 OHIO UNIVERSITY 88, KENT STATE 87, OT MAC EAST RAMIFICATIONS
The loss by Kent State (19-10, 10-4 MAC) pulled the Flashes back into a first-place tie in the MAC Eastern Division with Miami, who defeated Bowling Green at home Saturday, 84-77, with two games remaining in the regular-season. Looming one game back are the charging Akron Zips, who won their seventh consecutive game with a 69-60 road win at Buffalo.
Senior forward DeVaughn Washington led the Bobcats with 20 points. But it was his final two points, a layup just in front of the basket with 14.7 seconds remaining in the extra session, that sent the visitors from Athens to their first win in Kent since Feb. 24, 2001. Ohio and KSU split their season series after the Golden Flashes came away with a 69-66 win at the Convocation Center January 15.
“The play was drawn up for me. They (Kent State’s defense) blew it up, and it was time for me to make a play,” Washington said after the game. “It was a big win for us. I had never won here in my four years. We wanted this one in the worst way.”
“The play (for the winning basket to Washington) has multiple options.” Ohio head coach John Groce said. ”They (Kent State’s defense) blew up the hand off (the inbound pass), but he made a great read and kept it and made a great play.”
FIVE BOBCATS IN DOUBLE FIGURES
Ohio (16-13, 8-6 MAC) put all five starters in double figures. Sophomore forward Ivo Baltic chipped in 16 points before fouling out in overtime. Sophomore guard Nick Kellogg had 15, with all five of his field goals coming from three-point range (five-for-eight).
Senior forward Tommy Freeman had 11 points, along with nine rebounds. His 4-for-4 from the free throw line in overtime started the ‘Cats on their way back.
Then there was sophomore guard D.J. Cooper. In addition to his 10 points, Cooper recorded 14 assist. It was his second most of the season and sixth time in 2010-11 (third in MAC play) that he has contributed 10 or more assists in a game.
“We feel very fortunate to come in here and get a win here,” Groce said. “We knew it would take our best effort and have to make some plays and get some toughness. Tonight we were able to make a lot of plays.”
KSU suffered just its second home loss of the season (the other coming December 31 to James Madison, 60-51), and the first loss to MAC competition at home since January 17, 2010 (Bowling Green) – snapping a winning streak that spanned 14 games.
LOST OPPORTUNITY
“We blew a great opportunity in a home game with a great crowd and a great atmosphere,” KSU head coach Geno Ford said afterwards. “For 25 minutes, it was the most pathetic performance that I have ever been a part of as either an assistant coach or a head coach here and that is unacceptable.”
Senior guard Rodriguez Sherman led the Flashes with a game-high 21 points. Junior forward Justin Greene added 19 points and 15 boards, his eighth double-double of the season. Junior guard Carlton Guyton came off the bench to score 18.
The Cats had the lead from the opening basket as they used a pair of conventional three-point plays from Washington and Baltic. KSU opened the contest missing its first five shots before sophomore guard Randal Holt connected of a three-pointer from the right arc at the 17:02 mark.
OHIO DOMINATION EARLY
The Bobcats totally dominated the game’s first 20 minutes, opening as much as an 18-point lead on two occasions - the last being 42-24 with 46.2 seconds remaining on a layup by Washington. Ohio went into halftime with a 14-point advantage at 42-28.
Washington was a major factor in the first half, scoring 14 points on 6-for-11 shooting. It was part of a first half that saw Ohio shoot 56.7% from the field (17-for-30) and hold a narrow 21-19 rebounding edge, while Kent State was just 9-for-34 from the floor (26.5%).
“I tried to set the tone inside in the first half for us.” Washington said. “The last time we played them, their bigs (Greene and junior forward Justin Manns) did a good job defending us, and we had a hard time finishing.”
At the start of the second half, Ohio continued to increase its lead. The high-water mark was 21 points, 56-35, with 15:25 remaining on a three-pointer from the left corner by Kellogg, who transferred from Providence last season. He is the son of former Ohio State, Indiana Pacers, and current CBS Sports College Basketball analyst Clark Kellogg.
THE AWAKENING
But then, just like in their game Thursday night at home against Buffalo (when they came back from a 16-point deficit to win), KSU started to gnaw away at their deficit.
“We get down 21 points, and (finally) we’re going to play. (When) we called three first half time outs, the collective response was zero. We come out and the first five minutes of the second half (was) even worse than we were in the first half.” Ford said.
Kent State outscored the ‘Cats 30-8 over a span of 8:21 to gain its first lead, 65-64. Junior guard Michael Porrini came up with a steal and fed the ball to freshman forward Eric Gaines, who finished the play with an emphatic slam dunk with 7:04 remaining, sending the Kent State partisans into a frenzy.
After the teams traded three-pointers - Cooper from NBA range and Sherman from the left arc - the lead then changed hands three times. Ohio then scored five straight points to open a 74-70 lead with 3:37 remaining on a layup by Baltic.
A second layup by Baltic gave Ohio a 76-73 lead. However, Guyton hit a jumper at the 1:34 mar, and Greene muscled in a layup with 57.2 seconds remaining, tying the game at 77-77.
After a time out, Ohio had the ball with about a seven-second difference between the shot clock and the game clock. The ‘Cats worked the ball to Cooper, who took a three-pointer from the top of the key. The shot hit the back of the rim and bounced back out to the foul line, where Kellogg got the offensive rebound with 36 seconds remaining.
After the ‘Cats called their final time out with 23.1 seconds remaining, Cooper worked the ball, trying to get it inside to Washington or Freeman. The KSU defense, however, forced Cooper to take a long-range three that missed, sending the contest into overtime.
FINAL SHOT STRATEGY
“The first thing was we wanted the last shot, period. Secondly we wanted the ball in D.J.’s hands. He took a long shot. I let him make a lot of decisions tonight. … I’m going to ride with him, and it was his decision (on the last shot),” Groce said.
Kent State started strong in the extra session, scoring the first five points on a jumper from deep in the left wing by Sherman and a three from the left arc by Porrini to forge an 82-77 lead.
After Ohio responded, Guyton connected on a right wing jumper with 3:16 remaining to re-establish the five-point advantage, 84-79. That, however, would be the Flashes’ final field goal of the game.
Ohio went on a 6-2 run to take an 86-85 lead with 1:25 remaining on a layup by freshman reserve Ricardo Johnson off a beautiful pass from Cooper. KSU regained a one-point edge (87-86) at the 42.4 when both Greene and Gaines each made one of two free throws.
MISSED FREE THROW FACTOR
Those misses, coupled with Guyton one-for-two a minute earlier, came back to haunt the Flashes as Ohio worked the ball and got it to Washington who was right in front of the basket. He quickly flipped the ball in for a Bobcats’ one-point lead at 14.7.
“(It hurts) to blow a five-point lead in overtime because you can’t make a free throw. You have to make them,” Ford said. “You can’t be three-for-six from the foul line in overtime. They were 5-for-5. That’s the game.”
KSU still had a chance to win its final possession. The Flashes worked the ball to Porrini, who earlier in the week hit the game-winning basket at Western Michigan and had a thunderous slam dunk to beat Buffalo. This time, however, his left wing jumper did not fall. Kellogg garnered the precious rebound and was tied up forcing a jump ball. Ohio was awarded possession via the arrow and ran out the clock for the victory.
“We came into the game as the number one team in the league in field goal percentage against and can’t get a defensive rebound at the end of regulation. We have to stop them a second time to force overtime and then in overtime can’t get a stop when Washington drives for a layup.” Ford said.
“We needed to challenge the shot hard and we did,” Groce said. “I have a lot of respect for Mike as a competitor.”
It’s a quick turnaround for both teams as they play on Tuesday night. Kent State travels to Bowling Green, while Ohio entertains Akron at The Convo.
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
KEY MOMENT: Kent State’s inability in overtime to make free throws, going 3-of-6. That left the door open for Ohio to grind out a one-point victory.
STAR OF THE GAME: D.J. COOPER-OHIO. The sophomore guard from Chicago and pre-season MAC Player of The Year scored only 11 points but had 14 assists - his sixth double-double of the season. Nine came in the first half, but his assist on Ricardo Johnson’s layup - his last of the game - gave the Cats their first lead in overtime
KEY STATS OF THE GAME: 1) Kent State’s 3-for-6 foul shooting in overtime…2) Ohio shot 51.7% from the field over the 45 minutes (30-for-58)…3) KSU winning the rebound battle 42-35 thanks to 21 offensive rebounds…4) Ohio’s inside players (DeVaughn Washington & Ivo Baltic) going a combined 14-for-25 from the floor, with all of their baskets came inside the paint.
NOTES: The game was the 131st lifetime meeting between the two schools…Ohio holds a 88-43 edge, winning two of the last three, including their 81-64 win in last year’s MAC Tournament quarterfinal when Kent State was number one…First overtime game in the series since January 14, 2007 (at Kent) 67-65 KSU… Ohio is 2-3 in 2010-11 overtime games (1-1 in MAC play)…DeVaughn Washington-OHIO has scored in double-digits the last 11 games…Nick Kellogg-OHIO first double-digit game since 11 at Ball State (January 29)…Ivo Baltic-OHIO sixth time in the last seven games he has had double digits…Kent State 0-2 in 2010-11 overtime contests (including 86-80 loss at Miami on February 16)…First overtime game at home since November 15, 2009 (87-86 loss to Wisconsin-Green Bay)…Justin Greene-KSU his fourth straight and ninth in the last ten in double digits…Rodriguez Sherman-KSU 21 points - the most at home this season…Carlton Guyton-KSU his seventh straight double-digit game…KSU head coach Geno Ford is 4-3 lifetime against Ohio and against head coach John Groce…Several members of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, including former Ohio State star Evan Turner, were in attendance as the Sixers were in the area to play the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday night at Quicken Loans Arena.
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