Arizona knew that in order to beat No. 10 Ohio State they had to shut down the Buckeyes’ star player. While D’Angelo Russell still had some highlights in the game, he finished with just nine points. It wasn’t enough for the Buckeyes to keep up with the Wildcats, who won 73-58 on Saturday and moved on to the Sweet 16.
March Madness bracket 2015: Arizona silences D’Angelo Russell and Ohio State in win
The Wildcats shut down the Buckeyes’ star and continued on to the Sweet 16.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Up just 26-25 at halftime, No. 2 Arizona slowly pulled away in the second half behind strong 3-point shooting and transition opportunities. T.J. McConnell led the team with 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting while Gabe York came off the bench to nail five three-pointers. Stanley Johnson struggled from the floor (1-of-12) but made up for it with 10 rebounds and a couple of steals.
After watching Russell score 28 points in Ohio State's upset against VCU on Thursday, the Wildcats threw all sorts of defenses at him. They denied him, sent double teams and let different defenders take turns matching him up. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson in particular did a fantastic job bothering Russell for the full 40 minutes. Russell finished the game with seven rebounds and six assists, including this ridiculous no-look dime, but shot just 3-of-19.
The next step for Russell is surely the NBA, where he’s projected as a top five pick. Arizona knew this and did enough to shut him down on Saturday.
Up next for Arizona is the winner of the game between No. 6 Xavier and No. 14 Georgia State.
See More:
