 NO. 2 OHIO STATE 69, MIAMI 40
The Buckeyes, also ranked No. 2 in the country in turnover margin, took advantage of an 18-5 advantage in turnovers and poor Miami shooting (32.6 percent) to hand MU its fifth loss in the last six games.
“We’re just not playing very well,” said RedHawks coach Charlie Coles, who had few illusions about an upset but was hoping to get a better performance from a squad that lost three key players and started four sophomores against OSU.
After putting four players in double figures in each of its last two games, MU reverted to the kind of offensive production seen earlier in the season. One RedHawk player reached double figures.
“The guys that we need to count on, they’re just not (playing}very good right now,” Coles said.
The lone bright spot for MU was the continued fine play of senior forward Julian Mavunga, who provided half (20) of the RedHawks’ points while connecting on 8-of-15 from the floor. Miami had just 15 field goals as a team.
Mavunga also made 4-of-5 from the line and pulled down 10 boards to record his fourth double-double in as many games.
“The referee told me at the end of the game, ‘Coach, No. 4 (Mavunga) can play with anybody,’” Miami coach Charlie Coles said.
Two big Buckeye runs – one to start each half – kept Ohio State in the drivers seat. Coach Thad Motta’s team raced out to an 11-0 lead to start the game.
Drew McGhee, a 6-11 sophomore, finally ended the Miami drought with a basket at the 15:47 mark.
Ohio State’s shooting cooled off some, and the RedHawks started to make enough to tread water as the half continued. Mavunga provided the final seven Miami points and MU trailed 26-17 at the half.
After a Josh Sewell layup to open the second stanza, Ohio State went on a 15-2 run to break the game open. A trey by Lenzelle Smith Jr. at 14:12 gave OSU a 41-21 lead, and the Buckeyes cruised the rest of the way.
Guard William Buford led OSU with 18 points. He was joined in double figures by forwards DeShaun Thomas (15) and Jared Sullinger (11).
Sullinger, a national player of the year candidate, was 3-of-9 from the field.
Although Mavunga was the only Miami player in double figures, freshman Brian Sullivan – a Columbus area native – managed eight markers on 3-of-5 from the field. He had 18 in a loss to Evansville Tuesday night.
After playing three games in six days, Miami will have a week to get ready for William & Mary. That will be the final non-conference home game for the RedHawks, who visit Vanderbilt Jan. 2 before opening MAC play at home against Akron Jan. 7.
“I think we can get better,” Coles said. “But I think we’ve got to get tougher.”
|
