Well, that was some sort of amusement I suppose. Being an Ohio State college basketball fan can be fun at times, and anxiety-inducing at others. We got a little of both on Friday with the Buckeyes racing out to a big halftime lead, then letting Purdue back in the game and eventually having to get things done in overtime. OSU then found something in the extra stanza and survived and advanced as they say, by a score of 87-78.
In a game with such ebbs and flows, there’s plenty to take away from this one. We saw some familiar patterns and some new things we haven’t witnessed all year. It had to be a lot of fun for anyone without a horse in the race watching it, and a panic attack waiting to happen for fans of the Buckeyes and Boilermakers.
As we do after every game, we’re giving you some takeaways. Here are five that stood out among all the bruhaha.
NEXT … The narrative
Pushing back on the inability to close games
OK. Let’s talk about the obvious first. Yes, Ohio State let an 18-point halftime lead completely evaporate. There was again an awful dry spell and some questionable decision-making down the home-stretch of regulation. We simply cannot deny that. However, Purdue also made some plays, and Trevion Williams was otherworldly, so you have to give the Boilermakers credit.
What we also must point out though is that OSU somehow found a way to push back on a pretty significant momentum swing and get it done in the overtime. It’s not often you see a team be able to find its way in the wilderness of despair like that and still win the game. It was a clutch closeout once it got into OT and we have to recognize it for what it is. Hopefully, it’ll bode well for the rest of the journey in the postseason.
NEXT … Seth Towns time to shine
You have to feel good for Seth Towns
This year has had to be a frustrating one for Seth Towns. After being out of the game for over two years because of injury, he came to Ohio State as a grad transfer only to continue tying working his way back to being healthy. Because of that, he’s had mostly spot duty, and you can tell that knee is definitely not 100 percent.
But boy did he come up big when the team needed him this afternoon. E.J. Liddell fouled out (on a questionable call), and Kyle Young literally got elbowed out of the game, so it was Towns who had to come in and make a difference.
Check.
Towns grabbed a key rebound in overtime and also hit a critical 3-pointer, and follow-up bank shot that was a big difference in why Ohio State was able to pull this one out. Good on you Seth. That had to be a cool moment for the Columbus native.
NEXT … Duane Washington’s decision-making
Washington was great with the ball in OT
Probably a bit unsung was the way Duane Washington handled himself in overtime. Yeah, he hit the big 3-pointer, but he also made some key decisions with the ball in his hands. He helped create some action and make the right reads and passes when it was time to make plays.
Washington has taken a ton of criticism for his liabilities in that area in the past, and we have to call it out when he does things the right way too. It’s often down the stretch that we see him try to do doo much, but in overtime in this one, he was exactly what the Buckeyes needed to move on in Indy.
NEXT … Some milestones
Some milestones to point out
With this win, not only did Chris Holtmann get his 200th victory of his career, but Ohio State also became a 20-win ball club in a COVID-19 shortened season. Holtmann has been good so far in his first four seasons in Columbus, and we hope it gets to becoming even better with 200 more on the way.
And in a year of such uncertainty, getting to the 20-win plateau is pretty amazing. There aren’t too many power league teams that have, or will, make that mark for the 2020-2021 season, so let’s celebrate what that means. Way to come through adversity and find a way to have a pretty solid season.
NEXT … Darth Vader Awaits
Time for another game with you know who
The first one was a classic. Ohio State gave Michigan everything it could handle but fell just short because of some end-of-the-game struggles just about three weeks ago. It was the beginning of a four game losing streak for the Buckeyes, one they have only recently begun to come out of.
So, let’s do this thing one more time. It’ll be two top-ten teams going at it once again with a spot in the Big Ten Tournament Championship Game on the line. Scarlet and Gray vs. Maize and Blue for some big things on the basketball court. It seems fitting that these two meet again in a year when the contest on the gridiron was a casualty of the pandemic.
Let the buildup begin.
