Columbus, Ohio — Sometimes lost in the ups and downs of the offense, the No. 11 men’s basketball team’s defense was the key in the 58-48 win in at No. 3 Ohio State.
The Spartans (20-5 overall, 9-3 Big Ten) held Ohio State (21-4, 9-3) to 48 points and 26.4 percent shooting — the Buckeyes averaged 77 points on 49.1 percent shooting coming into the game. Ohio State shot just 13.3 percent from 3-point range.
The stout defense was rooted in the approach on Buckeye center Jared Sullinger.
Although Sullinger had 17 points and 16 rebounds, the Spartan big men — junior Derrick Nix and sophomore Adreian Payne — did their best to frustrate him.
“It’s kinda hard to completely get in his head, but those guys did a great job,” senior forward Draymond Green said. “Jared is a great player. They did a great job containing him and not letting him have a field day. It was a hard fought 17 and 16; about all you can ask for.”
And that tough day was the result of the game plan head coach Tom Izzo and his assistants had implemented.
The Buckeyes lack depth backing up Sullinger, so MSU did its best to tire him out.
“Our offensive game was bigs run even if there’s no break, just running,” Izzo said. “(And) we have so much respect for him. I didn’t think we could double (team him) because they have so many guys who can shoot. We took the chance of digging down and knock some balls loose, and we were semi-successful.”
As a result of those dig downs, the Spartans forced Sullinger to turn the ball over 10 times.
Sullinger needed help from the Ohio State perimeter players, but forward Deshaun Thomas and guard William Buford couldn’t find a rhythm.
“Buford had a not a very good game and Thomas didn’t have a very good game, so it all falls on poor Sullinger,” Izzo said. “Ohio State missed some shots they normally make.”
Some of that can be credited to senior Brandon Wood and freshman Branden Dawson. Izzo has been critical of the guards’ defense for much of the season, but they held Thomas and Buford to eight and four points, respectively.
Thomas and Buford average 14.6 and 15.5 points per game.
“Brandon Wood we’ve been on him for a month about rebounding and he had seven,” Izzo said. “Branden Dawson, when he came (to MSU), he didn’t guard many people, and he did a heck of job on Buford — a great, great player.”
Izzo felt his team got the better of what he still feels is the best team in the Big Ten. But the teams meet again on March 4 at Breslin Center.
The defense was definitely a frustration for the Buckeyes, Ohio State guard Aaron Craft said.
“You have to give them a lot of credit,” Craft said. “They hang their hats on big pressure defense. Our guys weren’t ready for it. Some of our actions are supposed to flow from side to side and we got a little bit selfish and were just taking shots for ourselves.”
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