Michigan State basketball welcomed in Ohio State to the Breslin Center on Sunday afternoon for a prime-time game against the Buckeyes. A tight affair from start to finish, Ohio State nearly pulled off the upset over the Spartans, but fell 66-60.
This win would have gone a long way in securing a tournament bid for the Buckeyes, but the Spartans squandered any hope for that in the immediate.
Following the game, Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler spoke to the media, commenting on the game that unfolded in East Lansing. Here is what he had to say:
- "Our team battled a little illness, and it is next man up. Hopefully none of this stuff is long-term."
- "Our free throws (were the issue). We struggled from three. Ball just didn't go in for us, like we are capable of, today."
- "I think yes, Bruce Thornton (made his case to be first team All-Big Ten) did. He plays the game the right way. He plays with toughness. Against an elite defense, an elite defensive guard, it says a lot about who he is. This MSU team is a big-time team."
- "Carson Cooper's efficiency was big time for MSU."
- "We knew rebounding would be a huge key to the game. Couple times we had a good initial hit, and MSU is good at having their guys keep moving. We had a good initial hit, but they move. Jordan Scott had a big one for them that I can remember."
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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: What Ohio State HC Jake Diebler said after loss to Michigan State