This time, Ohio State comes up with crucial plays in crunch time to beat Illinois
The situation wasn’t all that different from so many others during the previous 14 games.
With the game at a tipping point, Ohio State had the ball and a chance to set the terms for the remainder. Sunday afternoon, less than seven minutes remained and what had been a 15-point lead for the Buckeyes had been trimmed to a single point. Three days removed from an 18-point comeback win at Northwestern, Illinois was making its best effort to repeat some history and extend Ohio State’s misery in one fell swoop.
So when freshman point guard Bruce Thornton’s shot in the paint didn’t fall, one of only two two-point misses he had all game, it should’ve been game over based on how the season has gone to this point for the Buckeyes. Instead, sixth-year forward Justice Sueing was on the scene to keep the possession alive with an offensive rebound.
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An Illinois foul later, Sueing missed his shot at the rim, too. Then he nabbed the rebound, put it back in and headed back down the court with the lead back to three points. It would be the first of five straight possessions with points for the Buckeyes, who would close the game with a 19-8 run and secure their first win since Jan. 21, 72-60 against Illinois.
It was this sequence, starting with the Sueing put-back, that was the difference.
“I thought we got high-quality shots,” coach Chris Holtmann said. “Obviously an emotional play with Brice’s phenomenal dunk, but I thought Justice’s put-back was key. We knew they were going to make a run. I thought those guys stepped up and made plays.”
Sensabaugh’s dunk was the highlight, the play that will be shown in every end-of-season montage. It came on the next possession after Illinois’ Jayden Epps missed a 3-pointer that gave the Ohio State freshman forward a chance for a run-out dunk, and run out he did. Sensabaugh knifed in from the left wing, sized up 6-9, 225-pound Matthew Mayer in the paint and went through him for a powerful, demonstrative one-handed jam to give Ohio State a 57-52 lead with 5:53 left.
Sueing had the assist on it, having pulled down the defensive rebound to start the break.
“He’s very sneaky athletic for his size, so people don’t really expect him to jump that high, so when he did it, everybody’s reaction was so surprised,” freshman guard Bruce Thornton said of the dunk. “I’m still surprised right now. I’m (going to) go look at it after this interview, because it was very insane. I feel like that gave extra momentum in that second half to get the win.”
Ohio State poured it on from there. A Sensabaugh jumper. A Thornton jumper. A Thornton three-point play with 3:57 to play that ended with him flexing toward the stands as the teams hit the under-4 timeout with the Buckeyes now leading, 64-53.
Quality possessions, each one of them. Nothing out of the flow of the offense, nothing too quick in the shot clock and nothing forced.
“It shows the progression we’ve made,” Sueing said. “Even though it’s been a rough stretch, that’s one of the things we’ve been focused on, making sure we stay composed. It was shown through the last few games and today we finally pulled it out, getting over that hump. The guys staying composed and sticking to the game plan and knowing we’ve got it.”
That’s a task that’s been easier said than done for a team that needed this win to avoid going an entire month without tasting success. Ohio State was 0-6 in February and nearly 40 days removed from its last win, a blowout of Iowa on this court back on Jan. 21. Nine straight losses followed that one, with some of them recently – Michigan State at home, at Iowa, at Purdue – turning into blowouts.
But starting with that 82-55 loss at Purdue one week prior, Holtmann said he’d seen his team string together stretches of solid play that had him encouraged for what could lie ahead even as the season neared its conclusion. That continued in Thursday’s 76-71 home loss to Penn State but came to fruition against the Fighting Illini.
“We really did feel like we were playing better basketball, (just) not always necessarily being rewarded necessarily for it,” he said. “That’s what we’ve stressed: play the right way. Play it for longer stretches. We have been doing that. Starting in the Purdue game I thought we had some really good stretches of play there. Can we extend those minutes of quality play for longer stretches? I thought we did that. I thought we did it the other night (against Penn State) and felt the rewards of it today.”
As the final seconds ticked off, several players yelled as if exorcising the personal demons that have plagued the Buckeyes in recent weeks. Some fans held their phones aloft to capture the final seconds of action. Most of the Buckeyes finished singing “Carmen Ohio” and bolted for the Buckeye Nuthouse student section for high fives before running into the locker room.
The last time Ohio State won a game, there was talk of turning a corner and putting a five-game losing streak in the past. That was followed by a nine-game losing streak. How do the Buckeyes avoid the same fate as they prepare for Maryland on Wednesday on senior night?
“Keep the same mentality for tomorrow,” Thornton said. “We’re all going to celebrate, because we got the dub today, and tomorrow we’re back at it. We have to keep that same mentality, same hunger as before to get the win against a good Maryland team.”
Buckeyes get big win by going small
Ohio State played this game with a true center for only 8:17. Freshman Felix Okpara again got the start, and the 6-11, 220-pound center had four points, a steal, a block, a rebound and two turnovers while playing for 8:17.
He was part of just one lineup: the starting lineup of Sensabaugh, Sueing, Thornton and Roddy Gayle. Otherwise, the Buckeyes primarily relied on 6-7, 195-pound Gene Brown III and 6-5, 215-pound Isaac Likekele to man the center position and help combat an Illinois team that also used its main center – 6-9, 270-pound Dain Dainja – lightly.
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After having scored 24 points in 15 games this season, Brown had 9 in 17:20 while Likekele did not attempt a shot in 26:25 but helped limit Illinois leading scorer Terrence Shannon Jr.
“I thought Gene was great,” Holtmann said. “It’s interesting with how we’re playing without Zed (Key), we’re a little bit faster and a little bit more versatile and Isaac and Gene really fight in there. I thought we’d see Dainja more. I wish I could’ve played Felix more. They went with a bunch of forwards so it was hard to get him in there longer.”
Brown was perfect on four field-goal attempts and also grabbed four rebounds along with two steals and a turnover. Likekele had four rebounds, two assists and three turnovers but Shannon was held to 10 points on 3 of 12 shooting. He also had a game-high four turnovers and fouled out with 2:16 to play.
“He made him work,” Holtmann said of Likekele. “Shannon’s a terrific player. He and (Matthew) Mayer are phenomenal. They can get shots any time. Ice did what Ice does. He made them work. It’s a unique lineup you can throw out there because he might be playing some of the 5 offensively but he’s guarding their 6-7 point guard.”
Ohio State’s most-used lineup consisted of Thornton, Gayle, Sueing, Sensabaugh and Likekele. It was on the court for 9:06 and both scored and allowed 15 points.
Buckeyes recognize captains, late Jamaal Brown at halftime
At halftime, the Buckeyes recognized the following former captains as well as the late Jamaal Brown, a team captain in 1992 who passed away unexpectedly during the fall:
Tom Williams (1953), Gene Millard (1957), Jim Laughlin (1958), Dick Furry (1960), Bill Hosket (1968), Denny Meadors (1969), Rick Smith (1979), Ronnie Stokes (1984-85), Troy Taylor (1985), Tom Brandewie (1993), Rickey Dudley (1994), Jamie Skelton (1994), Neshaun Coleman (1998-99), Michael Redd (2000), Brian Brown (2001-02), Velimir Radinovic (2004), Terence Dials (2004-06), James “J.J.” Sullinger (2006), Matt Sylvester (2006), Jamar Butler (2008), Aaron Craft (2013-14) and Joey Lane (2019).
Quotable
“Lose nine in a row and they didn’t quit. This is a very talented Ohio State team on the offensive side. Very disappointing from our standpoint. It all starts with 23-9 at the half on the glass when we’re one of the top rebounding teams in the Big Ten.” – Illinois coach Brad Underwood
“I’m so glad I’m here at Ohio State. There’s no better place than here.” – Thornton
“It means a lot because I feel like we had a lot of postgame interviews where we were saying we’re just right there to get over that hump. Tonight we were the most together and we played like we were supposed to win today, and I think it showed. It means a lot to win in front of the fans. It’s been a rough stretch, but we’re going to see where this goes and keep building on it.” – Sueing
“Our players I thought were terrific. Justice Sueing made some outstanding key offensive rebound plays. Rebounded at a high level. Bruce was phenomenal the whole game. There’s a number of guys I could mention. I thought our versatility with Gene and Ice was really good. Players win games. Those guys stepped up and did a great job.” – Holtmann
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: This time, Ohio State comes up with crucial plays in crunch time
