Ohio State had a point to prove, and they proved it emphatically. One day after the first No. 1 seed (Pittsburgh) lost in the 2011 NCAA Tournament, the overall No. 1 seeded Buckeyes showed they are the favorite to cut down the nets at the Final Four, routing No. 8 seed George Mason, 98-56, to advance to the Sweet 16 o the NCAA bracket.
NCAA Bracket Update: Ohio State Sends Message In Dominating Win Over George Mason
The Patriots raced off to an 11-2 start to begin this game, which should give you some idea of how dominating Ohio State was beyond that. The Buckeyes couldn’t miss from downtown, hitting 16-26 from three-point range in the win. David Lighty led the way with 25 points, including a 7-7 performance from behind the three-point line. Jared Sullinger added 18 points and eight rebounds as well.
The Buckeyes will now face Kentucky, in a showcase of some of the nation’s top freshmen. The Patriots will head home and will not duplicate their miracle 2006 run.
Here is an updated look at the East Region of the 2011 NCAA Tournament bracket.
THIRD ROUND
No. 1 Ohio State def. No. 8 George Mason; will face Kentucky
No. 4 Kentucky def. No. 5 West Virginia; will face Ohio State
No. 3 Syracuse vs. No. 11 Marquette, Sunday
No. 2 North Carolina def. No. 7 Washington; will face Syracuse/Marquette winner
For more, Ohio State fans should head over to Along The Olentangy, while George Mason fans should check out SB Nation D.C.
Other March Madness resources: Our updated printable 2011 NCAA Tournament bracket and the full March Madness schedule.
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