Columbus Clippers

Pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training camps yesterday. The Purdue Boilermakers did their best Columbus Clippers impression Wednesday night at Value City Arena. Fourth-ranked Purdue clipped Ohio State 60-57 on the hardwood in Columbus. It was the first home loss this season for the 20-7 Buckeyes, who were knocked a game behind Michigan State in the Big Ten. Ohio State lost for the first time in 16 homes games and snapped their nine game Big Ten winning streak. The Boilermakers never trailed during the contest and fended off a three point attempt by OSU’s Jon Diebler as time expired. Purdue was previously 0-6 in Value City Arena.
Evan Turner led the Buckeyes with 29 points and 7 rebounds in the beastly Big Ten battle. JaJuan Johnson scored 24 points in 39 minutes for Purdue. The aggressive Johnson had 15 first half points as the visitors built a 36-23 halftime lead over the sloppy Bucks. Matt Painter’s Purdue team basketed the first seven points of the game. The game was similar to the first meeting between the two Midwest rivals. Earlier in the season, Robbie Hummel carried the Boilermakers with 29 points in the first half. Hummel didn’t record a tally in the first half Wednesday in Columbus. The junior forward finished with just four points and no assists, but his team still got their revenge from that earlier loss. The Boilermakers cranked up t he intensity in Columbus. Purdue staved off a comeback by getting consecutive baskets from Hummel and Johnson. The Buckeyes struggled offensively in the first half. They didn’t reach double digits until Turner’s layup with seven minutes remaining in the half.
Turner managed 11 of Ohio State’s first 16 points of the second half. William Buford helped rally the Buckeyes after enduring a poor first half. The sophomore’s short revival trimmed the Purdue lead to two points with less than ten minutes remaining in regulation. The conference’s best shooting team, Ohio State, hit just 37% in the first half. Purdue picked apart the Buckeye’s zone defense on their way to a 60% first half shooting. The Buckeyes were horrid from the arc. Thad Matta switched to a man-to-man defense in the second half, to no avail. The Boilermakers were too strong on defense. Chris Kramer blocked Buford’s layup and ran down the shot clock. OSU never pulled even, coming up short on many missed chances to notch the game. E’Twaun Moore sank two free throws after drawing contact to put the Boilermakers up 60-53 with just over one minute left. The Buckeyes made their shots down the stretch but consistent Purdue had an answer for every bucket. The Boilermakers sunk baskets with astoundingly solid play.
Ohio State had more turnovers than a bake shop in last night’s three point loss. The Buckeyes committed ten turnovers on the night as the Boilermakers locked up their fourth win against top ten teams this season. The ninth ranked Bucks returned to the cream of the college crop this week for the first time since finishing number one in 2007. The efficient Buckeyes toppled Iowa by 19 points Sunday in one of their best 40 minute showings this season. Johnson was unstoppable, swishing shots and pushing the lead for Purdue. Ohio State couldn’t defend against him, even with the thrilling Turner staging a huge second half for the home team. The Buckeyes’ defense did keep them in the game but not enough to keep torrid shooting Purdue down for long. Purdue shut down Turner in the assist column and forced the Buckeyes to adjust their own playing style. Mighty Moore added 15 points and six boards and Keaton Grant poured in 13 as the Boilermakers ran their winning streak to six games. We may be on the heels of baseball season, but Big Ten hoops and hopes are still springing eternal in Columbus.

Parting Points: Song of the day- “Come Out and Play” by The Offspring

“You make sense of madness when my sanity hangs by a thread”- Richard Marx

I am so bummed the Rockets traded McGrady to New York.