OSU: Two Losses in Three Games Gives Them a Lesson for March

By: Chris Markoch (BleacherReport.com) -

March Madness came early for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Their loss to the 10th-ranked Purdue Boilermakers certainly felt like a tournament game.

It also exposed a nagging concern as the calendar turns to March, the inability to cool the hot hand.

On February 12th, Jordan Taylor of Wisconsin scored 21 of 27 points in the second half to help Wisconsin rally from 15 points down to end the Buckeyes chances of an undefeated season. Taylor hit open shot after open shot as the Badgers systematically dismantled the Buckeyes.

Conventional wisdom called it a “good loss.” It would teach them a valuable lesson prior to the tournament.

Sunday proved they may need a refresher course.

Yes, the Buckeyes had an uncharacteristic 18 turnovers, including nine in the second half alone. “We need to execute better on offense,” said starting guard Jon Diebler. “We had some turnovers that were self-imposed.”

Yes, the Buckeyes shot a frightening 6 for 22 in the second half.

But for everything the Buckeyes did wrong, this game was decided by one player—and Ohio State’s inability to stop him.

E’Twaun Moore scored a career-high 38 points, or exactly half of Purdue’s total in the 76-63 win. The 6’4″ senior rebounded from his 4-13 in Purdue’s blowout loss in Columbus by pouring in 13 of 18 shots to help the Boilermakers shoot 51 percent from the field….

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