Ohio State Buckeyes advance to Sweet 16

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(Gallery by Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer)

DAYTON, Ohio -- The defender made the shot after the shooter made the steal, the court just down the highway finally came through after a 13-point lead evaporated, and when it was over, the details didn't fit, but Ohio State's outcome was familiar.

A last-second 3-pointer, the biggest shot of Aaron Craft's career, followed the best defensive play of Deshaun Thomas' career, and the Buckeyes squeezed into their fourth straight Sweet 16 with a 78-75 win over Iowa State at University of Dayton Arena on Sunday.

"We're the only team in the country that's done it for four straight years," said coach Thad Matta, soaked in his sweat. "I can't explain to you how important that is to me.

"You look at how hard that is to do. ... It's a great statement in college basketball."

The greater statement may have been made when the OSU coaches gathered Saturday night to talk about what they believed to be one of the best offensive attacks the Buckeyes had seen. Assistant Dave Dickerson told everyone the Buckeyes had to get a big lead, because the way Iowa State shot, the Cyclones would get right back in it.

"If we can get this thing up to about 12 in the second half, they're going to make a run," Matta said. "Hopefully 12 is enough."

It wasn't.

"He was missing free throws, so I was playing him more for the drive," Niang said. "He did a hang dribble and pulled up and I should have had my hand up earlier. He just made a great play."

"They're a great team, honestly. They're really hard to guard," Ohio State's Shannon Scott said of ISU. "I feel like they should be moving on, too. We were fortunate to win this game."

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Craft finished with 18 points on 5-of-10 shooting, making the only 3-pointer he tried, while LaQuinton Ross threw in 17, his second-highest total of the season. The Buckeyes got rid of their Dayton demons, escaping this site for the first time under Matta, after losing to Georgetown in the second round in 2006 and to Siena in the first round in 2009.

They're the survivor in the West as well, with No. 1 Gonzaga, No. 3 New Mexico and No. 4 Kansas State wiped out of the region, leaving the Buckeyes to face No. 6 Arizona and then a major underdog in the regional final Saturday if they win.

The path to back-to-back Final Fours is there.

Sunday brought what the Buckeyes already knew. Against an opponent like that, you need defense and big plays and some screaming fans and luck and a healthy dose of the unexpected to get by. The Buckeyes work late-game situations in practice a lot. Aaron Craft dribbling out the clock and hitting a 3-pointer? They'd seen that in practice before.

"In like October or November," assistant Chris Jent said. "It's good to see it back."

Then he laughed. Because the Buckeyes could.