Thu Apr 3 21:49:31 2008

Comment | Email | Print

Buckeyes beat UMass for NIT title

---

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Kosta Koufos scored 23 points and grabbed six rebounds and Ohio State, one year removed from falling short in the NCAA Tournament championship game, won the National Invitation Tournament title game, 92-85, over Massachusetts.

Othello Hunter scored 17 points and raked in nine rebounds for the Buckeyes (24-13), who won the second NIT title in school history. Ohio State also won the NIT in 1986. Evan Turner scored 20 points and grabbed six boards, and Jamar Butler had 19 points and eight assists for the Buckeyes, a year after their run to the Final Four, which ended in a championship game rout to Florida, an NIT semifinalist this year.

Ricky Harris scored 27 points, making 7-of-13 three-pointers, for the Minutemen (25-11), who made the deepest postseason run in the history of the men's basketball program, but failed to bring home the first championship. Etienne Brower scored 17 points and ripped down 12 boards, and Gary Forbes had 16 points.

Dante Milligan scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds for UMass, which saw it's magical comeback ride through the NIT come to an end.

The Minutemen trailed Akron by 12 in the second round, Syracuse by 22 in the quarterfinals, and Florida by 10 in the semifinals, only to come back and win each game. UMass held the lead at the break, but fell behind early in the second half and couldn't come up with another comeback.

Harris nailed back-to-back three-pointers, the second with 6:21 left, tying the game at 68-68. Koufos answered with a three of his own, though, pushing Ohio State back on top.

Another Harris three pulled UMass within 77-75 with 3:13 remaining, but Hunter slammed home a dunk, and Butler drained a three, putting the Ohio State edge at 82-75.

Turner twice made one-of-two from the line down the stretch, giving the Minutemen a chance to cut into the lead, but UMass went cold at the wrong time, and Ohio State pulled away at the charity stripe.

The Buckeyes shot 63.3 percent from the field in the second half, while UMass struggled to a 34.7 percent performance.

UMass opened the game with a 10-2 run, but the Buckeyes responded with nine straight, and a Butler three put Ohio State on top 11-10 with 16:02 remaining.

Harris heated up midway through the half, pouring in 11 points in a five- minute span. Harris drilled three three-pointers, including consecutive treys that pushed the Minutemen ahead 23-19 with 11:38 left.

Luke Bonner and Forbes drained back-to-back threes later in the half, and the UMass lead reached 37-27 with 3:51 to play in the half. Turner answered with consecutive threes, though, and the Buckeyes were able to cut to within 41-36 at the half.

Game Notes

The Minutemen outrebounded Ohio State, 49-37...This was UMass' second trip to the NIT Final Four (1991)...The two games this week were the first-ever for the Minutemen in April...Ohio State also appeared in the NIT title game in 1988, when it lost to Connecticut...The Buckeyes' record over past two seasons, a combined 59-17 after a 35-4 mark last season, is the most wins and the most games in a two-year span in school history.