Mar 10, 2007, 21:05 GMT
Chicago, IL - Greg Oden posted 17 points, a tournament- record 19 rebounds and four blocked shots, as the top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, on a 16-game winning streak, downed the fifth-seeded Purdue Boilermakers, 63-52, in the semifinal round of the Big Ten Conference Tournament.
The Buckeyes (29-3) move on to face either Wisconsin or Illinois in the final on Sunday, in the hunt for their first Big Ten Tournament title since 2002. OSU ripped through the Big Ten in the regular season, finishing 15-1 en route to its second straight title.
Ron Lewis scored 13 points for the top-seeded Buckeyes, who carried a 14- game win streak into the tourney, and were able to extend that with a 72-62 triumph over eighth-seeded Michigan in the quarterfinal on Friday. With the outcome, OSU established a school record for wins in a season with 28.
Carl Landry scored 24 points for Purdue (21-11), which took on fourth-seeded Iowa in the quarterfinal on Friday and was never really challenged in a 74-55 victory. David Teague notched 12 points and seven boards and Chris Kramer added eight points as the Boilermakers fell to OSU.
Ohio State controlled the glass early, outrebounding Purdue 25-15 in the first half, but only held a 29-28 edge at intermission, after the score had been tied five times.
The Buckeyes sustained their slight edge out of the locker room, and the Boilermakers drew back within one, 46-45, on Landry's layup midway through the second half.
But, Ohio State then rattled off seven straight ended by a pair of Lewis free throws with 5:24 remaining, and Oden's follow up slam about three minutes later put OSU ahead by double digits, 58-47.
'I didn't get blocked out,' Oden said. 'So I went running back. I don't know what I did, I was just yelling. I enjoyed it.'
Both teams shot 36 percent from the floor, the Buckeyes at 23-for-64, and Purdue at 20-for-55.
'I don't think I've ever played against a player like Greg Oden,' said Landry. 'Even if he doesn't block a shot, he can alter it because he's so long and athletic.'
Game Notes
Mike Conley Jr. netted 11 points, and Ivan Harris added 10 for the Buckeyes in the win...Purdue leads the all-time series with Ohio State, 78-72, but the Buckeyes have won the last eight meetings, including both during the 2006-07 regular season.
© 2007 The Sports Network
Game Notes.
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