Tennessee 84 - 85 Ohio State
Final
  for this game

Given a reprieve, Ohio State gears up for Tennessee

Mar 22, 2007 - 1:38 PM No. 5 Tennessee (24-10) at No. 1 Ohio St (32-3) 10:00 pm EDT

SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- Ohio State features one of the most highly publicized freshman classes in recent memory. But a senior saved the team's season.

With the top-seeded Buckeyes' season on the brink in the second round of the NCAA Tournament South Region, Ron Lewis buried a tying 3-pointer with two seconds left in regulation to force overtime against intrastate rival Xavier.

Lewis scored 27 points and freshman Mike Conley Jr. scored seven consecutive points in the extra session to push Ohio State into a regional semifinal matchup against fifth-seeded Tennessee (24-10) on Thursday.

The Buckeyes have won 19 consecutive games, a streak that started rather ironically with a 68-66 home victory over Tennessee. That contest was decided on a 3-pointer by Lewis with 11 seconds left.

Tennessee's ability to play with Ohio State on its home court might remove any intimidation factor presented by Buckeyes 7-foot freshman center Greg Oden, who had 24 points against the Vols' undersized front line in the first encounter.

Oden was almost the goat against Xavier, shoving Justin Cage out of bounds after drawing his fifth foul with 9.3 seconds left. It was perilously close to an intentional foul and could have marked the final game as a collegian for Oden, who is projected as the top overall pick in the NBA draft.

Classmates Conley and Daequan Cook bailed out their big man with a 10-0 run that set up a rematch against Tennessee, which squeaked past fourth-seeded Virginia, 77-74, in the second round.

Junior guard Chris Lofton is the catalyst for the Vols, scoring 46 points in the first two Tournament games. He has scored at least 20 points and made at least three 3-pointers in six of the last seven games.

Backcourt mate JaJuan Smith has 40 points in the Tournament. However, Tennessee will need production inside from freshmen forwards Wayne Chism and Duke Crews.

The winner advances to play either Texas A&M or Memphis for the chance to go to the Final Four.






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