Ohio State head coach Thad Matta placed extra emphasis on non-conference games this season after losses kept them from a berth in the NCAA Tournament last year. If the Buckeyes ultimately miss the tournament again, Tuesday night's 79-77 overtime loss to Florida Atlantic will certainly loom large.
The Owls entered the game with a 2-5 record, with losses to Hawai'i, Hofstra, SIU Edwardsville, Tennessee Martin and Texas State. But Nick Rutherford's runner in the lane with one second remaining in the extra frame sent the Owls' bench into a frenzy.
Trevor Thompson scored 16 points and Jae'Sean Tate chipped in 12 for Ohio State, which fell to 7-2 with the loss. Clemson transfer Adonis Filer led Florida Atlantic with 23 points, meanwhile.
The Buckeyes conclude a three-game homestand against Connecticut on Sunday, Dec. 10. Tip-off at Value City Arena at the Jerome Schottenstein Center is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Check out photos from the game above.
