MEN'S BASKETBALL Ohio State gets spanked at Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- So much for No. 4 Pittsburgh's first big test, its first challenging game in an early season schedule loaded with no-names and no-win opponents.
Midway through the second half Wednesday night, Ohio State -- the defending Big Ten champion -- simply gave up, much like Norfolk State, Southeastern Louisiana and Arkansas-Pine Bluff before it.
Buckeyes coach Jim O'Brien, unhappy with how his team responded to a physical, talented opponent and an intimidating crowd during the 69-49 loss, pulled top scorer Brent Darby off the floor with eight minutes remaining and essentially conceded.
"I'm embarrassed. It's probably the worst performance by one of my teams since my first season at Ohio State," O'Brien said. "We have to look ourselves in the mirror because we were never in this game mentally."
When he looked at Pitt, he saw a team he considers just as good as No. 2 Alabama or No. 3 Duke, which both beat his Buckeyes (3-3).
Pitt's 20-point margin of victory was the largest of the three games, though neither the Duke nor Alabama games were played on their home courts.
Ranking deserving
"I don't think it's a fluke they are ranked as high as they are," O'Brien said. "They are every bit as good as Duke and Alabama. I believe they can match up with both of those teams. They have good guards, they rebound, they're physical and they can shoot."
Most of all, Pittsburgh (7-0) hurt Ohio State with its defense.
Julius Page, playing despite a sprained ankle, teamed with Knight to shut down Darby, who was averaging 21 points but was held to 3 on 1-of-9 shooting.
"He was forcing a lot of things and wasn't getting the open looks he is used to," Knight said. "We had a good defensive effort, especially against him."
Ohio State also had no answer for Pitt's transition game or its physical play, with Page scoring 18 points and Knight adding 17.
Sean Connolly led cold-shooting Ohio State with 15 points. The Buckeyes shot 32 percent -- 8-of-25 in each half -- to Pitt's 53.7 percent.
"It was one of my better defensive games, but I didn't do it alone," Page said.
Knight, content earlier in the season to be a playmaker, was again a force offensively and defensively, scoring all but four of his points as Pitt opened up first-half leads of as many as 14 points.
"He really looked good tonight, controlled the tempo and made some shots," Pitt coach Ben Howland said of Knight, a third-team All-American last season.