Ohio State’s alumni team Carmen’s Crew inched one step closer to the $1 million prize Monday night at Dayton’s UD Arena after it defeated No. 2 seed and Dayton alumni team Red Scare 71-60 in the second round of The Basketball Tournament. The Scarlet and Gray will now advance to the Round of 16 where it will face off against No. 1 seed and defending TBT champions Heartfire at UD Arena on Wednesday.
The Buckeye alumni team was able to come out on top in a sloppy game where both teams shot under 42 percent and committed 10 or more turnovers due to some clutch play late in the third quarter. The team hit three consecutive three-pointers to cap the period — including a banked-in triple from guard Scott Thomas at the buzzer — that allowed them to go on a 11-2 run and take command of the game.
Carmen’s Crew jumped out to a strong start in the first quarter behind some efficient three-point shooting, connecting on three of its five attempts from beyond the arc in the period. Two of those threes came from former Glenville State and Fairmont State guard Jamel Morris on back-to-back possessions late in the quarter, who scored seven points in the first 10 minutes to give Carmen’s Crew an early 19-13 lead.
Carmen’s Crew pushed its lead to as high as eight points, 21-13, after two Thomas free throws early in the second quarter before the Red Scare began to find its rhythm in its home arena, embarking on a gradual 10-2 run to tie the game at 23 with 4:20 remaining after a Scoochie Smith free throw.
After the Red Scare took a brief 26-25 lead with 3:22 left, Carmen’s Crew found their footing again to end the half, scoring six of the period’s final seven points — headlined by a three-pointer from former Buckeye forward Kaleb Wesson with 2:21 left, that allowed the team to go up 33-27 heading into the locker room.
Carmen’s Crew pushed its lead to seven, 34-27, out of the break after a Kaleb Wesson layup, but the Red Scare quickly rebounded with five straight points to cut the deficit to 34-32 following a Wesley Clark jump shot with 6:31 left. The score would remain the same for the next 3:18 until Red Scare tied the game at 34 after a Grant Basile layup, which sparked a back-and-forth between the two teams that eventually went in the Buckeyes’ favor.
After a Basile three-pointer made it 41-39 with 1:53 left, Carmen’s Crew exploded on an 11-2 run that was sparked by the three-point ball, with former Buckeye Kyle Young, Morris and Thomas connecting from deep on three straight possessions to help the alumni team take a commanding 52-41 lead into the third quarter.
Carmen’s Crew was able to maintain their lead prior to the TBT’s famed Elam Ending, with the team’s advantage staying between eight and 12 points en route to a 61-53 score as the timed portion of the fourth quarter expired. With the Elam Ending score set at 69 and the game clock shut off, Carmen’s Crew acted quickly, scoring 10 points in a span of 2:13 and providing the game-sealing score off a three-pointer from former Buckeye forward Andre Wesson to advance with a 71-60 win.
Wesson’s three capped off a strong shooting night from beyond the arc for the Scarlet and Gray, who sank 11 triples in 29 attempts, good for 37.9 percent. Morris had four threes in nine attempts to help him score a game-high 17 points, while Thomas and Young each added two from beyond the arc to help them score 11 and 10, respectively.
Jared Sullinger, who was a late addition to the roster after serving as head coach for Carmen Crew’s previous three appearances, finished with eight points on an inefficient 3-of-11 shooting, but he did have six rebounds and an assist.
Carmen’s Crew matchup with No. 1 seeded Heartfire is set for a 7 p.m. tip-off on FS2.
