ESPN Men's Basketball

NEWARK, N.J. -- The whippersnappers steal the limelight. It’s what kids do. They come in all shiny and pretty like a new penny, and everybody pays attention to them.

Even here, they surrounded the freshman after the game, the whiz kid who struggled again all night only to make the impossible shot, the game winner.

It’s not that Brandon Knight didn’t deserve the attention. His leaner, a rise-out-of-the-ashes, over-a-defender shot that deserved extra points for difficulty, once again saved the day for Kentucky.

Twice now in the tournament he has struggled for 39 minutes only to make up for it in a flick of a wrist, beating Princeton on a drive to the hoop in the opening game and now ousting No. 1 seed Ohio State 62-60 on a jumper with five seconds remaining.

“Brandon does that on purpose,’’ teammate Doron Lamb deadpanned. “He misses them all in the first half and the second, and then makes it at the end. We call it the okie-doke.’’

The okie-doke technically decided the game, but this game wasn’t really won by Knight.

It was won by three upperclassmen, a commodity as rare as “I Love Louisville” T-shirts in the city of Lexington.

Josh Harrellson, DeAndre Liggins and Darius Miller put Kentucky into an Elite Eight blue-blood battle against North Carolina.

Ohio State brought five seniors to the floor to the Wildcats’ one (Harrellson). The powerful Buckeyes, with longtime starters William Buford, David Lighty, Dallas Lauderdale and Jon Diebler, owned a depth and breadth of experience Kentucky simply doesn’t have.

Sure, the UK players have logged plenty of time on campus, but not quite so much on the floor.

Yet together the trio scored 39 of the Cats’ 62 points and had 19 of their 32 rebounds.

And as good as those statistics are, they alone don’t tell all of what those three did. It was their ferociousness, their attitude that changed this game in Kentucky’s favor.

“Our freshmen were OK today,’’ coach John Calipari said. “Our veteran players who were not significant a year ago, who have now taken over this team, that’s why we’re still playing. It’s because of those guys.’’

Frankly, Ohio State is not playing anymore because its guys didn’t deliver. The Buckeyes, a team that looked absolutely unstoppable a weekend ago against George Mason, looked overwhelmed.

OSU shot just 33 percent for the game and was 7-of-27 outside the paint. Buford, who missed a jumper as the buzzer sounded, was only 2-of-16; Diebler drained four 3-pointers, but besides the final one, which would have sent it to overtime were it not for Knight, they were largely unimportant; Lauderdale didn’t take a single shot; and Lighty was only 5-of-12 from the floor.

“It hurts because we felt like we could make a run at the championship,’’ Diebler said. “Obviously every team wants to finish in Houston. You can’t take away what we did this year in the regular season, but it does kind of hurt to end like this.’’

Kentucky knows the pain of finishing before you’re supposed to. A year ago, the Wildcats -- with more NBA talent than the current Cleveland Cavaliers roster -- were predestined to a weekend in Indianapolis. West Virginia halted those plans a game early, upsetting UK in the Elite Eight.

Most of that roster pocketed that bad memory in their suitcases on the way to the NBA, leaving only Harrellson, Miller and Liggins to remember it.

“You can’t rely on freshmen in games like this,’’ Liggins said. “This was on us. We were the guys who knew what it felt like to play in a game like this and lose.’’

Still, these three aren’t supposed to do this. Harrellson dominated the conversation at the start of the season because of who he is not -- namely Enes Kanter. When the Turkish player was declared ineligible by the NCAA, it was practically a statewide day of mourning in Kentucky.

There is no longer mourning. Instead, Harrellson has more than ably filled the void, bolstering his numbers from 1.3 points per game last season to 7.3 this season.

Against Ohio State, in a matchup in which he was supposed to lose his lunch, he stood toe to toe with Jared Sullinger, putting up 17 points and 10 rebounds to Sullinger’s 21 and 16. It was the big man’s third double-double in his past five games.

And then there is Liggins.

When Calipari took the job at Kentucky, he said, everyone told him to get rid of Liggins, that he wasn’t good enough or worth the effort to keep around. Instead, Calipari elected to keep him, reaping the rewards for the decision Friday night.

Liggins spent the night before the game unable to sleep. He was anxious, not anxious as in nervous, but anxious as in ready -- ready to silence the doubters and ready to prove that this Kentucky team, far more a work in progress than the last, was every bit as good as the last.

“I knew everybody was picking us to lose,’’ Liggins said.

And probably even those picking UK to win didn’t figure Liggins for the hero. He had 11 points combined in the first two games of the NCAA tournament and had been good defensively but forgettable offensively for much of the past few weeks.

Against the Buckeyes, he either scored or assisted on 12 of the Wildcats’ final 18 points.

“DeAndre carried us,’’ Miller said. “If he wasn’t scoring, he was creating for someone else. We would have gotten blown out if it wasn’t for him.’’

Instead, the Wildcats stayed neck and neck with a team that looked like an offensive juggernaut only a weekend ago. Kentucky completely forced Ohio State out of its comfort zone, using its speed to fly to the ball and its length to contest every shot. By halftime, virtually the entire UK roster had two fouls, yet the Wildcats kept coming, blocking 11 shots and forcing OSU into just 6-of-17 shooting from beyond the arc.

Which was why when Diebler drained a 3-pointer with 21 seconds to play, there was a momentary sense of dread.

“I was so down on myself,’’ said Liggins, who was defending Diebler.

And then along came the kid, the one who doesn’t know any better, doesn’t realize how rare it is to make a game-winning shot in the NCAA tournament, let alone two -- who doesn’t understand that when you’re two of your previous nine, the likelihood that you end up the hero is rare.

“It was like in the Princeton game; Coach just had faith in me,’’ Knight said. “I had a lot of confidence. It felt good when it left my hands.’’

The ignorance of innocence and the value of experience.

Perhaps Kentucky has found the combination to success.

NEWARK -- A look at the matchup between the Wildcats and Buckeyes:

No. 4 seed Kentucky (27-8) vs. No. 1 seed Ohio State (34-2), approx. 9:45 p.m. ET (CBS)

How they got here: Brandon Knight became the hero in the first round, scoring one bucket in the game -- the game-winner against Princeton. A game later, Knight poured in 30 as the Wildcats’ ousted their nemesis from a year ago, beating West Virginia.

Ohio State comes to Newark looking like a No. 1 seed should -- clobbering everyone in its wake. The Buckeyes beat up on UT-San Antonio in their first game and easily dispatched George Mason, winning the two games by an average of 30 points.

Storyline: Kentucky wears the unfamiliar mantle of underdog, going up against the top-seeded Buckeyes, a team John Calipari said has made him stop and say, ‘Oh my goodness,’ while watching game tape.

These, however, are not your typical underdogs. Along with their tradition of success, the Wildcats have plenty to latch onto this season. UK won the SEC tournament, spent the entire season in the top 25 and rides an eight-game win streak into this game.

The NCAA road has been considerably kinder for Ohio State, an easy walkover from Cleveland to Newark with two easy games. But the Buckeyes, who have carried with ease the burden of a No. 1 ranking for a decent chunk of the season, aren’t fooled.

“I think it’s just the heightened awareness of how good your opponents are,’’ OSU coach Thad Matta said. “I think that these guys have done a much better job of not buying into all of the hype that goes along with this.’’

What to watch: What happens on the perimeter. Both teams are pretty good from behind the arc. Ohio State leads the nation, knocking down 42.4 percent of its 3-point attempts.

Kentucky isn’t far behind. A year after the Wildcats were done in by their lack of perimeter game, they now rank 12th in the nation, draining 39.6 percent of their 3-point tries.

Sometimes basketball isn’t confusing. Whoever is able to make more from long range could have the upper hand.

Who to watch: This will depend a lot on how UK chooses to defend Ohio State. If the Wildcats double Jared Sullinger, Jon Diebler will be key. When he’s on, he’s lethal. Diebler has sunk 110 3-pointers and is shooting 50 percent (yes, you read that correctly -- 50 percent) from the beyond the arc.

Josh Harrellson has had a terrific and unexpected senior season, surprising even himself he admitted on Thursday.

There’s no question that this will be Harrellson’s tallest order. It’s critical that he stays on the floor, something plenty of people have had a hard time doing against Ohio State and Sullinger. The Buckeyes big man averages just 2.4 fouls per game.

“I never thought I would be where I am, doing the things I am capable of now,’’ Harrellson said. “And going against Jared Sullinger will be a tough task. One of the best big men in the country, if not the best big man.’’

Of note: Ohio State is 345th out of 345 teams in fewest fouls per game. The Buckeyes commit just 14 fouls per game. OSU has shot 348 more free throws than its opponents and has made 126 more than its opponents have attempted. … Kentucky doesn’t make mistakes, a huge advantage against a team as savvy as Ohio State. The Wildcats average 10.6 turnovers per game. Only 11 teams in the country take better care of the basketball.

What they’re saying:

“With freshman starting and with veterans who really don’t have a lot of experience, the interesting thing for us is I really have no idea how they will play.’’ -- UK coach John Calipari

“They are athletic; they get out and run, they push the pace. They have bigs, they have wings and they have a guard who can pretty much do it all. So if we don’t come ready to play, it’s going to be a long night for us.’’ -- OSU senior David Lighty on what makes Kentucky difficult.

CLEVELAND -- On Saturday night, Ohio State senior and Cleveland native David Lighty took all his teammates to his family's church. The parishioners treated the Buckeyes to a feast of soul food.

Then at Sunday morning's shootaround, four Ohio State players were presented their diplomas. They couldn't walk in the school's winter graduation ceremony held at the same time a few hours south in Columbus, so they put on some mortarboards at half court of Quicken Loans Arena and spelled out O-H-I-O.

The Buckeyes might have been on the road this weekend, but they made Cleveland feel like home. And boy did they ever look comfortable here.

In an NCAA tournament that has already seen one No. 1 seed (Pittsburgh) lose and another (Duke) barely hang on, Ohio State emphatically showed why it deserved to be the top overall seed. Sunday's 98-66 destruction of No. 8 seed George Mason said it all.

"We're trying to make a statement," guard William Buford said. "We want to let everybody know we mean business."

Message transmitted. The Buckeyes won their two games here by a total of 62 points. They shot 58.6 percent from the field in the two games and 56 percent on 3-pointers.

There were no squeaky parts on this machine. Ask George Mason. Patriots coach Jim Larranaga's strategy was to try and slow down center Jared Sullinger and sharpshooter Jon Diebler, hoping Buford wouldn't go off like he did against Texas San-Antonio. Buford didn't, but Lighty -- normally the team's defensive stopper and glue guy -- erupted for 25 points on 7-of-7 3-point shooting.

George Mason couldn't concentrate on the perimeter because of the presence of Sullinger, who had 18 points and eight rebounds in just 22 minutes. Point guard Aaron Craft came off the bench to dish out 15 assists, including a 40-foot wraparound dart out of a trap to Sullinger for a dunk in the first half. Diebler and Buford still got their points, and Ohio State hit 16 of its first 23 3-point attempts.

How can you stop all of that?

"You've got great shooters outside and you've also got power post men sitting in the block," George Mason guard Cam Long said. "So when you're trying to shut down one thing, they've got other things that open up. And if you try to shut down the block, they've got the 3s that open up. So it's definitely a hard thing to guard."

"Just so many weapons on our team," Lighty said. "And everyone was clicking on high cylinders tonight. When that's happening, it's pretty hard to beat us."

Championship teams also catch some breaks along the way, and the Buckeyes got one when George Mason starter Luke Hancock -- who had 18 points and the winning 3-pointer against Villanova on Friday -- fell ill. Hancock apparently picked up a stomach bug that had him vomiting in the team hotel all Saturday night, and when he tried to go to the arena on Sunday, he got dizzy and had to stay back.

Even without Hancock, George Mason jumped out to an 11-2 lead. The Patriots were fired up -- a little too much so for the Buckeyes' tastes.

"They were talking a little bit of junk, and that ticked us off," Buford said.

A bear when poked roars back. Ohio State outscored George Mason 50-15 the rest of the first half, allowing only one field goal the final 10 minutes in a devastating 26-4 run before intermission.

"We finished the game pretty well," Ohio State forward Dallas Lauderdale said in an understatement. "It was a wake-up call seeing Butler knocking off Pitt. We're on a mission."

In order to derail that mission, somebody is going to have to make the Buckeyes feel a lot less comfortable than they were in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND -- Ohio State didn't need to survive any scares this weekend. Heck, the Buckeyes barely broke a sweat.

After cruising by Texas-San Antonio by 29 points on Friday, the tournament's No. 1 overall seed crushed short-handed George Mason 98-66 in arguably the most impressive effort of the third round. The Buckeyes shot 61 percent from the field and 61.5 percent from 3-point range. Only an act of sportsmanship at the end kept the score from reaching the century mark.

The Buckeyes are rolling into the Sweet 16, and if they keep playing like this, it's hard to see who will beat them before they get to Houston.

Turning point: George Mason came out strong and grabbed a quick 11-2 lead. But that was about the last good thing to happen for the Patriots. Ohio State outscored the No. 8 seed 50-15 the rest of the half, including a 26-4 run over the final 8:30, for a 52-26 advantage at halftime. It only got worse from there for George Mason.

Key stat: Ohio State went 16-of-26 from the 3-point arc, and that was after missing their final three attempts from that distance in garbage time. The 16 3-pointers set a school tournament record.

Star player: David Lighty clearly enjoys playing in his hometown. The senior made all seven of his 3-point attempts and finished with 25 points. George Mason dared him to shoot early, and he had 17 first-half points to help jump start his teammates.

Miscellany: George Mason played without starting guard Luke Hancock, who had 18 points and hit the big 3-pointer in the win over Villanova. Hancock was ill with flu-like symptoms and stayed back at the team hotel. Normal sixth man Isaiah Tate started in place of Hancock. ... Ohio State freshman Aaron Craft had 15 assists off the bench.

What's next: Ohio State will play Kentucky on Friday in the Sweet 16 in Newark, N.J. George Mason must settle for being the second-best team in school history. Nothing wrong with that.

CLEVELAND -- The four remaining teams in this East Region pod know how to move on in March. All four have been to a Final Four since 2003, and three of them have national championship trophies encased in glass back home.

Beyond that, we've got the top overall seed (Ohio State) taking on a mid-major power (George Mason). Then it's a Big East grudge match between Syracuse and Marquette in which the lower seed had the upper hand earlier this season.

Let's rock and roll in Cleveland.

No. 8 George Mason (27-6) vs. No. 1 Ohio State (33-2), 5:15 p.m. ET

What to watch: The 3-point arc. Ohio State has been on fire from the outside lately, and the Buckeyes are nearly impossible to beat when William Buford and Jon Diebler are as dialed in as they've been from 3-point range. George Mason was a good shooting team this season (39.4 percent on 3s) but struggled with shot selection against Villanova. The Patriots were able to turn that into a defensive slugfest, but that's probably not going to work against Ohio State. The Buckeyes are holding opponents to 32 percent shooting on 3s in four postseason games.

Who to watch: Jared Sullinger didn't have to do a whole lot in the romp against Texas San-Antonio on Friday, but the Ohio State big man will be a key player against George Mason. The Patriots had a hard time keeping Nova's post players off the glass in the last round, and Sullinger is much more of a load than any of those Wildcats. George Mason will have to clamp down on Buford and Diebler like they did against the Wildcats' Corey Stokes and Corey Fisher in the second half while still accounting for Sullinger inside.

You can bet the Bucks will keep a close eye on George Mason guard Luke Hancock, who had 18 points and the clinching 3-pointer with 20 seconds left in Friday's win against Villanova. Forward Mike Morrison also had a big game on Friday, and the Patriots will need the 6-foot-9 junior to help contain Sullinger.

Why to watch: George Mason is tired of the 2006 comparisons, but that Final Four team beat some of the sport's heavyweights on its way to glory, including a No. 1 seed in UConn. This team will have to take the same path through a powerful Ohio State club that is firing on all cylinders. And the crowd will be heavily on the Buckeyes' side.

What they're saying: "I don't think you want to be an underdog. You probably want to be in Ohio State's position of being the No. 1 overall [seed]. But we're ready to play against a good team. We have confidence in ourselves. We're not worried about being called the underdog." -- George Mason's Hancock.

"Our defense needs to be at its very best on first shots. We've got to limit second shots. But the biggest thing is, based on the way we played yesterday, we've really got to encourage our guys to understand that we're going to have to put the ball in the basket [Sunday]." -- George Mason coach Jim Larranaga

"With us, it's pick your poison. Whatever you want to do, we have a way to counter it." -- Ohio State's Dallas Lauderdale.

"I think they're kind of similar to us. They've got a lot of different guys that can do a lot of different things, from driving the ball, to 3-point shooting, to post-ups. They've got a lot of trigger-pullers within the course of their offense. They do a good job moving the basketball. I think that's the big key -- you have to defend all five guys. And with a one-day prep, you've got to have a great understanding of what all five guys on the floor are capable of doing, because, as I said, they're multi-dimensional players." -- Ohio State coach Thad Matta.

Of note: A win by George Mason would set the school single-season record for victories. The 2006 Final Four team won 27 games. ... Sunday is the winter graduation ceremony at Ohio State, and Diebler, David Lighty and Lauderdale all earned their degrees last week. They'll be a bit too busy to walk in the ceremony, however. ... Watch the pace. Ohio State is 23-0 when scoring at least 75 points. George Mason is 3-5 when opponents score at least 70.

No. 11 Marquette (21-14) vs. No. 3 Syracuse (27-7), approx. 7:40 p.m. ET

What to watch: We went to Cleveland, and a Big East tournament semifinal broke out. These teams might be league rivals, but because the Big East is so big, it's not like they play each other all the time. In fact, they met only once this season, and Marquette won 76-70 back on Jan. 29. The Golden Eagles guards penetrated the Orange's 2-3 zone and got to the rim, shooting 33 free throws and getting the Syracuse post players in foul trouble. They even outrebounded the Orange that night in Milwaukee. Syracuse has a distinct size advantage, but Marquette hopes to neutralize that with quickness.

Who to watch: Syracuse's Rick Jackson had a big night against Indiana State on Friday with 23 points and seven rebounds. Marquette doesn't have many guys who can match his 6-foot-9, 240-pound body. But Golden Eagles forward Jae Crowder had 25 points and seven rebounds in the first matchup of the Orange.

Guards Jimmy Butler and Darius Johnson-Odom will be key for Marquette against the zone. Syracuse guards Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche will have to do a good job handling the Golden Eagles' pressure on the perimeter and slowing down Butler and Johnson-Odom.

Why to watch: Syracuse is a dangerous tournament team because of its length in that zone, which can overwhelm unfamiliar opponents. But Marquette knows the zone and is coming off a terrific performance against Xavier on Friday night. This might be an 11 vs. 3 matchup on paper, but this has all the makings of a hard-fought, Big East-style game.

What they're saying: "You've got to move the ball more than once, and we can't fall into taking quick shots. The key thing is to get it in the middle or behind the zone. We pretty much know where we can get into the gaps and make plays for each other, by us already having seen it." -- Marquette guard Dwight Buycks

"The first time around, our defense wasn't as good as it is now. Our defense is much improved, and it should mess them up a little because we'll be quicker in getting to spots we weren't able to get to in the game we lost to them." -- Syracuse guard Brandon Triche.

"I told one of our assistants, when we were leaving [Madison Square] Garden, after Louisville beat us the [in the Big East tournament], I'm so thankful that we don't have to talk about or prepare or play against a Big East program until next Christmas. And so on Sunday we're doing the Selection Show and they show Xavier first, they're the higher seed, then they show us. Everybody's like rah, rah, rah. And then the next team that pops up is Syracuse." -- Marquette coach Buzz Williams.

Of note: The Jan. 29 game was the last of a four-game losing streak for Syracuse. Orange players said their strong second-half effort in that game helped them get their season back on track by playing with more effort. ... Marquette has lost its second game in the NCAA tournament in each of the last two years and hasn't won two games since the 2003 Final Four run. ... If Marquette hits a big 3, you can be sure to see players making the "3-point goggles" gesture. The Golden Eagles claim to be the first college team to adopt the new trend, which started with the Portland Trail Blazers this season. Marquette grad Wesley Matthews told the Golden Eagles about it, and they have run with it. The goggles made an appearance in Friday's win against Xavier.

CLEVELAND -- This city has known more than its share of sports disappointments, from The Drive to The Decision, from Jordan over Ehlo to Modell's moving vans. Maybe this weekend can provide a little brightness.

Two Ohio schools are here for the East Regional second and third rounds of the NCAA tournament, including the bracket's No. 1 overall seed. Xavier coach Chris Mack, who was born in Cleveland, wasn't above a little pandering for support.

"If it helps sway the Clevelanders to come to the game ... Drew Carey, forever; Art Modell, never," he said.

Ticket sales shouldn't be a problem for the afternoon slate of events, as No. 1 Ohio State takes the floor in its home state. Starter David Lighty is from Cleveland, while big man Dallas Lauderdale and reserve Eddie Days hail from just outside the city limits. They spent the past several days scrambling for extra tickets.

"I got a couple extra tickets, but I know 80 million people here," Lighty said.

The Buckeyes would love nothing more than to begin a championship run in their home away from home. But first things first. Let's take a look at the Friday afternoon session:

No. 8 George Mason (26-6) vs. No. 9 Villanova (21-11), 2:10 p.m. ET (TBS)

What to watch: Which Villanova team shows up -- the one that began the season 16-1 or the one that wheezed to a 5-10 finish, including a first-round upset in the Big East tournament to South Florida? George Mason knows something about streakiness, too, having won a school-record 16 straight games before bowing out of the Colonial Athletic tournament against VCU. This shapes up as a good matchup of athletic, guard-oriented teams that like to get up and down the floor.

Who to watch: Like with 1980s teen movies, you have to watch the two Coreys when it comes to Villanova. Senior guards Corey Stokes and Corey Fisher make the Wildcats go, but both battled injuries during the team's slide -- Stokes had turf toe and hamstring problems, while Fisher dealt with knee tendinitis. They will have had nine days off before this game to get well, and both they say they are healthy now. Cam Long is George Mason's top scorer and a guy who can stroke it from long range.

Why to watch: Villanova looked like it was heading for a No. 1 or No. 2 seed before its late-season malaise. George Mason probably would have been seeded higher than No. 8 if it had won its conference tournament. So both these teams are talented and could get on a roll if everything comes together. It should be an entertaining game to watch. And the last time George Mason earned an at-large bid was 2006, when the Patriots advanced all the way to the Final Four.

What they're saying: "I never get tired of talking about '06. Who would get tired of people talking about a great time in your life? It just brings back great memories every time it's mentioned. And whether I'm at the barber shop getting a haircut or in the airport or restaurant, someone always comes up to me or even the guys on my staff or the players on the team, and they talk about, 'Hey, I was at the game,' or 'I met my wife at a bar the night you guys beat Connecticut.' And our president, Dr. Alan Merten, uses the quote that it's the gift that keeps on giving." -- George Mason coach Jim Larranaga on remembering the magical 2006 run.

"Being the underdog is good, but we don't consider ourselves being the underdog. We know how good we are." -- Villanova guard Corey Fisher.

Of note: Larranaga said he wasn't concerned about the ankle injuries that starters Andre Cornelius and Luke Hancock suffered during Tuesday's practice before the team left for Cleveland. Both practiced during the public workout Thursday at Quicken Loans Arena. ... The two teams played last season in Puerto Rico, with Villanova winning by one point.

No. 1 Ohio State (32-2) vs. No. 16 UT San Antonio (20-13), Approx 4:30 p.m. ET (TNT)

What to watch: The top overall seed in the tournament begins what it hopes is a six-game run. Texas-San Antonio won its first-ever NCAA tournament game on Wednesday in Dayton but will need a miracle to upset the Buckeyes in a virtual road game.

Who to watch: Take your pick among the star-studded Buckeyes starting lineup, but the guy to keep an eye on is freshman Jared Sullinger. On an otherwise veteran team, he's the newbie, and he said he feels like a high school freshman all over again this week. Still, UTSA doesn't have the size inside to handle him. For the Roadrunners, guard Melvin Johnson III scored 29 points in the First Four win over Alabama State. If he gets hot again, he could shoot his team into the game.

Why to watch: Because you want to see how Ohio State comes out in its first game, since many of you picked the Buckeyes to at least make the Final Four in your bracket. Realistically, this should be little more than a warmup game for nation's top-ranked team.

What they're saying: "Anything is possible in the tournament. If you're not ready to play, you'll end up getting beat. Every team is in the tournament for a reason. They wouldn't be here if they weren't great." -- Ohio State guard David Lighty.

Of note: A No. 16 seed has never beaten a No. 1 of course, but Ohio State coach Thad Matta was an assistant on the Western Carolina team that nearly shocked top-seeded Purdue in the 1996 first round. "I definitely know what those guys are thinking over there," he said of UTSA. ... Wednesday's win by the Roadrunners was the first NCAA tournament victory in any sport in the 30-year history of the school.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- When did E'Twaun Moore know? When did he realize he couldn't be stopped?

Was it in the first half of Purdue's 76-63 win over Ohio State on Sunday, when Moore's deep 3 cut OSU's lead to 28-27? Was it the ensuing double-clutch breakaway layup that somehow -- how? -- found its way through the net? Was it the next two shots, a pair of 3s, one of which splashed in after traveling 25 feet from Moore's extended position on the left wing?

Or was it the final possession of the first half, when Purdue cleared out for their hot-shooting senior and watched as he drained a Jordanesque -- yes, Jordanesque -- one-on-one, 17-foot stepback with one of the Big Ten's best defenders (OSU's David Lighty) draped all over him?

Which moment was it, E'Twaun? Take your pick.

Moore smiles. He hesitates.

"I think somewhere late in the first half," he said. "I hit a 3 off a pin-down [screen], and I thought, 'OK, damn. That felt good.'"

"That felt good." Purdue fans, you now have your commemorative T-shirt. You also have three simple words, words that can describe those shots, this win, the maniacs in the crowd, and that classic performance -- and it was a classic -- by one of the nation's most perennially underrated guards.

For his part, Purdue guard Lewis Jackson saw it coming the moment Moore cracked his first smile of the game.

"I know once he gets that rhythm going and steps back and hits a 3 and once he smiles, you know he has it going," Jackson said. "E'Twaun, he may put his fingers up and tell you he hit a 3-pointer, but he rarely smiles. Once he smiles, he's in a zone, and you probably won't stop him that night."

Yes, it was a feel-good day in West Lafayette, but not just because Jackson's smile-based prediction came true, not just because Moore played what he called "definitely the best" game of his collegiate career. Moore scored 38 points on 13-of-18 shooting from the field (including 7-of-10 from beyond the arc!), 5-of-7 from the charity stripe, and added five assists, four rebounds and two steals. It wasn't just that such an insanely efficient, brilliant performance came on the same day Moore surpassed the 2,000 career points mark and became one of only four players in the history of the Big Ten to record 2,000 points, 500 rebounds and 350 assists in his career.

It wasn't just because Purdue found a way to frustrate Ohio State from the inside out just enough to make it difficult for the Buckeyes on the perimeter, where Lighty, Jon Diebler, William Buford, Aaron Craft and Deshaun Thomas combined for 4-of-15 beyond the arc.

And no, it wasn't just because Purdue's win handed the former No. 1-ranked Buckeyes their second conference loss in eight days and pulled the Boilermakers within a game of OSU's once-impenetrable Big Ten title lead.

All of those reasons would be enough, but as Jackson told reporters after the game, this one felt good for different, more complicated reasons. It felt good because this season wasn't supposed to.

"We remember in October when everybody was like 'It's over for Purdue, there's no chance, they may finish in the middle of the pack,'" Jackson said. "I think that makes it more satisfying to have a week like this.

"But I also know everyone in that locker room is not that happy, because we still want to get a Big Ten championship," he added. "We still want to chase our goal of the national championship and we won't be satisfied until we get there. But I think this is a great day for us. We'll sleep great tonight."

Jackson was referring to the underlying subplot of Purdue's season: The preseason injury to forward Robbie Hummel. Hummel was recovering from last February's devastating ACL tear when he suffered the same injury in October, which would cause him to miss his senior season and the final one he would play alongside his friends and fellow classmates, Moore and Johnson. Talking to Purdue at Big Ten media day in October felt almost sad; even the most die-hard Indiana fans in the state couldn't have wished such a cruel twist of fate on the Boilermakers.

There was still business to attend to, however. With minimal dissent, the college hoops landscape rushed to react to the news, pushing Purdue down their preseason rankings, and suddenly Matt Painter's team -- despite the fact that it still had two very good players in Moore and Johnson -- was mired in doom-and-gloom.

The disrespect did not go unnoticed.

"When you drop somebody in the rankings as much as everybody [dropped us] -- and rightfully so, if you want to drop us a little bit, a lot, OK -- it really spoke to all of our guys except E'Twaun and JaJuan," Painter said. "They take that personal. Wouldn't you take it personal? They take it personal."

The questions about Painter's team -- who else would score, who else could rebound? -- have been answered by a host of role players who fit perfectly inside Painter's high-intensity system. Jackson has taken over point guard duties and defended opposing guards well. Ryne Smith is a knockdown outside shooter. Kelsey Barlow, John Hart, D.J. Byrd and a host of other previously unknown glue guys have crashed the glass, made key shots, and defended at a championship level throughout the 2011 season.

"We have good players on our team," Painter said. "Maybe they didn't get recruited by everybody, but they're good players. It's in the eye of the beholder. I think they're good; I think they fill roles for us."

Those spot contributions -- especially Jackson's -- have been key. But Purdue's impressive season has been all about Johnson and Moore. Together, the inside-out duo scores 38.6 points per game, which is 52 percent of Purdue's total mark. They've also carried the bulk of the rebounding load. Without those performances, there's simply no way Purdue is 22-5, 11-3 in conference, and within striking distance of the Big Ten conference title as of Feb. 20. No way.

Which is why college hoops fans who wrote this Purdue team off in October -- the same fans who have for four years overlooked the historic and underrated production of Moore and Johnson in favor of Hummel's stardom -- finally need to take note. These seniors, and this team, aren't defined by their teammate's injury. Johnson and Moore still want to write their own story.

For as big a win as they got Sunday, for as many capital-M Moments as E'Twaun Moore delivered, his best -- and Purdue's best -- may be yet to come.

That's something every Purdue partisan should feel good about.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The intent was to pose the question delicately, to gently ask Aaron Craft whether or not he wondered if people thought Ohio State assumed the No. 1 ranking rather than ascended to it.

Instead, Craft cut away the pretense and the politeness. “Yeah, like we’re there by default,’’ he said.

Well yeah, like that.

“There are always going to be people who doubts whoever is at the top,’’ the OSU freshman said. “We don’t really worry about that. We can’t change what people think.’’

Actually, maybe Ohio State can.

And did.

The Buckeyes’ 87-64 thumping/throttling/thrashing -- pick your painful verb of choice -- of Purdue should at least cause the critics to pause. This was a demolition derby destruction of what many people considered the second-best team in the Big Ten, a team that came to Columbus with just one conference loss and a No. 12 ranking.

And the Bucks treated the Boilermakers like an exhibition game opponent.

While the rest of the country sputtered and spurted its way through the past few days -- down goes Kansas, Syracuse swoons to its third loss in a row, Pitt loses at home -- Ohio State counter-punched with its best effort of the season.

Maybe its best game in years.

After feasting on the weaker half of the Big Ten, the Buckeyes now are starting to chomp away at the upper echelon and the wins have become more, not less, impressive. The comeback against Illinois on the road showed this team’s tenacity and the overpowering win here showed its might.

And whether they were trying to send a message or not, consecutive win No. 21 was a resounding statement to the critics who didn’t believe the Buckeyes really had the stuff of a No. 1.

“We gave a loaded answer to those questions,’’ said OSU freshman Jared Sullinger, who had 17 points and seven rebounds in 27 minutes.

The players and Thad Matta waxed eloquent about the double effort the Buckeyes gave, a smothering effort on the defensive end and an equally overwhelming job on the offensive side.

No question, they were right.

The Boilermakers looked almost tentative in the face of Ohio State’s swarm, wheezing themselves into a 22-9 hole early. The Bucks all but conceded that JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore would get theirs -- and they did, Johnson with 22 and Moore with 16 -- but after that?

Nothing.

The rest of the Boilers shot 11-of-33.

And using that defense to spur the offense, the Buckeyes blistered a Purdue team that routinely hangs its hat on defense.

The Boilermakers came in ranked 12th in the nation in scoring defense, allowing only 59.4 points a game. Ohio State hung 87 on them, the most points a Purdue team has given up in nearly two years, dating back to an 87-78 loss to Michigan on Feb. 26, 2009.

“We were all about defense in this game,’’ Sullinger said. “As long as we defend, we can be a very special team.’’

But perhaps the most telling number was this one: six. That’s how many Ohio State players finished in double-figures. Fairly or unfairly, these Buckeyes have been regarded as Jared Sullinger and his Backup Singers. The fabulous freshman has earned every bit of the attention he’s been granted, but the big boy’s big numbers have cast a shadow over his teammates.

In theory, you stop Sullinger and you can stop the Buckeyes.

And you can now put that theory right next to that flat Earth notion.

To start the game, Purdue doubled Sullinger every time he touched the ball, with Travis Carroll taking Sullinger on in the post and Johnson sliding down to help.

Except along with being a load under the basket, Sullinger is also a deft passer -- “He’s wise behind his years the way he can pass,’’ David Lighty said -- and he’s perfectly content to be unselfish.

So every time, Sullinger merely kicked the ball out and almost every time, his wide-open shooters sunk their wide-open 3-point shots. Ohio State hit 5 of 6 from behind the arc out of the gate and finished 11-of-19 for the game. (It got so silly that even Sullinger got in the action. He hit a trey himself.)

“There’s no absolute on how to defend him,’’ Purdue coach Matt Painter said of Sullinger. “If you’re able to get into him and pressure him, you might be able to disrupt him. But if you don’t, that’s how they start picking you apart and they get into that flow.’’

William Buford was the recipient of much of Sullinger’s benevolence. The junior finished with a team-high 19 points, draining 5 of 6 from 3, as well as a lesson on the use of the ellipses from his coach.

Buford twisted his ankle in the Buckeyes’ win at Illinois on Saturday. X-rays revealed no problems and Matta dismissed it as ‘nothing major’ on the Big Ten conference call on Monday. Still, the coach wanted to make sure Buford was all right before the team’s shootaround on Tuesday.

“I sent him a text and asked how he was feeling,’’ Matta said. “And he wrote back, ‘A little sore, dot, dot dot.’’ I said, ‘You don’t dot dot dot me. So we had a long conversation about what dot dot dot means.’’

A delighted Matta admitted he’d never seen quite a box score like the one laid before him after the game -- “It’s rare because I’ve never seen 21-0 before,’’ he said -- and was quick to caution people to not judge Purdue on this loss.

He was, however, less eager to put this win into context for Ohio State.

But Matta is no dummy. He knows he has something special here.

This is a team that is supposed to be wilting under the pressure of a No. 1 ranking and an undefeated record and instead in the postgame, the Buckeyes were promising (threatening?) that more scoreboard music videos were coming.

They are either blissfully ignorant of what they are doing or completely unaffected.

“I think where they have us right now, we are being judged,’’ Matta said.

True, but perhaps a little less harshly now.

Each Wednesday, your humble college basketball hoops blogger (er, me) will respond to your questions, comments and nonsensical rants in this space. To submit, visit this page by clicking the link under my name in the upper right-hand corner of the page. You can also e-mail me or send me your entries via Twitter. Let's begin with a video response to a couple of similar questions about Colorado and Louisville:

Matt from New Jersey writes: Where is Seton Hall? It returns the best scorer in the conference, the best rebounder in the conference, two great perimeter guards that can defend, an Ole Miss transfer (6-foot-6 forward Eniel Polynice) and has Jeff Robinson for a whole season. The best part is that they finally have a sane, calm coach with a good demeanor who will preach the two most important elements: defense and rebounding.

Eamonn Brennan: Matt, I assume you're asking about Seton Hall's lack of presence in various preseason discussions of the Big East, and not actually trying to find Seton Hall geographically. But just in case, here you go.

Also, I hope you are not insinuating that former Seton Hall coach Bobby Gonzalez was insane. What would make you think that?

Google Maps-related jokes aside, your question, vague though it may be, is valid. But there are a few reasons why Seton Hall probably isn't on most preseason prognosticators' minds, and I think they're valid too. The first is uncertainty. Kevin Willard takes over as a first-year coach in the Big East, and that's not an easy job for anyone, even a guy like Willard, who is familiar with the territory. Forward Herb Pope is key to Seton Hall's chances, and no one was really sure whether or not he was going to be able to play in 2010-11 -- or, for that matter, ever again. (Pope collapsed during a workout last spring but appears to be able to play this season.) The third is talent: Even with Pope, leading scorer Jeremy Hazell, and forward Jeff Robinson for much of last season, Gonzalez's team struggled to get to 9-9 in the Big East. Returning talent is nice, and adding Polynice gives the Pirates some depth, but is this team really that much better than last year's? And if not, do they really deserve the preseason love?

Don't get me wrong: Seton Hall could definitely surprise some people this season. Willard is inheriting a solid nucleus. If Pope is productive, an NCAA tournament bid is well within reach. But you can't blame preseason scribes from warily avoiding Seton Hall until the Pirates prove a few things on the court. That's only fair.

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Tom D. from Austin, Tex., writes: I saw that Duke hung 141 points on last year's CIAA champs in an exhibition game with no player getting more than 22 minutes. Does this mean anything at all?

Brennan: Let's see: The reigning NCAA national champs and 2010-11 preseason No. 1 beat a CIAA team (St. Augustine's) that lost six players? And they did so by a considerable margin?

Uh, yeah. This means nothing at all. It might actually mean less than nothing. If there was an "absolute nothing," this would be it. (Like absolute zero? See what I did there? Har? OK, moving on...)

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Stephen from Evansville, Ind., writes: Everyone always seems to get caught up on how many teams a conference gets into the NCAA tournament as a measure for the quality of the conference. What should the Missouri Valley expect as far as NCAA tournament teams and success year-in and year-out?

Brennan: In terms of resources and conference affiliation, it's a little unrealistic to expect the Missouri Valley to recreate its brilliant 2006 run, when the MVC got four NCAA tournament bids and saw two teams streak to Sweet 16 appearances. Like many other mid-majors, it's hard for teams in the MVC to put together strong overall résumés, because it's so hard to convince the big boys to play them. It ain't fair, but that's just life in the sub-high-major world.

I think the Valley would be pretty excited if it could consistently place three teams in the NCAA tournament every year. That means at least two or three programs are building the sort of long-term success that doesn't require a one-year flash in the MVC tourney to get in to the Big Dance. That could be the case this year, as both Wichita State and Creighton (and maybe even Northern Iowa) look like potential NCAA tournament teams. But it's a lot to expect from a conference like the Missouri Valley on a year-to-year basis.

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Tim Watts from Philadelphia, writes: Will Ohio State still be a contending team without superstar Evan Turner? And do they have a chance of winning the Big Ten over Michigan State?

Brennan: Yes and yes. Turner was a special player, but Ohio State has a coterie of experienced guards who can share Turner's ballhandling and scoring roles (William Buford, David Lighty, Jon Diebler), and could end up being much deeper and more balanced than last season's team. That's because forward Jared Sullinger could be a Big Ten Player of the Year candidate in the post, and OSU's other highly touted recruits should be able to contribute right away. Sullinger remains unproven, so you have to give Michigan State the nod, but if he pans out, the Buckeyes might be even better than last season. Hard to imagine after the year Turner had, but imagine it anyway.

(As an aside, I hope I'm not the only college hoops fan who is thoroughly disappointed with how Turner's NBA career -- thus far marred by supposed attitude problems and lack of productivity -- has begun. Philly coach Doug Collins even benched Turner for Wednesday night's season opener, instead opting for ... Jason Kapono. What a bummer.)

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Tony Waffen from Wasilla, Alaska, writes: What is your evaluation of the Saint Mary's Gaels this year? And what happened to Omar Samhan?

Brennan: Greetings from Wasilla? I promise not to make any Sarah Palin jokes. I think I can hold off.

I also think St. Mary's is clearly a notch or two below Gonzaga this season, if only because coach Randy Bennett doesn't have a clear replacement for the inside-out forward combo of Samhan and Ben Allen. But Mickey McConnell and Matthew Dellavedova are as good a guard combo as the WCC will have -- McConnell shot 51 percent from 3 last season, which is just silly -- and with a few contributions from guys like Clint Steindl and Jorden Page, I think Saint Mary's is still a factor at the top of their conference.

As for Omar? After an encouraging stint with the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA summer league, Samhan signed a contract with Zalgiris Kaunus, a club in Lithuania. There's a decent chance Samhan gets a few more NBA looks -- he definitely made an impression on a handful of GMs this summer -- but for now, he's getting paid to play hoops in Eastern Europe. There are worse fates. (And let's hope Omar has been brushing up on his Lithuanian, so he can be the funniest basketball player on two continents, and not just one.)

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Derek Rainbolt from Bloomington, Ind., writes: With Kentucky, Florida, Tennessee and Georgia leading the way for the SEC, why does it seem the league is not getting national buzz?

Brennan: And let's not forget Mississippi State and Vanderbilt, both of whom are likely NCAA tournament teams. This is a good conference.

That said, I'm not sure I agree with your premise. "National buzz" is sort of hard to gauge in the first place, but from where I'm sitting (and I might not be the best judge, since I basically spend every day holed away in front of my computer reading and writing about college basketball), I'm not sure the SEC has received any less of this mythical buzz than conferences like the ACC or the Big East, both of which have their strong teams, but both of which are less deep than we're used to. In any case, if the SEC isn't getting the requisite amount of love, that will change as soon as its top five or six teams start proving themselves this winter. Until then, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

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Eric from Bethlehem, Pa., writes: Would you consider C.J. McCollum of Lehigh one of the top players in the mid-major ranks? He dominated the Patriot League and played well against Kansas in the NCAA tournament last season.

Brennan: Why yes, yes I would. McCollum won player of the year and rookie of the year awards as a freshman at Lehigh last season. That's big-time stuff no matter the conference, and his performance in the first round of the NCAA tournament -- 26 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block -- was very impressive. Maybe the most exciting thing about McCollum (assuming he doesn't decide to transfer at some point, in which case, sorry, Lehigh fans) is that he was only a freshman. He's already one of the better mid-major players in the country, and his ceiling remains very high.

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Armand from Springfield, Mo., writes: How much more does Mike Anderson need to do to get some respect? Look at the last two seasons: Big 12 champs in 2008 with an Elite Eight finish. Second round in 2009, with inferior talent compared to K-State, Kansas, Texas and Baylor. Despite a proven system, every fall experts predict Missouri to finish behind all these teams. Well, now we have the best junior college transfer in the country as well as a five-star recruit in Tony Mitchell (eligible in the spring sem., right when conference play begins). Mizzou will be a force to be reckoned with and Big 12 coaches realize this, but the media never seems to. #TheFastest40Minutes

Brennan: First of all, hashtag in a mailbag question gets an immediate thumbs up. You should shorten that and use it to live-tweet Missouri games. After all, like Forrest Gump said, you never know what you're going to trend.

Second, Mizzou fans are awesome. I'm not being sarcastic. Every week the mailbag has at least two or three Missouri-related questions or comments. Columbia is excited about their program.

Then again, why shouldn't they be? I have a couple of soft spots when it comes to Missouri basketball. I love uptempo play, I love a properly run full-court press, and I love a coach who is willing to buck the conventional X's-and-O's wisdom to run a chaotic, onions-to-the-wall style because he believes in it. Mike Anderson has done all three at Missouri, and there's no question it's paid off.

Last Thursday at Big 12 media day, Anderson made a comment to a reporter about his team's propensity to be ranked in the lower half of the league before the season, only to finish among the conference's leaders. I asked him if he thought his system explained the gap. He downplayed it, telling me he thought his players didn't get enough credit, that he had had some underrated talent in his tenure, and that his staff worked hard to develop his guys as the season went along.

It was a nice answer, but it's barely half-right; his system deserves a lot of the credit. Missouri puts opponents on their heels for a full 40 minutes. They shoot from anywhere on the court, they force you to rebound on every possession, they make you move the ball 80 feet to get into your offense, and they don't let up once you do. It's brilliant to watch, and I think it's better proof that undermatched teams can change the conditions of the game than anything Malcolm Gladwell cited last year.

The scary part is what happens when Missouri has the same kind of talent as Kansas, Kansas State, Baylor and Texas. Assuming Mitchell is able to get eligible for the spring semester, the Tigers will be a fearsome bunch. And, as always, incredibly fun to watch.

For the next month or so, our friends at The Mag are previewing one high-profile school per day for their Summer Buzz series. For the sake of all that is synergistic, yours truly will be attempting the same, complementing each comprehensive Insider preview with some adjusted efficiency fun. Today's subject: Ohio State . Up next? Illinois.

It's still too early to make 2010-11 season predictions. Instead, allow me to make a prediction about the 2010-11 preview season: In every single season preview written about the Ohio State Buckeyes, you are going to hear one name over and over: Evan Turner.

Why wouldn't you? Turner was the Buckeyes in 2010-11. Watching Ohio State play was to watch Turner dominate in the way most talented sixth-graders dominate: consistently and comprehensively. Turner was on the ball at all times. He played point guard, even though he's a 6-foot-7 wing player, mostly because it seemed like the easiest way to get him the ball. Ohio State head coach Thad Matta coached Turner and the Buckeyes the exact way you or I would coach the aforementioned talented sixth-grader: "OK, guys, let's keep it simple. Evan, go score. On three, win!"

And why not? It worked. Turner was the consensus national player of the year, Ohio State won a share of the Big Ten title, and the Buckeyes were a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament before falling short in the Sweet Sixteen.

So, naturally, the impulse when previewing the Buckeyes is to wonder: What happens now? Who scores all those points? (Turner scored 20.4 points per game.) Who handles the ball? (Turner had the third highest possession percentage in the NCAA.) Who rebounds so well from the guard position? (Turner grabbed 9.2 rebounds per game; his defensive rebounding rate ranked him No. 65 in the country.) Who finds sharpshooting teammates for wide-open looks? (Turner's assist rate of 37.4 was the eighth-highest in the country.)

Who replaces Evan Turner?

The answer, of course, is nobody. But if the Buckeyes can recalibrate their lineup well enough -- and get big contributions from much-hyped incoming forward Jared Sullinger -- that answer could very well be: everybody.

After seeing Sullinger play at the Nike Skills Camp earlier this summer, I wrote that it was easy to see the Buckeyes completely changing their style in 2010-11. That means a menagerie of players have to chip away at what Turner did all by his lonesome.

The point guard spot is still up for grabs, and Matta is hesitant to turn over the reins to freshman recruit Aaron Craft. So why not slide guard William Buford and Jon Diebler into combo-guard roles and have both split some semblance of point responsibilities in the wake of Turner's absence? This could work: Buford turned the ball over on only 13 percent of his possessions in 2009-10, while Diebler, who gave it away at a rate of 11.3 percent, was even better. The addition of Deshaun Thomas, the No. 3 small forward in the class of 2010, means Buford and Diebler can afford to play even further from the basket.

Likewise, with Sullinger and Thomas entering the fold -- joining veteran big man Dallas Lauderdale under the hoop -- the Buckeyes shouldn't need a do-everything guard to clean up on the defensive glass. Their bigs should be able to handle that responsibility in more conventional fashion: block-out, rebound, outlet, run.

Offensively, Ohio State should be more balanced. Post looks for Sullinger and Lauderdale should lead to open shots for Buford, Diebler and senior guard David Lighty. No one player needs to dominate the ball, and no one player needs to take a majority of shots. The Buckeyes' look and feel should be totally different -- less guard-heavy, less reliant on a handful of similar talents, more plodding, bigger, stronger, deeper.

It will be very, very difficult to replace the impact Evan Turner had on the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2009-10. It would be impossible to do so with one player. But if the Buckeyes can mix the unconventional (the Buford-Diebler hybrid point guard setup) with the conventional (a greater focus on interior play, and better rebounding in the post) they might find a way to replace Turner's 34.7 percent possession rate by committee. In fact, it's the only way.

CHICAGO -- Evan Turner did everything.

That's what star players do for their teams, but Turner was something different. A 6-foot-7 point guard so athletically dominant and preternaturally skilled, Turner made Ohio State coach Thad Matta's offense often resemble that of a sixth-grade coach with a particularly well-developed 12-year-old. "Everybody get out of the way. Evan, get the ball, dribble up the floor, and score. OK, break!"

It worked. The Buckeyes fell short of the Final Four, but they had their best season since the Greg Oden- and Mike Conley-powered 2007 runner-up finish. Now, Turner is gone. The question for an experienced Ohio State team facing its first season without the national player of the year -- Turner was drafted No. 2 overall in the 2010 NBA draft -- is how you replace him. If you can.

Maybe you can't. But you can do what Matta did: Recruit a bunch of really big, really good players, mix them in with your talented veterans, and see what happens.

This is where Jared Sullinger comes in.

"He's a big boy," Ohio State junior guard William Buford said at this weekend's Nike Skills Camp. "He could give us a major interior presence."

Wait. Who?

For all of the (deserved) hype about Harrison Barnes, the No. 1-ranked player in the class of 2010, and Duke import Kyrie Irving, a point guard ranked No. 3, little has been said outside recruiting circles about No. 2. That's Sullinger, a 6-foot-8 interior monster, the gem of another impressive Matta recruiting class, and Ohio State's best post-Turner chance of immediately returning to the college hoops elite.

At the Nike camp on Saturday, Sullinger showed off what recruiting services have been saying about him for years. Is he big? Check. Can he rebound? Check. Can he score in the post? In the limited workout I saw, yes.

Sullinger had two particularly impressive moments in Chicago, both of which came against a collection of the best big men in college basketball. The first was thundering. Lingering by the free throw line, Sullinger drifted to the front of the rim as his teammate's layup careened off the backboard. In one surprisingly athletic moment, Sullinger sprang his huge frame airborne, grabbed the ball at the top of his jump and slammed it through the rim with a basketball scream -- "AHHHHH!!" -- for the ages. Ten years ago, that backboard shatters.

The second was more subtle. Sullinger moved into the left block, caught the ball high and turned smoothly over his left shoulder to hit a little right-handed baby hook. The forward has been working on his interior touch lately -- you can't dunk everything, not in college -- and it seems to have paid off.

"The game is more physical," Sullinger said. "Referees are going to let you play. So I'm just trying to get used to that, to do more things with the ball."

Considering the competition, a collection of the best big men in college basketball (most of whom were experienced upperclassmen), Sullinger acquitted himself well.

"These are the best big men in college basketball today," he said. "I'm adjusting to that level."

There are more adjustments Sullinger could make. The 18-year-old isn't exactly out of shape, but compared to the muscular veterans surrounding him, it was clear how much he could benefit from a college-level fitness regimen at Ohio State. Still, Sullinger's size is his advantage. Few players are gifted with his wide, lane-clearing shape, and even fewer have so much athleticism to go with it.

Sullinger's entry into the OSU ranks comes at a particularly good time, and that's not only because the Buckeyes lost Turner. Depth, or lack thereof, killed Ohio State last season. Nowhere was Matta's bench thinner than in the frontcourt, where forward Dallas Lauderdale lacked a valid backup. When Lauderdale needed a rest, or suffered foul trouble, the Bucks were stuck.

Sullinger changes that. With Turner gone and the point guard position up for grabs, it's not hard to imagine the freshman playing alongside Lauderdale. That would arguably give Ohio State the Big Ten's best frontcourt. Add Deshaun Thomas, a 6-foot-7 small forward recruit ranked No. 3 at his position in 2010, and the Buckeyes have three players who can play in the post without a noticeable drop-off in skill.

In the end, that might be the biggest adjustment Ohio State makes: The transition from a four-guard set with one dominant ball handler to a bigger, stronger, deeper and more dominating lineup. The Buckeyes should be less reliant on outside shooting, more eager to bang in the post and, all told, more balanced.

"We have a lot of veterans coming back, a lot of really good players coming in," Buford said. "We're all leaders. Now it's time to work, to get better and to see if we can do even better than last year."

Ohio State? Without Evan Turner? Better?

It's a scary thought. But with the talented Sullinger in the fold, and with guards like Buford, Jon Diebler, and David Lighty all back, it also seems, well, downright plausible.

Evan Turner did everything.

Wait -- who's Evan Turner?

ST. LOUIS -- Quick thoughts from Ohio State 42, Tennessee 39:

Very good game so far -- close, competitive, well-played offensively, a lot of open shots going in, neither team able to take command. Tennessee is the physically superior team -- bigger and better athletes. But Ohio State has more skill and a bit better shot selection.

• Ohio State shot a smoking 56 percent from the field and 55 percent from 3-point range. Tennessee shot 46 percent and 50 percent from 3.

• After falling behind 11-4 almost immediately, Tennessee tightened its defense considerably. The Volunteers went on a 13-2 run for a four-point lead, and after that it was back and forth the rest of the half.

• Ohio State was in an early crisis when David Lighty got his second foul with 13:43 left in the half and went to the bench. But the Buckeyes got a nice lift off the bench from Jeremie Simmons, who made three 3-pointers. He was the hot man late while William Buford (12 points) was the scorer early for Ohio State.

• National Player of the Year Evan Turner had to work for his stats, particularly when guarded by pesky point guard Melvin Goins. But at intermission his numbers look like they always look: 10 points, three rebounds, four assists. You cannot shut him out of the box score.

• Cameron Tatum did not miss for Tennessee. Made all three field goals and all three free throws for a team-high 11 points in just nine minutes. J.P. Prince continued his stellar NCAA tournament play with nine points, three assists and no turnovers.

• Players and coaches alike were unhappy with the officiating, especially the first 12 or so minutes. The refs were calling it closely and mysteriously for a while, and it took a while for everyone to adjust.

MILWAUKEE -- Some quick postgame thoughts from Ohio State's better-late-than-never 75-66 win over Georgia Tech:

• Well, that's more like it: The Buckeyes struggled to get good looks in the first half, and their offense was almost entirely limited to standstill half-court sets against Georgia Tech's grinding defense. By the first few minutes of the second half, Ohio State looked like a different team playing an entirely different game. The Buckeyes got out on the break, opening up with a series of layups and dunks en route to an 18-6 run in the first 7:30 of the second half. The looks that wouldn't fall for OSU in the first half began to fall with more frequency. Jon Diebler got hot. The most important bit, though, was the type of shots the Buckeyes were getting. It's a lot harder to miss dunks.
• Georgia Tech, meanwhile, didn't do much to keep up. The Yellow Jackets went long stretches without leading scorer Gani Lawal, who was saddled with foul trouble throughout the game. Without him, Tech's offense devolved into a plodding inside-out half-court mess that didn't yield much in the way of good looks. Freshman uber-recruit Derrick Favors is clearly talented, but he has a long way to go until he becomes an effective back-to-the-basket player.
• Credit the Jackets for sticking around, though. Georgia Tech could have gone away softly after Ohio State took over, but Favors and company came back and cut the deficit to four with 1:50 remaining. Turner made two free throws, Glen Rice Jr. missed a long 3, and David Lighty was given an intentional foul on the ensuing break. Paul Hewitt and Georgia Tech's fate was sealed.
• Evan Turner Watch: Unlike Friday, Turner looked like his normal self in the stat line, scoring 24 points, grabbing nine rebounds, dishing eight assists and grabbing three steals. (Turner, as he is prone to do, also had a big turnover day, finishing with nine.) Like Friday, Turner was once again clearly frustrated with the officials, doing the whole "I'll look at you incredulously and then walk away laughing" thing that he's perfected in the first two rounds here. To be fair, Turner was getting hacked. But it's clear his appeals to the officials, much like the appeals of his coach, are falling on deaf ears.
• Watching Diebler shoot in person is ... well, I don't want to say it's an honor, because that feels too maudlin. But it is a genuine joy. Diebler has one of the purest strokes in college basketball. The form is perfect, the release lightning quick. He's one of those rare shooters whose shots you expect to go down every time the ball leaves his hand. At this point, that calculation is the smart one.

MILWAUKEE -- We're down to the final two games of what has been a fairly well-played -- and certainly well-organized -- regional this weekend. Sure, it lacked the first-round insanity experienced in other parts of the country, but there's still plenty of time. Let's run it down:

Midwest Region: Ohio State (2) vs. Georgia Tech (10), 2:20 p.m. ET


Key to the game: Can Ohio State stop Georgia Tech's size? In a way, Ohio State is a much better, more talented version of the Oklahoma State Cowboys, who Georgia Tech was able to outlast on Friday. The Jackets' strategy was never a mystery. Paul Hewitt wants his team to get the ball down low to forwards Gani Lawal and Derrick Favors -- preferably Lawal, if it's a back-to-the-basket situation -- where the Jackets hold a size-plus-talent advantage over just about anyone in the country. Oklahoma State was a guard-oriented team without the size to really stop Georgia Tech down low. The same goes for Ohio State, which, while much more talented on the perimeter, really only ever plays one center at a time and ignores its bench for huge stretches of most games. Does Ohio State change what it's done successfully thus far? Or do the Buckeyes counter the Jackets' size with their offensive versatility on the other end, daring the Jackets to keep up with the likes of Evan Turner, David Lighty, William Buford, and Jon Diebler all at once?

Player to watch: Turner is the obvious choice here. He struggled in the Buckeyes' easy win over UCSB Friday night. Georgia Tech shut down a similarly talented guard in Oklahoma State's James Anderson Friday. Do the Jackets get the best of Turner? Or does the guard rebound with a Turner-esque performance?

Who has the edge: It's a little easy to make too much of Georgia Tech's size, which does present matchup problems for the Buckeyes, but it's also important to remember why Georgia Tech struggled for so much of the season: Size doesn't equal cohesion. The Buckeyes should prove to be too complete for Hewitt's sporadic team.

West Region: Pittsburgh (3) vs. Xavier (6), 4:50 p.m.


Key to the game: Team defense. Pittsburgh doesn't have any bonafide stars, but they do play a balanced style that forces their opponents to defend all five players at any given time; there are few opportunities to cheat in help-side against the Panthers. Xavier will have to submit a complete, comprehensive defensive performance to keep Pittsburgh from getting too many open, settled looks. The reverse of that is that Pittsburgh will likewise have to play good team defense against Xavier, whose efficient offense starts with Jordan Crawford, but can just as easily end with Terrell Holloway or Jason Love. Xavier wants to push the pace; Pittsburgh wants to slow it down. When Xavier does run, Pitt will have to pick up Crawford in the secondary break immediately, or they'll be on their heels trying to defend a player whose offensive creativity makes that very difficult to do.

Player to watch: As with Turner above, Crawford is the obvious pick here. As he goes, so goes the Xavier offense. Also keep an eye on Pittsburgh leading scorer Ashton Gibbs. Pitt had six scorers in double figures against Oakland Friday; Gibbs was not one of them.

Who has the edge: Pittsburgh, but only barely. The Panthers are a good enough defensive team to stall Crawford and prevent other players from beating them, and their willingness to control the pace of the game should be enough to slow down Chris Mack's team. But if Crawford gets hot, look out. This one could go either way.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Evan Turner carried Ohio State into the Big Ten tournament championship game.

His teammates did the rest. With Turner's help, of course.

Turner still played a huge role in a 90-61 win against Minnesota, but backcourt mates David Lighty, Jon Diebler and William Buford borrowed the spotlight for a bit. Lighty and Diebler -- along with Turner, of course -- keyed the decisive 23-5 run midway through the second half. Ohio State was the aggressor immediately after halftime, Minnesota countered and then the Buckeyes delivered the knockout blow with layups and 3-pointers.

Ohio State made a convincing case for a No. 1 seed today, but the spot likely will go to Duke or West Virginia. Still, if the Buckeyes play like this, there's a decent chance they'll be back in Indy in three weeks. They scored 57 points in the second half.

The wait now begins for Minnesota, which had a very impressive tournament but would have liked a less lopsided result against Ohio State. It's debatable how much this game matters to the selection committee, but Minnesota must hope the bracket was finalized around 4:30 p.m. ET.

For a group that played almost every minute of the tournament together, Ohio State's backcourt only got stronger as things went along. To the surprise of no one, Turner was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player after recording 31 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Lighty added 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while Diebler (19 points) and Buford (13 points) also stepped up.

Minnesota didn't get nearly the same production from its key contributors. Guard Blake Hoffarber (0 points, 0-for-2 shooting) was a total nonfactor and got schooled by Diebler, and center Ralph Sampson III looked too tentative in the final. Lawrence Westbrook, Devoe Joseph and Damian Johnson did their part, but Ohio State simply had too much firepower.

Only one team has claimed the Big Ten tournament title by winning four games in four days, and Minnesota seemed to wear down today.