Gophers Send Buckeyes to Third Straight Loss
January 16, 2014

Ranked third in the country just 10 days ago, Ohio State is falling and will drop farther in the pols after a mediocre performance in a 63-53 loss at Minnesota, the third straight for the Buckeyes.

The Gophers, coming off an overtime loss at Michigan State, dominated the boards and overcame an early turnover problem to take control and cruise to the finish. Ohio State couldn’t solve the Minnesota zone, and at one point the Buckeyes were shooting only 20 percent from the field. Ohio State finished the game with only 18 field goals in 51 attempts for 35.3 percent.

The Gophers, on the other hand, made 51.1 of their field-goal attempts and scored 38 points in the paint. Elliott Eliason connected on 6 of 8 shots for 12 points in the game. The junior big man from Chadron, Nebraska, also had 13 rebounds and blocked two shots.

Despite giving Ohio State more possessions in the first half (Minnesota had eight turnovers before the Buckeyes made any), the Gophers’ rebounding made up for it. For the night, Minnesota had a 39-24 edge.

The score was tied at the half, but Ohio State came out of the locker room with turnover problems of its own. Unable to hit from the outside, the Buckeyes looked clueless in trying to drive to the basket. Minnesota built a small lead, but the Buckeyes came back to go ahead by one on a free thrown by LaQuinton Ross after coach Richard Pitino was called for a technical foul following a double foul on Minnesota’s Oto Osenieks and Ross with 13:41 left in the game.

Mo Walker, who had five points off the bench, then made a lay up to put the Gophers ahead for good. Minnesota built the lead to seven, and Ohio State never got closer than three.

Ross led all scorers with 22 points, and DeAndre Mathieu topped the Gophers with 13 to go with 4 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals.

Minnesota upped its Big Ten record to 3-2 while Ohio State fell to 2-3.