Ohio State Survives Kaleb Wesson's Struggles to Beat Michigan

Andre Wesson's fortunate three-pointer sparks OSU getaway

Sometimes, it's not how you do it, it's just enough that you do it.

So, don't quibble with the method of Andre Wesson's three-point field goal with 5:45 left that served as the body blow to No. 19 Michigan in Ohio State's win Sunday at Value City Arena.

Just know it Wesson's key triple landed hard ... just before the shot clock expired, off the backboard, from straight on, 25 feet away, and went straight through the net.

And the Wolverines' heart.

Although the eventual 77-63 final betrayed the closeness of the affair throughout, No. 23 Ohio State needed Wesson's improbable triple to fight off an advance within 56-54.

Big brother Kaleb Wesson, who could get only one of nine field goals inside the arc to drop, tacked on his third of four three-pointers right after that.

Suddenly, what had been a two-point lead was eight and the Buckeyes were home free to their eighth win in 10 games.

"They'll be times when someone banks in a three against us," OSU coach Chris Holtmann said. "That's tough. Those are a little bit of a back-breaker."

Michigan, which started the week the hottest team in the Big Ten after winning five straight, was as good as done at that point, victims of a second straight loss because of a long-range attacks.

"When you give up 11 threes, 22 in two games (against Wisconsin and OSU)...one team shoots 47% and they shoot 52% from three today, it's very disappointing," Michigan coach Juwan Howard said.

Kaleb Wesson doubled the pain, and the irony, when he banked home a three with 1:36 left. That followed his only two-point basket in nine tries against seven-footer Jon Teske, who Wesson dominated in OSU's earlier win in Ann Arbor.

This time, Wesson missed all seven of his attempts in the lane in the first half, and yet OSU still let, 32-29, thanks to 12 of Duane Washington's eventual game-high 20 points.

Washington hit five-of-seven from long range to highlight a balanced scoring attack that overcame Kyle Young's absence for a second straight game.

Young's ankle injury, suffered last Sunday in an upset of No. 7 Maryland, and Alonzo Gaffney's on-going illness that also kept him out of a Thursday win at Nebraska, again limited OSU to eight scholarship players.

"Our older guys stepped up and made major plays today," Holtmann said. "It's a credit to them."

The Wessons each scored 14 points, Luther Muhammad contributed 10 and C.J. Walker had 15, seven assists, six rebounds and only one turnover in 37 minutes.

All five Ohio State's starters played more than 32 minutes to complete a makeover from what was a 2-6 Big Ten mark to now 10-8 entering a 7 p.m. Thursday home finale against Illinois.

The Buckeyes' (20-9, 10-8) eight wins in their last 10 conference games matches league-leading Maryland for the best record over that span.

"We realize, plenty of people wrote us off when we were 2-6," Holtmann said. "Make fun of us. We had people making fun of us, putting all their sarcastic Tweets out there. I've got them all saved. All of them.

"So, listen, we get it. I think We had to close ranks and find a way to try to come together and try to perform better and own why we were struggling and the things we were doing to struggle.

"That goes back to the guys in our locker room, the captains. They've owned that we have to perform better."

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