Malaki Branham was so good for the Buckeyes on Monday night that Indiana forgot about E.J. Liddell with the game on the line in the waning seconds of a two-point contest.
With seven seconds left on the second-half clock and Ohio State trailing 63-61, Branham attracted the attention of four Hoosier defenders who had their eyes fixed on the freshman while Liddell flashed wide open on the low block. Branham found him for a dunk, Ohio State sent it to overtime and momentum had swung completely.
Not even three minutes of game time earlier, Indiana freshman Tamar Bates drilled a long 2-pointer to put the Hoosiers up four points, a lead they looked to expand after a timeout with 1:23 to play in the second half.