Buckeye surprise

COLUMBUS (AP) -- For the first time this season Illinois has to bounce back from a loss.
Ohio State reserve forward Matt Sylvester hit a 3-pointer with 5.1 seconds remaining Sunday to hand the top-ranked Illini their first defeat, 65-64.
The Illini (29-1, 15-1) were trying to cap the Big Ten's first unbeaten season in 29 years. Instead, they frittered away a 12-point lead in the second half and didn't score over the final three minutes.
"Everyone says a loss will help. We'll find out," coach Bruce Weber said. "We'll learn from it and move on. This next stretch is the most important of the year and that's what people are going to remember."
Career-high performance
Sylvester scored a career-high 25 points -- eight more than his previous best -- for a team that was banned by its own administrators from the postseason two months ago to mitigate possible NCAA violations committed under former coach Jim O'Brien.
"We were in the huddle and Coach told us, 'We're not going halfway. We're going for the win,' " Sylvester said.
First-year coach Thad Matta drew up a play in which center Terence Dials set a pick and rolled to the basket and guard Tony Stockman was used as a decoy. The Illini bit on the deception.
"As we left the huddle, Matt said, 'I'll make the shot,' " Matta said.
No second-half turnovers
Ohio State (19-12, 8-8), a team with problems all year hanging onto the ball, didn't have a turnover in the second half. The Illini, who had hurdled tough games in loud environments all season, had seven turnovers after halftime.
"We didn't take care of the ball and they made all the plays at the end," Illinois center Jack Ingram said. "They won it."
It was the second straight season a team coached by Matta ended a run at perfection. Matta's Xavier team handed Saint Joseph's its first loss last season in the Atlantic 10 tournament.
"I'd like to be the other team just one time," Matta said with a laugh. "I'm living for the day I'm the No. 1 team and someone else is trying to do it to us."
The Illini led 64-58 after James Augustine's layup with 3:23 remaining -- but didn't score again.
Dials leads run
The Buckeyes ran off the next seven points, with Dials, who had 21 points, scoring on a half-hook before Sylvester drove the lane for a left-handed scoop to cut the lead to 64-62 with 1:40 remaining.
"They were loosey-goosey," Weber said of the Buckeyes. "They didn't quit. They're an NCAA tournament team. Playing on their home court, they made the plays."
With just over a minute to go, Illinois' Deron Williams drove the lane and wrapped a pass around a defender to Roger Powell, but Dials swatted the shot away to teammate Je'Kel Foster. Sylvester missed a 15-footer for the Buckeyes and then Illinois' Luther Head misfired on a 3-pointer with 17 seconds remaining.
Set up game winner
Ohio State called a timeout with 12 seconds to go. Foster inbounded to Brandon Fuss-Cheatham who passed to Sylvester on the right wing, in front of the Ohio State bench. His quick shot seemed to surprise the Illini, nestling in the net while a capacity crowd at Value City Arena roared.
After a timeout, a pass was tipped out of bounds in front of the Illinois bench. The Illini had one last chance with 2.2 seconds remaining. Williams passed to Powell, but his hurried 3-pointer from the top of the circle was well short.
"They just outplayed us," Illinois' Dee Brown said. "They deserved it."
Brown led the Illini with 13 points, although he was 3-of-11 from the field and had only five points over the final 34 minutes. Powell and Head each added 12 points. Williams, who came in averaging 12.8 points a game, was 1-of-7 from the field and finished with two points.