Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) celebrates a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes with teammates Bruno Gervais (27) and right wing Martin St. Louis (26) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Reinhold Matay)
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Reinhold Matay

Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) celebrates a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes with teammates Bruno Gervais (27) and right wing Martin St. Louis (26) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Reinhold Matay)

’Canes collapse in third

By Michael Marot

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana did it again. Three weeks after upsetting No. 1 Kentucky, the Hoosiers took down No. 2 Ohio State.

Victor Oladipo scored the go-ahead basket with 36 seconds left Saturday and Jordan Hulls finished with 17 points, giving the No. 13 Hoosiers a 74-70 victory – the school’s first-ever sweep of the nation’s top two teams.

“They’ve been punking us the past couple years, and we realized that,” Oladipo said. “This year we had to go toe-to-toe with them.”

Indiana (13-1, 1-1 Big Ten) became the ninth team since 1996-97 to beat No. 1 and No. 2 in the same season and one of three to achieve the feat in the same month. Against Kentucky, the Hoosiers needed a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.

On Saturday, the Hoosiers needed Oladipo’s layup, three free throws from Hulls and Watford, a rebound from Watford and a steal from Oladipo in the final 36 seconds.

Ohio State (13-2, 1-1) was led by Aaron Craft with 16 points and Jared Sullinger with 15 points and nine rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to extend their five-game winning streak or the school record six-game winning streak against the Hoosiers.

The Buckeyes spent most of the day buried in foul trouble, and never could quite dig themselves out.

They squandered an early 19-9 lead, watching the Hoosiers close the half by converting back-to-back turnovers into easy baskets and taking a 33-32 lead.

It was the same story in the second half.

Ohio State looked as if it might pull away after taking a 44-41 lead with 15:33 left, but the continual foul problems allowed Indiana to hang around.

The Buckeyes took a 68-67 lead when Sullinger made the basket, drew the fifth foul on Cody Zeller and then made a free throw.

Jones answered with a layup to make it 69-68 and then Ohio State’s Deshaun Thomas made a jumper to give the Buckeyes a one-point lead with 1:51 to go.

That’s how it stayed until Hulls forced a turnover with a deflection, and Jones tossed the ball up the court to Oladipo for a layup and a 71-70 lead with 36 seconds left.

Ohio State called its final timeout to set up a play, but Craft’s pass went through the Sam Thompson’s hands.

William Buford’s 3-pointer would have given Ohio State the lead again with about 5 seconds to go, but Watford grabbed the errant shot and made two free throws to seal it.

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