TULSA, Okla. – Chris Holtmann made a choice at the end of the regular season to ride his upperclassmen, and his pair of fifth-year senior guards repaid him for the confidence.
Keyshawn Woods kept Ohio State's postseason hopes alive, scoring 19 points in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday and finishing in double figures in both Big Ten tournament games. C.J. Jackson had 17 points in the Buckeyes' win against Indiana in the first round of the conference tournament and led the team with 18 points on Sunday.
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| OHIO STATE (20-15) | 31 | 28 | 59 |
| HOUSTON (33-3) | 39 | 35 | 74 |
However, Jackson's scoring outburst wasn't enough. Houston ended Ohio State's season and the backcourt duo's careers by beating the Buckeyes, 74-59, in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Sunday.
Fabian White Jr. hit a shot with 6:01 remaining in the first half to give the Cougars a lead they never relinquished the remainder of the game. Houston slowly extended its lead, and an 8-2 run midway through the second half gave it an 11-point edge.
Four different Cougars players finished in double figures, with Corey Davis Jr. dropping a team-high 21 points.
| OHIO STATE | STAT | HOUSTON |
|---|---|---|
| 59 | POINTS | 74 |
| 19-49 (38.8%) | FGM-FGA (PCT.) | 26-56 (46.4%) |
| 10-29 (34.5%) | 3PM-3PA (PCT.) | 5-19 (26.3%) |
| 11-16 (68.8%) | FTM-FTA (PCT.) | 17-25 (68.0%) |
| 14 | TURNOVERS | 6 |
| 31 | TOTAL REBOUNDS | 37 |
| 6 | OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 9 |
| 25 | DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 28 |
| 5 | BENCH POINTS | 16 |
| 0 | BLOCKS | 2 |
| 4 | STEALS | 12 |
| 12 | ASSISTS | 10 |
Houston, which entered Sunday with the nation's best defensive efficiency, stifled Wesson inside, forcing other players to beat them. The Buckeyes found few openings to drive, forcing them to rely heavily on shots from beyond the arc. They shot fine from 3-point range (10 for 29), but the lack of ability to score inside made them overly one-dimensional.
The Cougars forced Ohio State to commit 14 turnovers, which led to 13 points. Houston coughed it up just six times. On the glass, the Cougars grabbed nine offensive rebounds.
Kaleb Wesson scored 15 points, with seven of them coming from the free-throw line. Woods had 10 points.
Game Notes
- The Buckeyes started the same five that they used in the Big Ten tournament and in the first round of the NCAA tournament, opening the game with C.J. Jackson, Keyshawn Woods, Musa Jallow, Andre Wesson and Kaleb Wesson.
- Musa Jallow was the first player charged with defending Corey Davis Jr., a 6-foot-1 guard who leads Houston with 16 points per game.
- Luther Muhammad left the game midway through the first half and headed to the locker room with trainer Jeff Deits. However, he returned shortly after and got his legs stretched before
- Both teams were involved in a skirmish at the end of the first half when Woods missed a shot with the clock running out. DeJon Jarreau yelled at Woods and took a step toward him, then Woods turned around and they went face to face. Players and coaches ran out onto the court, but no punches were thrown.
- Jarreau and Woods each were assessed with technical fouls for the end-of-half fracas.
- Jackson finished his career with more than 1,000 points.
- This was the final Ohio State game for Woods, Jackson and Joey Lane.
