COLUMBUS, Ohio — Jared Sullinger hammered away inside for 19 points and 15 rebounds and No. 1 Ohio State came back from a sluggish half to beat Michigan 62-53 on Thursday night, helping the Buckeyes open with 23 wins for the second time in school history.
“Sullinger is a freshman, but he’s a very unusual freshman,” Michigan coach John Beilein said.
Beilein then focused on one pivotal play. In the middle of a critical 13-5 second-half run, Ohio State’s Jon Diebler air-balled a 3 from the left corner. But Sullinger correctly positioned himself to catch the ball and put it back in.
“I turned around and said, ‘The last time I saw that, Blake Griffin did it,”‘ Beilein said, referring to the former Oklahoma star now with the Los Angeles Clippers. “It’s incredible body control.”
Oregon State 68, No. 20 Washington 56
CORVALLIS, Ore. — The Beavers (9-12, 4-6 Pac-10) converted from the free-throw line down the stretch to end an eight-game slide against the Huskies (15-6, 7-3).
No. 21 Arizona 78, Stanford 69
STANFORD, Calif. — The Wildcats (19-4, 8-2) overtook Washington atop the Pac-10.
Women
No. 3 Duke 82, No. 18 Miami 58
DURHAM, N.C. — Haley Peters scored 15 points, fellow freshman Richa Jackson had a season-high 13 and the Blue Devils (21-1, 7-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) shot nearly 55 percent, forced 20 turnovers and held a 42-31 rebounding advantage.
No. 11 Michigan State 73, Wisconsin 70 (OT)
MADISON, Wis. — Kalisha Keane hit an off-balance 3-pointer from the right wing to tie it at 60 with 13 seconds to go and added seven points in overtime as Spartans coach Suzy Merchant notched her first win over in four trips to the Kohl Center.
No. 12 Maryland 56, No. 24 Georgia Tech 53
ATLANTA — Kim Rodgers, who had been 0-for-3 from behind the arc previously, hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Purdue 60, No. 20 Iowa 41
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Hawkeyes (17-6, 5-5 Big Ten) shot 22 percent from the field and scored a season-low point total in their worst loss of the season.
No. 24 Georgia 57, Arkansas 54 (OT)
ATHENS, Ga. — The Lady Bulldogs (17-5, 7-2 Southeastern Conference) stormed back from a season-low, 20-point first half.
The Associated Press
