Big Ten Semifinals: Ohio State Knocks Off No. 1 Seed Michigan, 68-67

Ohio State almost let another lead slip away, but the Buckeyes held on to beat top-seeded Michigan 68-67 when Wolverines guard Mike Smith missed a last-second jumper in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Finishing games hasn't been easy for No. 9-ranked Ohio State lately, but the Buckeyes did just enough to knock off top-seeded Michigan on Saturday in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. They survived a last-second shot to hold off the Wolverines, 68-67.

With the win, the Buckeyes advance to Sunday's Big Ten championship game against the winner of the second semifinal game between Illinois and Iowa. 

Ohio State (21-8) was once considered a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but it finished the regular season with four straight losses and were actually the fifth-seed here in Indianapolis. But the Buckeyes beat Minnesota and Purdue to get another shot at Michigan, and they made the most of it, thanks to huge games from guard Duane Washington Jr. (24 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists) and E.J. Liddell (18 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists.)

The Buckeyes also were great from the perimeter, making 12-of-22 three-pointers.

Ohio State had blown double-digit leads to both Minnesota and Purdue, so even though the Buckeyes got off to a good start against Michigan -- and team that had beaten them 92-87 earlier this season -- they could never breathe easy.

Neither team led by more than four points in the first half, and it stayed that way until the 12:20 mark in the second half. Trailed 43-42, Washington hit one of his five three-pointers to give the Buckeyes a lead they would not relinquish. They scored 11 unanswered points to lead 52-43 and built the lead to 63-50 after a pair of Liddell free throws with 4:19 to go.

And then it happened -- again.

Michigan methodically chipped away and got the lead down to six, and then, while pressing, Wolverines center Hunter Dickinson got a steal in the backcourt and scored. With 1:01 to go, Liddell dropped the ball out of bounds and Michigan answered with a quick three-pointer from Chaundee Brown to make it 68-67.

Ohio State  ran the clock down, but then point guard C.J. Walker turned it over, too. Michigan had the ball, with the shot clock off.

Point guard Mike Smith, who was Friday's hero over Maryland when he had 18 points and a tournament-record 15 assists, dribbled the clock down and looked to penetrate. There was nothing available though, so he stepped back and put up a three-pointer, but bounded off the rim.

Michigan went for the last shot.

It missed.@OhioStateHoops holds on, 68-67, and will face the Illinois-Iowa winner in tomorrow's #B1GTourney final. pic.twitter.com/T8XFLTPUdh

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 13, 2021

Neither team came into the game healthy. Michigan played without senior forward Isaiah Livers, who is now indefinitely with a stress fracture in his foot. He's the Wolverines' second-leading scorer (13.1 points per game).

Ohio State forward Ryan Young couldn't go either. He was out after suffering a concussion during the Buckeyes' quarterfinal win over Purdue. Young, who had scored 18 first-half points on Friday, was hit with an elbow to the head, and was placed in concussion protocol. He also had a concussion earlier this year. 

Ohio State feels like they've been making amends here in Indianapolis, because they were a combined 0-4 against Minnesota, Purdue and Michigan during the season.