Sophomore forward Zed Key (23) goes up for a rebound during the Ohio State-Iowa game. Ohio State lost 75-62. Credit: Gabe Haferman | Assistant Photo Editor
Ohio State has shown glimpses this season that it is never out of a ballgame.
It erased a 13-point halftime deficit before defeating then-No. 1 Duke and a 20-point margin in the second half to then-No. 6 Purdue, making things interesting before losing 81-78 on a buzzer beater.
Saturday had the makings of a similar dramatic ending, but one costly possession in which Iowa snagged two offensive rebounds before nailing a dagger 3-pointer spoiled the Buckeyes’ comeback attempt as they lost 75-62. The possession was indicative of their day in which they allowed the Hawkeyes to pull down 20 offensive rebounds that led to 18 second-chance points.
“They just beat us to a lot of loose balls,” head coach Chris Holtmann said. “They send sometimes four guys, sometimes five guys and they just beat us to a lot of loose balls. Their length and size bothered us.”
No. 18 Ohio State dug itself into the deepest deficit it had faced all game after not making a field goal in 7:55 until graduate guard Jamari Wheeler sprinted down the left block, laying in a bucket high off the glass to make it a 66-55 game with just over five minutes to go.
A loose ball headed for the out-of-bounds baseline was saved with a no-look throw-in by Wheeler, leading to an uncontested two-handed slam from Iowa sophomore forward Keegan Murray.
After that, freshman guard Malaki Branham snagged a bucket and two more free throws before junior forward E.J. Liddell nailed his only 3-pointer of the game to finish off Ohio State’s 7-0 run in just under two minutes, quickly making it a two-possession game with 2:40 to go.
As the Buckeyes raced back in defensive transition, Iowa sophomore forward Kris Murray put up a shot from downtown that rimmed out, as redshirt senior guard Connor McCaffery grabbed his only offensive rebound of the game. He dished it to sophomore guard Ahron Ulis who was cutting down the lane and he missed a layup.
Hawkeyes redshirt senior guard Jordan Bohannon snagged his only rebound of the game before kicking out to McCaffery who was wide open beyond the arc, burying the shot and deflating the Buckeyes’ momentum and sending the fans for the exits.
Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery said a reason why the Hawkeyes hauled in so many boards is due to Ohio State’s aggressive defensive approach.
“They’re coming to block. You go to the basket, they’re coming for it, so that leaves opportunities for weak-side rebounding,” McCaffery said. “It creates a lot of uncertainty sometimes with guys who drive against them, but we always want to get downhill, and if we miss we got to get the weak-side rebounds, and we did that tonight.”
Ohio State struggled early on in the year letting opponents get a lot of second-chance opportunities, allowing 10 or more offensive rebounds in five of its first six games. It had cleaned up that area entering Saturday, as only two of the previous nine games saw the Buckeyes’ opposition pull down more than 10 offensive boards.
Iowa’s 20 offensive rebounds — 14 of which came in the first half — were a season high mark and the most Ohio State has given up this season.
The Hawkeyes’ 18 second-chance points were the third-most they have recorded and tied for the most the Buckeyes have surrendered this season.
Iowa redshirt sophomore forward Patrick McCaffery led the way with four offensive boards, while the Murray brothers recorded three a piece.
Ohio State is now 1-4 this year when it allows at least 15 opponent offensive rebounds, with its lone win coming against Northwestern Jan. 9.
“I think our inability to get first-time stops and guard all of their motion, I think we did wear down,” Holtmann said. “Across the board, really, we didn’t play with enough force and physicality and that’s my fault.”
