Ohio State: Brandon Knight's Late Jumper Leads Kentucky over Top-Seeded Buckeyes
By on March 25, 2011
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Ohio State Buckeyes Bounced from NCAA Tournament with a Heartbreaking 62-60 Loss
The Kentucky Wildcats and the Ohio State Buckeyes took decidedly different paths to their matchup in the Sweet 16. The Buckeyes fairly dominated both Texas-San Antonio and George Mason, and the Wildcats survived close shaves against Princeton and West Virginia.
It would appear that Kentucky's experience to this point in the NCAA Tournament was a little more useful. They once again survived a close shave, and it was once again freshman point guard Brandon Knight coming up with the big shot. His jumper with five seconds to go gave the Wildcats a 62-60 lead, and that was that.
Up until Knight's jumper, which came on the heels of a three-pointer by John Diebler that tied the score at 60-60, this was a game with two oddly symmetrical halves. The score was 30-30 at the halftime break, and both team also scored 30 points in the second half as well.
The essential evenness of the two teams was perfectly represented in the matchup between Kentucky's Josh Harrelson and Ohio State's uber-freshman Jared Sullinger. Harrelson scored a team-high 17 points and grabbed 10 boards, while Sullinger notched game-highs with 21 points and 16 boards.
As a whole, the Buckeyes did not have much luck shooting the ball. They made just 19 of their 58 field goal attempts (32.8 percent). William Buford was particularly bad, making just two of his 16 attempts.
The Wildcats shot better than 45 percent from the field. Oddly enough, Knight, the hero of the hour, made just three of his 10 shots. But just like in the Princeton game, he showed that he knows how to hit 'em when they count.
The Buckeyes have now been eliminated in the Sweet 16 in two consecutive seasons. Meanwhile, the Wildcats head to the Elite Eight for the second straight season. They'll face a North Carolina squad that destroyed Marquette earlier on Friday.
For more on the rest of Friday's Sweet 16 action and other NCAA Tournament coverage, check out our 2011 March Madness Home Page.
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