A game-high 20 points and 15 rebounds by senior forward Jae’Sean Tate wasn’t enough for the No. 8 Buckeyes (22-7, 13-3) as they fell 74-62 at No. 22 Michigan 22-7, 11-5) Sunday afternoon.
The Wolverines were led by balanced scoring with four double-digit scorers. Guard Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman led Michigan with 17 points, and added three blocks for good measure.
The Buckeyes struggled to protect the basketball the entire game, turning it over 14 times and collecting just eight assists.
Keita Bates-Diop added 17 points for OSU, but did it on 5-of-17 shooting. He did chip in seven rebounds, two blocks, and four steals.
The difference in the game — other than Ohio State’s turnovers, was Michigan freshman guard Jordan Poole, who scored 15 points after averaging 5 points per game coming into the day. He had scored a total of 15 points in his previous four games.
The Buckeyes got a combined three points, zero assists, and four turnovers from point guards C.J. Jackson and Andrew Dakich.
Ohio State had four turnovers in the first three minutes of the game, but their defense was able to stifle the Wolverine offense for much of the afternoon. Eventually, OSU’s lack of offense allowed Michigan to build an eight-point lead at 26-18, and then again at 33-28. A three-pointer from Keita Bates-Diop with six seconds remaining in the first half made it 33-28 at intermission.
A free throw and layup by Mo Wagner on Michigan’s first two possessions of the second half took the Wolverine lead right back up to eight points.
The Buckeyes trailed by 2-6 points for most of the first 10 minutes of the half. A jumper by Abdur-Rahkman made it nine points, but that was quickly answered by a Tate layup. A three by Bates-Diop one minute later made it a four-point game at 55-51. A Tate free throw another minute later cut it to 55-52, but that was then answered by a layup from Zavier Simpson and a three-pointer by Poole.
Michigan stretched the lead to nine points 30 seconds later and the game never got any closer than that. The Wolverines led by as much as 15 in the final minutes.
Up next for the Buckeyes is a home game Tuesday night against Rutgers. It will mark Senior Night for Ohio State’s seniors and graduates.
Nothing wrong with this team, except, Cam Williams not making his shots, and getting playing time. When Jackson isn’t shooting well the defence just collapses on KDB. That he got 18 points yesterday given how most of those points were over double teams is actually pretty amazing.
Bottom line at this point, if the opposition can just double team Bates Diop at will, and the three point shooters miss all the open looks that creates, the season is going to end with a string of losses. We need one guy to step up. Jackson could be that guy, if we had another ball handler, but he works way too hard getting the ball up the floor to be a consistent 3 point shooter. We need someone to step up. I should be Cam WIlliams, But he is playing without confidence right now and everyone is suffering.
Talk about smoke and mirrors. Holtmann having THIS team atop the Big 10, a projected 4 seed and a tournament lock is equivalent to getting Cujo into the Westminster dog show!
Totally agree with this post. Coach Holtmann now will look for ways to cut down on the TO’s, tipped passes (which ruin the timing of the offense), rebound more aggressively and raise the defensive level of intensity for longer periods of time. Uhh, the personnel is the same and that would be the problem. I am betting on him. Sure could use somebody who can shoot the ball. As we missed enough FT down the stretch to stay a lot closer and when your closer things tighten.
KDB is in a terrible funk and the team is burned out.
KBD is in a funk because he is being double teamed (and triple teamed when he gets the ball) and the defenders are playing him tight and ROUGH. When we beat Purdue, Jackson, A.Wesspn, Jallow and Dakich all had good scoring nights. Tate always holds up his end but he has to get his points on drives and putbacks He is not a threat to shoot or make the open 15 footer. We have to get more widespread scoring punch from our unguarded players to get the double teams off of KBD.
Lets hope we can win these last two games and get that double bye in the B1G.
Kind of agree. I personally don’t see KB-D actually being in a funk. His defense is still solid, he’s still scoring and rebounding very well. Besides Jae’Sean Tate the rest of the team just doesn’t play consistently at a high level.. Jae’Sean plays VISIBLY and it makes him an easy target for the refs to blow whistles against, and, they don’t hesitate in doing so. With the other 3 guys on the floor playing like garbage and shooting so horribly it makes KB-D’s job even tougher because the opponent can collapse on him and challenge everything he tries to do offensively.
By any standard this has been a successful year, especially considering the low pre season projections. It was fun to dream Cinderella Dreams while they lasted.
It can still be construed a pretty good season for the Buckeyes. Jae’Sean Tate and KB-D have needed some help and there isn’t any.