It took three tries, but Ohio State finally got the job done – barely.
Utilizing every bit of an 18-point halftime lead, the fifth-seeded Buckeyes avoided dropping Friday's quarterfinals matchup with fourth-seeded Purdue in regulation, heading to overtime tied at 72 points apiece. There, despite E.J. Liddell fouling out after two and a half minutes, six Seth Towns points, a CJ Walker fast-break layups and Duane Washington Jr. 3-pointer and free throws allowed them to escape victorious.
Ohio State ultimately came out on top, 87-78, to advance to the Big Ten tournament semifinals where it'll meet top-seeded Michigan on Saturday afternoon.