
"Our number one goal was to try and impose our will because they are the number one ranked defense in the league," said Dials.
"We didn't want them to impose their will on us and have us reacting to them. We just tried to come out and stay aggressive on offense. Guys hit shots. The team has been doing that all year. The guards just continue to hit shots."
And the Illini hit the canvass and were counted out.
Updated Big Ten Standings 2/12/06 |
| |
Big Ten |
Overall |
| Teams |
W |
L |
Pct. |
W |
L |
Pct. |
| Iowa |
8 |
3 |
.727 |
19 |
6 |
.760 |
| Ohio State |
7 |
3 |
.700 |
18 |
3 |
.857 |
| Wisconsin |
7 |
4 |
.636 |
17 |
7 |
.708 |
| MSU |
6 |
4 |
.600 |
18 |
6 |
.750 |
| Illinois |
6 |
4 |
.600 |
20 |
4 |
.833 |
| Michigan |
6 |
5 |
.545 |
16 |
6 |
.727 |
| Indiana |
5 |
5 |
.500 |
13 |
8 |
.619 |
| Northwestern |
4 |
6 |
.400 |
12 |
10 |
.545 |
| Minnesota |
3 |
7 |
.300 |
12 |
9 |
.571 |
| Penn State |
3 |
8 |
.273 |
11 |
11 |
.500 |
| Purdue |
3 |
9 |
.250 |
9 |
14 |
.391 |