Ohio State Buckeyes Use Big 2nd Half To Beat Michigan

Ohio State struggled at the start, but used a strong 2nd half to beat Michigan 62-53 to remain undefeated at 23-0. Ohio State improved to 10-0 in the Big Ten and are 23-0 for the second time in school history.

Jared Sullinger scored 19 points to go along with 15 rebounds while William Buford chipped in 13 points for the Buckeyes who trailed the Wolverines 26-23 at halftime.

Using Sullinger inside, the Buckeyes went to the free throw line 25 times in the game, hitting 15(60%) while Michigan was just 1-4 from the stripe. Tim Hardaway Jr. led the Wolverines with 15 points and Darius Morris scored 12. Michigan fell to 13-9 on the season – 3-6 in the Big Ten.

Ohio State Buckeyes Basketball Battles Michigan Wolverines In Columbus

Ohio State basketball puts their undefeated record on the line tonight against the Michigan Wolverines at Value City Arena in Columbus.  All the attention has been on National Recruiting Day, but the #1-ranked Buckeyes continue to be the only undefeated team left in Division I college basketball and continue to be the unanimous #1 team in both college basketball polls.

It's the best in-conference start for the Buckeyes(9-0) since the 1961-62 season.  While the Buckeyes keep winning, they've made life hard for themselves at times - like last weekend's 58-57 win over Northwestern.  A win is a win, however, and the Buckeyes keep piling up the W's.

The Wolverines have had their ups and downs this season and that inconsistency has resulted in a 13-9 mark thus far. Conference play has been even tougher for Michigan, which enters this contest at a mere 3-6 in the Big Ten. Still, the Wolverines have played well of late, winning two straight games with victories over Michigan State (61-57) and most recently, Iowa (87-73).

The Buckeyes have dominated this series of late, winning 12 of the last 14 meetings, including a hard-fought 68-64 decision at Michigan on January 12th. As a ranked squad, OSU is 30-4 in games against the Wolverines, including wins in the last nine meetings while ranked in the top-25.

The Wolverines found their groove in the second half against Iowa, converting a sizzling 73.1 percent from the floor (19-of-26), in posting a 14-point win over the Hawkeyes. There was plenty of scoring to spread around, as all five starters finished in double figures. Darius Morris posted the third triple- double in school history, finishing with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. poured in 19 points, followed by Jordan Morgan (17 pts), Eric Smotrycz (14 pts) and Zack Novak (13 pts). Morris is the straw that stirs the drink in Ann Arbor, leading the team in both scoring (15.4 ppg) and assists (7.1 apg). Hardaway is next in line at 11.8 ppg, while Novak (9.9 ppg) and Morgan (8.5 ppg) provide some scoring depth. Still, the Wolverines are far from an offensive juggernaut, averaging just 67.1 ppg on a pedestrian .442 shooting.

It is no wonder the Buckeyes are sitting atop the national polls, as the team ranks among the nation's best in several important categories. Ohio State leads the nation in scoring margin (+20.9), ranks third in field-goal percentage (.500) and second in turnover margin (+5.8). The team lost the National Player of the Year from last season (Evan Turner), but has replaced him with another candidate in freshman phenom Jared Sullinger. The 6-9 youngster is averaging a near double-double with team highs of 18.0 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. A trio of veteran guards provide plenty of backcourt balance in the form of William Buford (13.5 ppg), David Lighty (12.4 ppg) and Jon Diebler (11.3 ppg). It wasn't expected to be easy against Northwestern over the weekend, but few could have envisioned just how much trouble Ohio State would have. Despite shooting an impressive 56.8 percent from the floor, the Buckeyes managed a mere 58 points. Sullinger was responsible for a good portion of that scoring, netting 21 points. Aaron Craft came off the bench to add 13 points to the cause, while Buford chipped in with 11.

The Buckeyes walked the tightrope against the Wildcats this past weekend and while Michigan has played well of late, OSU will continue its run toward a perfect season with a comfortable win over the Wolverines.

GAME NOTES: The top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes continue their assault on the 2010-11 season, as they welcome the Michigan Wolverines to Columbus for Big Ten action at Value City Arena.

FACTS & STATS: Site: Value City Arena (13,751) -- Columbus, Ohio. Television: ESPN. Home Record: Michigan 11-4, Ohio St. 15-0. Away Record: Michigan 2-3, Ohio St. 7-0. Neutral Record: Michigan 0-2, Ohio St. 0-0. Conference Record: Michigan 3-6, Ohio St. 9-0. Series Record: Ohio State leads, 88-71.