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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- After a grueling final six games, Ohio State is perfectly happy to share the Big Ten basketball title with
Michigan State.
"We are thrilled that we were able to get at least a share of the championship of this conference," Ohio State coach Jim O'Brien said after the Buckeyes (No. 5 ESPN/USA Today, No. 6 AP) beat Minnesota 82-72 on Saturday.
|  | | Ohio State's George Reese slams for two for his game-high 25 points. |
"For our guys to get through these last three weeks is an incredible accomplishment."
George Reese matched his career high with 25 points and Michael Redd scored 17 as the Buckeyes (22-5 overall, 13-3 Big Ten) won their fifth straight game to win a share of the league title with Michigan State, which crushed Michigan 114-63 on Saturday.
"We'll share it with them, sure," said Redd, who scored 17 points, ending a string of four straight 20-point games. "Who
cares? Congrats to them, but we won, too."
The Buckeyes have won 10 outright Big Ten titles, the last in
1992, and have shared six.
Ohio State lost at Michigan State 83-72 on Feb. 15, but then
reeled off five straight victories, including road defeats of
Indiana and Penn State.
Ohio State will be the top-seeded team in next weekend's Big Ten
tournament by virtue of a tiebreaker formula.
Redd said the Big Ten regular season crown meant nearly
everything to him, no matter what happens during the tournament in
Chicago.
"We only lost three conference games, that speaks a lot," Redd
said. "This is better than anything except the Final Four."
"I think it's more significant because you have to do it
against everybody, on the road and over the long haul," O'Brien
said.
O'Brien said his players didn't know the Michigan State score
until after their own game.
"It was all about us versus Minnesota," he said. "We didn't
talk about it until after the game. Then everyone was happy and
jumping around the locker room."
The loss was the sixth straight for Minnesota (12-15, 4-12) and
was its second in three days to a top 10 team. The Gophers lost at
Michigan State 79-43 on Thursday.
"I think we feel a whole lot better than we did Thursday
night," Minnesota coach Dan Monson said. "Nobody likes to lose,
but these young men can be proud of what they did against one of
the top teams in America. Life isn't about everything being good
for you."
Scoonie Penn added 11 points for Ohio State, including a
3-pointer early in the first half that gave him 144 for his career,
three shy of Neshaun Coleman's record.
Shane Schilling led Minnesota with 16 points and Terrance
Simmons had 15.
The Gophers gave Ohio State all it could handle in the early
going, tying the game 21-21 at 9:35 on Kyle Sanden's 3-point basket
and trailing just 31-28 with five minutes to play.
The Buckeyes scored 11 of the final 13 points in the half, six
by Reese, to lead 42-31.
Mitch Ohnstad and Simmons hit back-to-back 3-pointers in a 14-3
run early in the second half as Minnesota closed to 48-45.
Redd then scored five straight points in an 18-2 run that gave
the Buckeyes a 66-47 cushion.
"Well, they're good," Monson said in explaining how Ohio State
roared back. "Good teams are going to make runs. The difference
tonight was that it (the deficit) didn't turn into 25. It went back
to 10."
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Ohio State Clubhouse
Minnesota Clubhouse
Cleaves, Spartans humble Wolverines by 51 points
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Michael Redd makes the steal and finishes at the other end.
avi: 765 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Scoonie Penn draws contact and gets the ball to drop.
avi: 597 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Mitch Ohnstad feeds Dusty Rychart on the break.
avi: 549 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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