The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)

Ohio State’s run ends in Big Ten semifinal

Holtmann hints Buckeyes won’t accept postseason bid because of injuries

- By Andrew Seligman

Zach Edey knew what he needed to do just just about every time he touched the ball. After all, he had just one man trying to defend him in the paint.

The star center took over and led the Boilermake­rs to the Big Ten Tournament championsh­ip game.

THE SCORE PURDUE 80, OHIO STATE 66

Edey had 32 points and 14 rebounds, and No. 5 Purdue beat Ohio State, 80-66, in the conference semifinals on March 11.

“There’s kind of like a point halfway through the first half when one of our coaches, P.J. (Thompson), kind of came up to me, this is just one of those days you’ve got to get 30” he said. “So I just kind of stuck with it. I executed the game plan. I just tried my best to score the ball every time I touched it.”

The top-seeded Boilermake­rs (28-5) started to take control late in the first half and cruised into the conference final for the second straight year. They will meet Penn State — a 77-73 winner over No. 19 Indiana — on March 12.

Purdue is seeking its second

tournament title to go with the one it captured in 2009. It will try to become the first No. 1 seed to win since 2019.

Edey, the Big Ten Player of the Year, dominated down low with the Buckeyes mostly guarding him one-on-one.

“There’s legendary Hall of Fame coaches that don’t believe in doubling the post because they don’t want to be in rotations and they don’t like the rebound balance,” Coach Matt Painter said. “But you’ve got to mess with him in some capacity.”

Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann said the plan actually was to help on Edey. It just didn’t work out for a variety of reasons, whether the rotations weren’t quick

enough or he caught the ball closer to the basket than the Buckeyes would have liked.

“We were trying to trap him,” Holtmann said. “We just couldn’t get there. He got it too deep a couple times, more than a couple times. Their ability, they do a great job obviously getting him the ball, but also he just plants in the paint and you can’t move him. He just plants there, and he’s immovable. Sometimes they’ll do some ball screen actions, but it’s too hard to get him out of the paint.”

Brandon Newman scored 15 and Braden Smith added 14 points as the Boilermake­rs won their fourth in a row.

Roddy Gayle Jr. led Ohio State (16-19) with a careerhigh

20 points, 16 in the first half. The freshman made 5 of 6 from long range.

“Just being able to see him grow over these past couple weeks, just how fast he’s been able to pick up on stuff and he’s been able to get to it, especially during this Big Ten tournament,” Justice Sueing said. “It shows the growth and progressio­n he was able to make but also what’s to come. Roddy is going to be a great player for Ohio State University.”

Sueing had 15 points. Leading scorer Brice Sensabaugh missed his second game in a row because of a sore knee, and the Buckeyes came up short after winning five of six following a nine-game losing streak.

Taking control

It was 61-55 when Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton missed a pull-up jumper with just over five minutes left. Edey grabbed the rebound and made two free throws before Smith drove for a layup to bump the lead to 10.

Edey scored 17 in the first half to help Purdue grab a 42-34 lead.

With Gayle hitting his five 3-pointers, the Buckeyes took to a 29-21 lead even though they were playing their fourth game in as many days. But Purdue outscored them 13-3 over the final 3:51.

Edey made two free throws and scored in the paint to put Purdue on top 33-31 before Gayle answered with a 3. But the Boilermake­rs reeled off the final nine points of the half.

Up next

OHIO STATE >> The Buckeyes’ season is likely over, with Holtmann indicating they wouldn’t accept an invitation to a postseason tournament even if they got one. He said the team is banged up “beyond kind of what’s public.” “They’re not significan­t, but they need to be tended to, and they need some time off,” he said. “So that might answer your question.”

PURDUE >> The Boilermake­rs advanced to the championsh­ip game for the sixth time overall and second year in a row. Purdue beat Penn State twice by comfortabl­e margins.

 ?? ERIN HOOLEY — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? Ohio State’s Justice Sueing is comforted following a loss to Purdue on March 11.
ERIN HOOLEY — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Ohio State’s Justice Sueing is comforted following a loss to Purdue on March 11.

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