OSUBasketballJunkie
Never Forget 31-0
Buckeyes Fall to Michigan State 83-69
OSU started the game focused and determined to get the ball to Terrance Dials (14 points, 6-8 shooting in the first half). Playing great team defense, the Bucks were able to take an eight point lead twice in the first half, up 37-29 with 4:38 left in the half. It appeared that OSU was in command, but MSU went on a 9-0 to take the lead at 38-37. The half ended with OSU holding a slight lead, 43-41. Chris Hill led MSU with 15 points in the first half.
The second half started with MSU being very aggresive and taking a 45-43 lead just 1:12 in to the second half, they would never trail again. In the second half, Hill hit three 3-pointers and Maurice Ager knocked down a pair of shots from the arc in under three minutes, giving the Spartans a 62-53 lead with 12 1/2 minutes to play. Michigan State outscored OSU 42-26 in the second half on its way to an 83-69 win at home.
We had no answer for Chris Hill, he simply was in the zone. Hill hit 6-7 behind the arc and finished with 26 points to lead MSU. Terrance Dials scored 22 points and Ivan Harris finished with 13 points in just 15 minutes on the court. Fouling out with 6:12 left in the game, he did however hit all four of his shots, Matt Sylvester added 9 points.
The difference in the game
1. OSU's young starting backcourt of Je'Kel Foster and Jamar Butler combined for just two field goals and only eight total points.
2. MSU's deep bench clearly wore down OSU in the second half, we were unable to match their intensity.
3. Inability of OSU's guards to penetrate to the basket. MSU was focused on taking away the three point shot.
Key moment in the game
OSU had two misses and a shot clock violation on its first three possessions of the second half, opening the door for MSU to grab the lead for good.
A very frustrating loss for this team, after winning four straight, confidence was at a season high. They simply did not match MSU's effort in the second half.
OSU travels to Penn State Saturday at 5 p.m. (ESPN-Plus regional syndication). The Lions fell to 7-15 overall and 1-8 in Big Ten play with a 77-50 loss at Purdue Wednesday. OSU defeated PSU 68-62 on Jan. 26 in Columbus.