Ohio State 56, Michigan 53
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Trey Burke stared up at the scoreboard, his hands over his head. He couldn't believe it hadn't gone in.
The shot had felt so good. It had looked even better. But Burke's go-ahead 3-pointer rattled in and out as No. 2-ranked Michigan fell 56-53 at Ohio State on Sunday.
Burke, a native of Columbus who played alongside former OSU All-American Jared Sullinger at Northland High School, scored 10 of his 15 points in the second half as Michigan (16-1, 3-1 Big Ten) rallied from a 21-point deficit.
The Wolverines came all the way back to tie their archrivals at 46-all with just over five minutes to play in the game but couldn't get the big shot they needed to avoid the upset at Value City Arena.
Ohio State (13-3, 3-1) pushed its lead back to six with three minutes to play, but it was only two when Burke pulled up from behind the arc with 15 seconds on the game clock. His shot rattled in and out, landing in the hands of Lenzelle Smith Jr., who made two free throws to put the game out of reach.
Preseason All-American Deshaun Thomas scored 11 of his game-high 20 points in the first half as 15th-ranked Ohio State raced out to what seemed like an insurmountable lead.
Burke knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Wolverines a quick lead to open the game.
Michigan wouldn't lead again. Thomas and Aaron Craft keyed a 16-0 run for the Buckeyes, who quickly took control against the last undefeated team in college basketball. Ohio State pushed its lead to 21 points on a free throw from Amir Williams that made it 29-8 with 6:52 to play in the first half.
The Wolverines uncharacteristically turned the ball over nine times in the first half, with Ohio State scoring 16 points off the turnovers.
Craft held Burke, one of the top point guards in the country, to five points and one assist in the first half, but Michigan made one big push at the end of the half to stay within striking distance.
A Jordan Morgan dunk cut Ohio State's lead to 16 and a 3-pointer from freshman Spike Albrecht made it a 14-point game with 2:10 to play. Burke closed out the half with a layup to cap a 14-5 run that kept Michigan in the game with a 12-point deficit.
The Wolverines carried that momentum into the second half and held Ohio State to 12 points in the first 13 minutes after halftime. They outscored the Buckeyes 31-22 in the second half, but Ohio State made the plays it had to make in the final three minutes to hold on for the victory.
NOTES: Thomas left the game with a right leg injury midway through the second half. He was down on the court for a few seconds but got up and walked off under his own power. He returned to the game at the next deadball ... Ohio State center Amir Williams started his fifth straight game for the Buckeyes. The sophomore from Birmingham, Mich., was banged up during the win at Purdue on Tuesday, coach Thad Matta said, but he practiced late in the week. Williams wore a sleeve on his right knee. ... Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer was in attendance on a big recruiting weekend in Columbus.
