Jared Sullinger makes Buckeyes history Thursday night with a freshman-record 40-point game, just the fourth in the past 46 years Ohio State basketball for any player.
View full sizeJared Sullinger, right, took over the game for the Buckeyes on Thursday, scoring 40 points in Ohio State's victory over IUPUI.Doug Lesmerises / Plain Dealer Reporter
COLUMBUS — Ohio State freshman Jared Sullinger made history Thursday night with his 40-point game, just the fourth in the past 46 years of Buckeyes basketball, though for a while it looked like it might come in a loss.
Bulling his way through the IUPUI defense after the Jaguars saw their center foul out midway through the second half, the 6-9 Sullinger went on a rampage in the lane, carrying the Buckeyes to a 75-64 victory. With 12:40 to play, the No. 2-ranked Buckeyes trailed, 50-41. Nine minutes later, after Sullinger scored 14 points during the Buckeyes' 24-4 run, it was over.
The best way to stop him, according to IUPUI coach Ron Hunter?
"Get him in the draft early," he said.
Sullinger finished with 40 points, an OSU freshman record, and was 16-of-23 from the foul line, another freshman record, while grabbing 13 rebounds. But forget that he's a freshman -- the 40-point game was just the fourth for the Buckeyes since 1965 and only the 23rd in school history. Jim Jackson, Kelvin Ransey, Evan Turner, Greg Oden, Bill Hosket, Herb Williams, Michael Redd -- they never scored as many as Sullinger did Thursday night.
"I didn't think he forced anything," OSU coach Thad Matta said. "I didn't think he did anything abnormal. It was there and he took advantage of it."
Sullinger was at his best despite missing the shootaround Thursday to attend the viewing for his late uncle, Harold. But Hunter said his goal was to make the Buckeyes (7-0) play small, and the Jaguars (4-6) pressured the perimeter to take away Ohio State's 3-point shooting, willing to give up the lane in the trade. Hence, history.
"I was surprised they didn't double him," OSU junior guard William Buford said of Sullinger. "He was hot, so we kept giving him the ball and they couldn't stop him."
It didn't happen right away. The Buckeyes were playing for the first time in nine days, and Matta was upset with the way the Buckeyes were slow to react on defense, as the game was tied at 35 at halftime. It didn't get any better early in the second half, so needing a boost somewhere, during the first timeout of the second half Matta told Sullinger to start calling for the ball on offense.
"Normally I don't do that, because that's showing signs of selfishness," Sullinger said, "and that's not me."
It was needed. And it was fine with the Buckeyes. Tied at 50, Buford's defender left him to double Sullinger, but after the ball was passed around, Buford burned the help defense with a bounce pass to Sullinger for a dunk and the Buckeyes' had their first second-half lead with 8:37 to play. After Buckeyes guard Jon Diebler hit his third-clutch 3-pointer to extend the lead, he found Sullinger with a bounce pass off a drive for another dunk as the Buckeyes started to pull away. Buford, with 14 points, and Diebler with 13 were the only other Buckeyes in double figures.
"If they want to take away the outside shooters, we're definitely fine throwing the ball inside," Diebler said. "If they take away the outside, we'll go inside all day."
It worked all day. There's a lot of other things for the Buckeyes to improve on before hitting the court at St. John Arena on Sunday against Western Carolina. Sullinger was 12-of-17 from the field (71 percent) and the rest of the team was 14-of-34 (41 percent). The defensive intensity needs to increase. But at least the Buckeyes got the win. And Sullinger had a night to remember.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dlesmerises@plaind.com, 216-999-4479