OSU then-sophomore forward Jae’Sean Tate (1) during a game against VMI on Dec. 5 at the Schottenstein Center. Credit: Lantern file photo
The Ohio State men’s basketball team entered Charlottesville, Virginia, marching into new territory in two ways. Wednesday night was the first time the Buckeyes had visited Virginia since 1981, and the team went against the No. 6 Cavaliers with confidence from a 6-0 start to the season.
OSU sophomore guard JaQuan Lyle attempted a contested, potential game-winning 3-pointer as time expired that came up short, as the Buckeyes hit a roadblock against the Cavaliers, suffering its first defeat of the season, 63-61.
OSU led by as much as 16 in the first half.
Junior forward Jae’Sean Tate paced the Buckeye offense with 14 points and nine rebounds. Lyle scored 12 points but turned the ball over eight times in the loss.
Coach Thad Matta’s team took a 12-point lead into halftime, but that was quickly erased by the defensively opportunistic Cavaliers. Virginia used a 15-2 run through the first four minutes and 15 seconds of the second half to get back into the game. Virginia senior guard London Perrantes buried one of his four 3-pointers to take a 39-38 lead, Virginia’s first of the night.
Perentes led the Cavaliers with 19 points. Virginia made its first seven field goals of the second half.
OSU sophomore guard C.J. Jackson hit a contested 3 at the other end to put OSU back on top. It was one of his three 3s on the night.
For the next 15 minutes of the game, the teams traded blows until Virginia pulled away late in the game.
With the game tied at 57, OSU sophomore guard JaQuan Lyle lost the ball on a drive to the hoop. Perrantes then found junior forward Marial Shayok on the other end of the floor for an easy layup and the lead, 59-57.
Virginia junior forward Isaiah Wilkins had a breakaway dunk on the next possession and got fouled on the play for a chance to push the lead to five. Wilkins missed the free throw and Lyle was able to convert two free throws on the other end to trim the deficit to 63-61.
Shayok was then fouled by OSU redshirt junior center Trevor Thompson, but missed both free throws giving OSU a chance for the tie or the win. After a timeout by Matta with 6.5 seconds left, Lyle couldn’t find an open man as the nation’s No. 1 defense clamped down on the Buckeyes and ended the upset bid.
OSU had 20 turnovers and shot 50 percent from the floor.
OSU fell to 6-1 as Virginia moved to 7-0. The Buckeyes return to the court on Saturday in Columbus against Fairleigh Dickinson.
