Ohio State Unseats Syracuse, Heads to Final 4

77-70 victory sends Ohio State to first Final 4 since 2007
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Mar 25, 2012 2:08 AM CDT
Ohio State Unseats Syracuse, Heads to Final 4
Syracuse guard Dion Waiters sits with assistant coach Gerry McNamara, left, as time winds down during the second half of the East Regional final game against Ohio State in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 24, 2012, in Boston. Ohio State won 77-70.    (Michael Dwyer)

Ohio State coach Thad Matta sized up his team in the middle of the season and had it figured for an early loss when the NCAA tournament came around. The final weekend of March Madness is next, and the Buckeyes will be there. Jared Sullinger recovered from first-half foul trouble to score 19 points and grab seven rebounds, helping Ohio State beat top-seeded Syracuse 77-70 yesterday to advance to the Final Four in New Orleans.

The second-seeded Buckeyes will play the winner of today's Midwest Regional final between North Carolina and Kansas. "We're not going down to New Orleans for a vacation. It's a business trip," said Sullinger, who picked up his second foul 6 minutes into the game and did not return the rest of the half. "These guys have played without me before, so they know what they have to do." It's OSU's first trip to the Final Four since 2007. (More NCAA basketball stories.)

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