In what should be the toughest test of the season, the 21st-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes will play one more game before the Big Ten schedule begins next week as the Tigers from LSU visit Value City Arena on Saturday, in a rematch of last year’s double overtime thriller in Baton Rouge, won by LSU 113-101. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00 pm.

The game will be televised regionally by ESPN Plus with the “Voice of the Cleveland Indians” Tom Hamilton, along with former Buckeye cager Bill Hosket. The game can also be heard on the 59-station OSU Buckeyes Radio Network with Paul Keels and Ron Stokes.

The Tigers are led by 5-foot 11 point guard Darrel Mitchell, who averages 18.8 points and 5.5 assists per game. Second in scoring and the team’s rebounding leader is 6-foot-9, 310 pound forward Glen “Big Baby” Davis, who averages 18.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.

Rounding out the starting five are 6-foot-9 freshman forward Tyrus Thomas (13.2 ppg, 9.5 rpg), 6-foot-7 freshman forward Tasmin Mitchell (12.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg), and 6-foot-1 freshman guard Ben Voogd (2.0 ppg, 2.9 apg).

This very young LSU team enters the game with a 7-3 record, and has notched wins over Southern University (84-56), Nicholls State (104-57), McNeese State (90-70), New Orleans (94-53), and Louisiana-Lafayette (81-62). The Tigers biggest win to date was a 71-68 overtime thriller over then 13th-ranked West Virginia in Morgantown. Three days later, LSU lost at home to Houston 84-83.

The Tigers then played in the round-robin Las Vegas Holiday Classic losing to Northern Iowa 54-50 in the first game before defeating Arkansas-Monticello 75-48 in the second contest.

In LSU’s last game of the tournament at Valley High School in Las Vegas, the Cincinnati Bearcats won on two late three-pointers while LSU missed front ends of a pair of one-and-ones in addition to a late turnover. The Tigers lost despite shooting 52.8 percent from the field and outrebounded Cincinnati, 38-25.

LSU was just 2-of-8 from the three-point arc and had 23 turnovers, 14 in the first half. Davis led LSU with 21 points, while Darrel Mitchell had 17 points. Thomas in his first start, doubled up with 12 points and 13 rebounds, with Tasmin Mitchell scoring 10.

In last year’s OSU-LSU game at the Maravich Center in Baton Rouge, Brandon Bass scored 29 points, including 12 during a pair of overtime periods, as LSU beat Ohio State 113-101 on January 15, 2005.

Bass’ free throws initiated an 8-0 run to open the second overtime period as the Tigers, which had forced the first overtime on Darrel Mitchell’s 3-pointer at the end of regulation.

Bass, who also had 10 rebounds, was one of five LSU players in double figures. Mitchell scored 32 points, Antonio Hudson had 20, Tack Minor had 17 points and 10 assists, and Glen Davis added 15 and 11 rebounds.

Ivan Harris and Je’Kel Foster led Ohio State with 20 points each. Foster shot 6-of-7 on 3-point attempts, including one that tied the score at 93 with three seconds left in the first OT. Terence Dials and Tony Stockman each had 17 points, J.J. Sullinger scored 13 and Brandon Fuss-Cheatham scored 10.

Ohio State shot 55.7 percent from the field, while LSU made 52.1 percent. The Buckeyes made 18 of 34 3-point attempts.

LSU outrebounded Ohio State 43-23 and outscored the Buckeyes 36-22 in the paint. The Tigers also had 27 points off 19 Ohio State turnovers.

Tags: Buckeye Basketball //