No. 16 Ohio State (13-5, 6-3 B1G) looked all but dead when No. 6 Purdue (18-3, 7-3 B1G) took a 20 point lead at 50-30 with about five minutes into the second half of their game in West Lafayette. The Boilermakers had dominated the game down low with their superior size, and OSU’s shooting from the field had not exactly been something to write home about. On top of that, the rowdy Mackey Arena crowd was into it, exhorting the home team to demolish OSU. To put it bluntly, the Buckeyes looked like road kill.
Looks can be deceiving.
The Buckeyes didn’t panic. Instead they started playing better defense and some shots started falling. They chipped away at the lead. A 9-2 run made the lead just 13 at 52-39. Another spurt, this one 7-2, cut the lead to to 10 at 58-68 with around 8 minutes to play.
The Boilers dug their heels in again and held OSU at bay. They held an 12 point lead at 73-61 when OSU freshman guard Malaki Branham made a free throw with 3:37 on the clock to cut the margin to eleven. OSU got a stop and Branham hit a three to make it an eight point deficit and it was game on.
The Boilers made the lead 12 again on a three pointer to make it 76-65 with under three minutes on the clock, but the Buckeyes had a push left in them.
Branham made three free throws to cut the lead to eight again with 2:13 remaining. After an OSU stop, Branham scored again on a drive to cut the lead to just six. Another OSU stop followed by a drive by E.J. Liddell for a basket made the score 76-72 with 1:07 remaining.
The Boilers converted on a pair of free throws to extend the lead to six at 78-72 with just 43 seconds remaining. That lead lasted 23 seconds. Liddell hit a three from the corner to make it 78-75 with 33 seconds to go. Kyle Young then stole the Purdue inbounds pass. The ball came to Liddell at the top of the key and he drilled a three to tie the score at 78 with 20.8 on the game clock.
The Buckeyes defended Purdue’s final possession about as well as it could be defended. The Boilers got nothing easy out of their offense, but with time running out got the ball to Jaden Ivey at the three point line. Ivey rose up to shoot. OSU defender Eugene Brown was right there with him and got a hand up in his face, but Ivey got off an off-balanced shot that found the bottom of the net with .6 second on the game clock to give Purdue the dramatic 81-78 victory.
Ivey led the Purdue scoring attack with 21 points. He was followed closely by 7-4 center Zach Edey with 20. Guards Sasha Stefanovic and Eric Hunter added 11 and 10 respectively.
OSU was led by Branham and Liddell, each of whom scored 20.
