Men's Basketball
Buckeyes Strangle Badgers for Big Ten Tournament Championship
By John Porentas
Three game in the Big Ten tournament, and three different ways to win.
Against Michigan it was strong shooting and ball security.
Against Purdue it was penetrating guards and Greg Oden on the glass.
In dispatching the Wisconsin Badgers (29-5) for the second time this season, this time for the Big Ten tournament championship, the Buckeyes (30-3) simply strangled the opposition with a defensive effort that brutalized the Badgers. The Buckeye defense produced 17 turnovers, six blocked shots, 11 steals, and allowed the Badgers to shoot just 36.8 percent from the field. The no-mercy attitude at the defensive end, coupled with an uptempo offense that in the end left the opposition gasping, keyed a 66-49 win that left no doubt whatsoever who was the best team in the Big Ten at season's end.
The Buckeyes employed both man-to-man defense and zone defenses in the game, but it was the zone in particular that gave the Badgers fits. OSU's zone was designed to limit Big Ten Player of the Year Alando Tucker and was successful at doing just that. Tucker scored just 10 points on four-of-13 shooting.
"Today we came out with a different game plan," said OSU junior guard Jamar Butler.
"The zone we played, we wanted to limit Tucker's touches and I think we did a great job with that. We made him take tough shots and I think it worked out for us.
"They were tough defensively," said Tucker.
"They were throwing different match-ups, different zones, identifying our guys pretty well. It was tough. They played tough. They have Oden in back so their guards are able to push up a little more on our guards," Tucker said.
OSU's defense also triggered the offense, particularly in the first half when they got numerous run out opportunities off defensive plays.
"We got our hands on a lot of balls deflection-wise, and that led to advance passes and easy opportunities," said OSU Head Coach Thad Matta.
With the Buckeyes breathing down their throats on the defensive end and taking advantage of Badger miscues to get their running game going the Badgers were running out of gas as the half first half came to an end. The overall style of play in the first half helped OSU overcome the fact that Oden played just six minutes in the first half after picking up his second foul. Despite Oden's absence, the Buckeyes were able to control the half with their defense and fast-break attitude on offense.
"That was us kind of knowing that they looked a little fatigued," said junior Matt Terwilliger who logged 11 minutes in the first half in Oden's absence.
"We were in that zone and we just had to get out and stretch them out and get it going as fast as possible, get them uptempo, keep them on their heels."
Nine Buckeyes saw action in the first half, none of them for less-than eight minutes with the exception of Oden. While the Badgers were gasping for breath, the Buckeyes were still fresh and were able to maintain a lead despite playing without Oden most of the half.
"I think that was probably one of the big differences today," said Matta.
"I don't think we had a guy who played more than 32 minutes in a game up here. When Greg only played six minutes in the first half and Matt (Terwilliger, Othello (Hunter), David (Lighty), Daequan (Cook) those guys came in and did a great job, it gives you some confidence and hopefully we can keep guys fresh."
The Buckeyes led by six at 26-20 at the half. Oden was back in the game when the second half began and the Buckeyes quickly upped their lead to nine at 32-23, and for all intents and purposes, the game was over. The Badgers managed one run at the Buckeyes that cut the lead to four at 36-32, but that was as close as they would get the rest of the way. Late in the half OSU's relentless defense and fresh legs due to their depth took their toll and they landed the knockout punch in the form of a 13-2 run that left the Buckeyes up by 19 with just over two minutes to play and the Badgers wheezing.
"They kind of looked tired going into half time, but we knew we had to bring it because as they showed at our place they're a mentally tough team," said Terwilliger of OSU's relentless second half effort. "It's not like they were going to roll over."
Oden and Conley were named to the All-tournament team and Oden was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. In three games, Oden scored 51 points, grabbed 37 rebounds and blocked 12 shots. In the Wisconsin game, Oden recorded his 11th double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds. His 12 blocks in the tournament are a Big Ten tournament record. His four blocks against Wisconsin was a tournament championship game record.
Conley had two steals against the Badgers, and in doing so, set the OSU single-season record for steals with 75, eclipsing the old record of 74 set by Curtis Wilson in the 1986-87 season.
OSU committed just seven personal fouls against Wisconsin, the lowest in Big Ten tournament history.
Joining Conley and Oden on the all-tournament team were Wisconsin's Kammron Taylor and Alando Tucker and Purdue's Carl Landry.
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