Jared Sullinger Explodes for 28 Points, 20 Rebounds at the Basketball Tournament

If you were to pick out an MVP of the first weekend of The Basketball Tournament, you'd have a hard time topping Jared Sullinger.

The former Ohio State big man put up 28 points and 20 rebounds as Scarlet & Gray pulled away late for an 82-73 win over Matadors on Sunday. Sullinger scored 11 of his 28 in the fourth quarter, with Scarlet & Gray coming back from a one-point deficit after the third period.

David Lighty scored the game-winning bucket on an alley-oop. The Elam Ending led to the first team to 82 winning the game.

Lighty had 15 points, while Aaron Craft and Jon Diebler had 12 points apiece.

Sullinger, who last played for the Toronto Raptors in the 2016-17 season, has been the unquestioned star in this group of Ohio State alums. He's scored 48 points through the first two games and has been dominant on the block and stretching the floor like he never missed a beat.

This weekend's games have been played at Capital University in Bexley, Ohio, giving the former Buckeyes a homecoming of sorts. Thousands have poured into the arena wearing scarlet to cheer on a group responsible for an extended stretch of Ohio State prosperity on the court.

"We get to play basketball together and do it in Columbus, in front of our fans," Lighty said, per George Richards of the Columbus Dispatch. "That's very special. We have all had a group chat going since last year. We have unfinished business, feel we slipped up on a real opportunity. Hopefully this year we come together, get six wins and bring another championship back to Columbus."

Scarlet & Gray will get another boost next weekend when they return to the floor as Greg Oden will join the roster. Oden did not play this weekend despite the event being single elimination.

Scarlet & Gray will move on to the Sweet 16, where they'll either play fourth-seeded Big X or 12th-seeded Primetime Players.