Roommates Turner, Diebler Turn Buzz Killers for Ohio State

MILWAUKEE -- No. 2 seed Ohio State, led by the roommate tandem of Evan Turner and Jon Diebler, advanced to the Sweet 16 Sunday with a 75-66 defeat of No. 10 seed Georgia Tech. Turner, the Big Ten Player of the Year, scored a game-high 24 points while Diebler added 20, all but three points of which came in the second half.

"We got what we came for," said Buckeye coach Thad Matta. "On to St. Louis."

Next week is spring break at Ohio State, and suddenly the city with the Gateway Arch could become a popular road-trip destination for thousands of Buckeye students. If Ohio State advances to the Final Four in Indianapolis, that would be just a three-hour drive west on I-70 from campus. The Buckeye players said they wanted to spend their week playing basketball, draining three-point shots instead of jell-o shots, and that goal has been met. Next up: Tennessee on Friday.

"We're in it to win it," said Turner, whose Buckeyes went on an 18-6 run in the first seven minutes of the second half to take control. "We'll celebrate later."

If the Buckeyes are partying in two weeks, the two occupants of one off-campus apartment will be chiefly responsible. Diebler and Turner, both juniors, moved in together at the end of sophomore year.

"Evan and I got closer after freshman year," said Diebler, who averaged 40 points per game his senior year of high school in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. "We have a mutual respect for each other because we know how hard the other works. And we realized at an early point how good this team can be."

Strangely enough, it was the 6-foot-6 Diebler who helped Turner, a Chicago native, land a scholarship at Ohio State. Matta was attending an AAU game primarily to watch Diebler when he noticed, for the first time, a defender who was able to somewhat stymie the shooter: Turner. A scholarship was on its way.

Even though the 6-7 Turner is in his first season playing point for the Buckeyes, he is a natural creator. There's a little bit of Vince Carter or Penny Hardaway in his game. Diebler roams the perimeter, allowing defenders to double- and triple-team his roomie while waiting patiently for a kick-out pass. This weekend in Milwaukee he buried seven three-pointers and was the Buckeyes' top overall scorer with 43 points.

"When Diebler's hitting, it opens everything up," said Turner. Everything but your destination options for spring break.

Key Element

The Yellow Jackets entered with an advantage in the paint thanks to forwards Gani Lawal and Derrick Favors, but Ohio State collapsed in the paint well and neither Tech post player was ever a force. Favors, to be fair, was in foul trouble early and never got on track until the Yellow Jackets were down by double-digits. Still, with Ohio State collapsing so much, this game may have turned out differently if Tech had shot better than 4-20 (20 percent) from beyond the arc.

Ali Admiration

The Buckeye players, like fans coast-to-coast, were in awe of Northern Iowa's upset of No. 1 Kansas and particularly the cold-blooded three-pointer that Ali Farokhmanesh sank. "That kid that hit the three?" exclaimed Turner. "Wow! That kid had guts."

"I would've shot it, too," said Diebler. "In fact, I did something like that at Michigan State. Missed it, but coach wasn't even mad. He always says, 'Play to win, don't play not to lose.' That's what the kid from Northern Iowa was doing. They were going to have to shoot eventually, anyway. Why not take a wide-open shot?"

The Buckeyes could meet Northern Iowa in the Elite Eight if both win next Friday.

What's Next

Will coach Paul Hewitt return to Georgia Tech? Will freshman phenom Derrick Favors, a sure bet as a lottery pick, head to the NBA despite a pedestrian performance in Milwaukee? Hewitt advanced Tech to the ACC championship game (a loss to Duke) and into the second round of the NCAAs, but the Yellow Jackets have finished sixth or lower in the ACC for five straight years. Georgia Tech athletic director Dan Radakovich has only said thus far that he would not evaluate Hewitt's status while the season was still in play. With today's loss, expect Radakovich to be pestered about Hewitt's job status often.