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| Denver's B.J. Pratt tries to drive around Ohio State's Brian Brown. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete) |
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Dec. 7) - The University of Denver men's basketball team, outsized and overmatched against Big Ten power Ohio State, were humbled in their first trip to Columbus since 1953, losing 83-46 on Dec. 7. With the loss Denver's season record drops to 2-4. Ohio State improves to 4-2.
The first half proved to be the difference in the game as after the Pioneers had tied the game at 11 with 14:04 remaining, they went the next 9:44 without a basket as the Buckeyes went on a 19-0 run to take a 30-11 lead. Sophomore B.J. Pratt (San Antonio, Texas) mercifully ended the drought with a three-pointer at the 4:20 mark to cut the Ohio State lead to 30-14.
The Pioneers managed to trim the Buckeye lead to 34-18 with just over a minute remaining, but Ohio State went on another extended run and outscored Denver 9-0 in the final minute to take a 43-18 lead into the locker room. It was the Pioneers' largest halftime deficit this season.
After taking care of the ball Sunday in an 83-65 win over Brown when the Pioneers committed a season-low 12 turnovers, the crowd of 17,566 helped contribute to Denver's season-high 18 giveaways in the first half. The Buckeyes had eight players score in the first half and shot a lights out 63.3 percent (19-for-30) for their biggest halftime lead of the season.
The second half was more of the same as Denver endured another near four minute scoring drought as Ohio State went on a 11-0 run to take its largest lead of the game at 61-20. Denver would cut the lead to 33 points with 6:50 to play in the game, but would get no closer as Ohio State improved to 32-3 in its three seasons at Value City Arena.
Denver committed a season-high 32 turnovers en route to their worst defeat since a 48-point defeat to Oregon last season.
Ohio State outscored Denver 43-18 in the first half and 40-28 in the second.
"When you turn the ball over as many times as we did against a team with that many weapons, it really is hard to come out of here with a win," Denver head coach Marty Fletcher said. "We have to play a whole lot better."
Pratt paced the Pioneers with 17 points. Junior Steve Simmons (Salt Lake City, Utah) led Denver with seven rebounds. Senior Ken Johnson led the Buckeyes with 16 points.
Things don't get any easier for Denver as they are next in action Wednesday, Dec. 13 when they play host to Pacific-10 Conference member Oregon State at Magness Arena. Tip is set for 7:00 p.m.
