Buckeyes keep title hopes alive with win

BLOOMINGTON, IND. » Keita Bates-Diop finished with 24 points and 14 rebounds and C.J. Jackson made a long 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds left in double overtime to give No. 16 Ohio State an 80-78 victory at Indiana on Friday night.

With the win, the Buckeyes (24-7, 15-3) can claim a share of the conference crown in coach Chris Holtmann’s first season — if No. 2 Michigan State loses at Wisconsin on Sunday.

Juwan Morgan scored 18 points and Robert Johnson added 17 to lead the Hoosiers (16-14, 9-9). But Johnson, playing what could be his final home game, couldn’t make the dramatic halfcourt heave at the buzzer to win a wild game that was tighter than expected.

The Buckeyes led 4336 early in the second half before giving it all away and seeing the Hoosiers take a 61-59 lead on Josh Newkirk’s layup with 3:54 left in regulation.

Ohio State answered with the next four points but Indiana tied it at 63 with two free throws from Justin Smith with 2:18 to go in regulation.

Neither team scored again until overtime. In the first extra period, neither team led by more than two and it ended in a 70-70 tie after Johnson made two free throws, with 7.8 seconds left.

In the second overtime, neither team led by more than one until Jackson’s 3 erased Indiana’s 78-77 lead.

Jackson finished with 13 points on a night five Buckeyes scored in double figures. Ohio State had lost two of its previous three.

AJ MAST — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Ohio State forward Keita Bates-Diop, center rear, celebrates with teammates Andrew Dakich, right, C.J. Jackson, center front, and Kam Williams after defeating Indiana in double overtime in Bloomington, Ind. on Feb. 23.