The difference between winning and losing, good teams and bad teams, first place and ninth place wasn’t so clear Wednesday night.
At least not until the final minute.
Seven teams separate No. 8 Ohio State and Northwestern in the Big Ten standings. The Buckeyes entered Welsh-Ryan Arena one victory from clinching a share of the conference title. Instead of seizing the role of spoiler, NU had its own heart broken in a 56-53 defeat, its fourth loss in five games.
The Wildcats (13-14, 5-10 Big Ten) picked an inopportune time to fall below .500 for the first time this season. Although a winning record is no longer required for NIT eligibility, the Cats could have used a quality win to boost their postseason hopes.
They appeared well on their way when senior guard Evan Seacat hit the first of two free throws with 2:54 remaining, giving NU a 53-52 lead. The purple student section was stomping and hollering, sensing another upset exactly three weeks after the Iowa victory. Even the normally sedated alumni section was on its feet, joining the small contingent of Illinois fans cheering against their rival in the Big Ten race.
But then the Cats showed why they remain on the bottom rung of the Big Ten, while Ohio State (22-4, 11-4) did what good teams do.
Seacat missed the second free throw, which turned out to be a crucial point. Two possessions later, with the Cats still leading by one, Seacat committed a careless turnover when he stepped out of bounds with 54 seconds left. Still, the Cats were one defensive stand away from ending their 12-game losing streak to Ohio State – and they almost got it.
Buckeyes guard Ron Lewis misfired on a 3-pointer, but teammate Terence Dials grabbed the rebound. After an Ohio State timeout, the Cats hounded the perimeter, nearly forcing a steal with a deflection. But NU’s 1-3-1 zone defense broke down on the left side, and Lewis drove straight to the basket for the game-winning layup with 14 seconds left.
“It got a little helter-skelter there to say the least,” said Ohio State coach Thad Matta. “It looked like a kid’s soccer game with them chasing the ball all around for a while.”
Things didn’t calm down when NU coach Bill Carmody elected not to take a timeout to set up a play. Instead, freshman guard Sterling Williams raced down the court and appeared to have an opening in the lane. But Williams turned the ball over when he left his feet and decided to force a pass at the last instant.
“I’m taking responsibility for that,” Carmody said. “I usually call a timeout in that situation, probably seven out of 10 times. I just saw the transition and Sterling going, and that’s his strength.”
The Cats had one final chance after two Ohio State free throws with 1.3 seconds left. Forward Tim Doyle’s full-court inbounds pass missed a potentially open Vedran Vukusic and landed at the scorer’s table.
It was a fitting way to cap another second-half collapse against a formidable opponent.
“I’m tired of the same scenario: we’re right there, right there, and we still end up losing the game,” senior guard Mohamed Hachad said. “It’s too late now. It’s that kind of regret when you know you can do it, but you’re just not doing it. It’s tough.”
For extra salt in the wound, the Cats can consult the stats sheet.
NU held the conference’s highest-scoring team to 20 points below its season average. Ohio State’s prolific perimeter shooters finished 6-of-24 from beyond the arc. The Cats even won the rebounding battle, 33-26.
But in a league like the Big Ten, against a team like Ohio State, all it takes is three turnovers and a defensive breakdown. And any chance for a huge win is gone in 54 seconds.
Reach Gerald Tang at [email protected].
