College Basketball:Ohio State Honors 1960 Championship Team with Rout of Gophers

It’s been 50 years since Ohio State won it’s only national championship in 1960. That same 1960 team was honored today during Ohio State's 85-63 rout of the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

The players felt some added pressure today, as they played in front of the Buckeye legends.

“I’m sure we all felt their presence of them, it’s a huge day having them here,” quoted Evan Turner.

The players weren’t the only one feeling pressure to perform.

"When the all-time winningest coach is watching practice, you’re just hoping nothing gets screwed up,” Coach Thad Matta said of having Bobby Knight around this week.

The current team met the 1960 team yesterday during the reception in their honor at St. John's Arena.

The Buckeyes controlled the tempo of this game from start to finish. They took a 32-24 lead into the half and built upon it in the second half. They shot a season-high 63 percent from the field, as the home crowd of 17,000 plus cheered them on.

William Buford had a game-high 26 points and continues to develop into a serious offensive threat. David Lighty added 11 points, but was all over the court today with several assists, steals, and rebounds.

Evan Turner had 19 points and eight assists in a sloppy game. He had five turnovers during his 39 minutes of play.

Jon Diebler finally got out of the fog he’s been living in and became a much-needed force on the perimeter.

He went 5-of-9 from behind the arc and finished with 19 points and six rebounds. Ohio State needs this type of effort from its best sharpshooter as tournament time draws closer.

Dallas Lauderdale continues to struggle on offense, but did put up a solid game on defense. He finished with eight rebounds and three blocks in 27 minutes of play.

The Buckeyes (16-6) are getting closer to that magical 20th win on the season. The upcoming schedule features games against the Big Ten’s worst teams in Penn State, Iowa, and Indiana.

All three games should be wins, giving the Buckeyes some much-needed momentum before their rematch with No. 12 Purdue.