Leach dominates Buckeye player

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Although freshman George Leach scored only two points and played just 10 minutes, teammate Kirk Haston said Leach deserves the MVP award for IU's 70-67 victory against Ohio State. \n"He carried us in the first half and kept (OSU center Ken) Johnson really off balance," Haston, a junior center, said. "Johnson must have been thinking he was looking in a mirror on defense. (Leach) played a key role in this win."\nJohnson is one of the Big Ten's all-time best shot blockers and this year's leader. He has 19 blocks in his last four games. Leach has 19 blocks for the season. But for one half, the freshman looked as if he was one of the Big Ten's all-time shot blockers, swatting four shots, and adjusting the course of numerous others in his 10 minutes of playing time.\n"I knew this would be the perfect game to use Leach, going against Ken Johnson," interim head coach Mike Davis said. "George really contested shots well and I wanted to do something different tonight."\nLeach was aggressive on offense as well. He attacked the basket with an array of post moves and short drives. At halftime, he scored only two points to go with two rebounds, but his impact was greater than the stat sheet indicated. The 6-foot-11 Leach was able to counter the presence of the 6-foot-11 Johnson. \nJohnson started the swat-fest in the first minute by blocking a shot by sophomore forward Jeff Newton. Johnson scowled at Newton with intimidation. Two minutes later, Newton was on the bench in foul trouble.\nEnter the freshman. Leach didn't back down from last season's Big Ten defensive player of the year. He stood in with the poise of a seasoned veteran, blocking two of Johnson's shots. Johnson scowled each time, as if to say, 'This is my house. I'm the one who swats the shots. Not you.' \nMeanwhile, freshman forward Jared Jeffries had a solid first half, scoring 10 points and grabbing four rebounds. Haston played nine minutes and scored three points in the first 20 minutes. \nAt halftime, Ohio State (13-8, 4-5 Big Ten) led 32-31, but Johnson, who averages 12.9 points per game in the Big Ten, was limited to four points. \n"I learned a little bit more about shot blocking -- how to time it, go up, and get it," Leach said. "I was just playing off adrenaline the whole time. I wanted to show coach Davis that he doesn't have to worry when he puts me in."\nEarly in the second half, Johnson went right at Newton, dropping his shoulder into Newton's chest as he went for a shot. Referee Ed Hightower called a foul on Newton, who said he felt Johnson initiated the contact. Newton fouled out after playing just nine minutes for the game and scoring four points.\nWith Haston playing better in the second half -- 15 points in 19 minutes -- and Jeffries playing solid defense against Johnson, Davis couldn't find a spot to play Leach, even though he wanted to. \n"George could have played 20 minutes tonight," Davis said. "I wanted to put George back in, but Kirk was playing well, hitting big shots and playing defense."\nAs Haston went up for a dunk on a fast break, Johnson stuck his hand between the ball and rim, sending Haston's shot backward, igniting the Value City Arena crowd with just over seven minutes to go and the Buckeyes holding the lead.\nWith just about 40 seconds remaining and IU up by one, Haston had the ball again, with Johnson defending. Haston tried his hook move. It clanked off the rim and into Johnson's hands. Then Haston became another hero of the day when he stole and inbounds pass and went all the way for a layup to give IU (13-9, 4-4 Big Ten) a three-point lead with 39 seconds left. He stole the ball on Ohio State's next possession too. But after the game he didn't want the credit. \nDavis and Haston gladly gave it to Leach, who handcuffed OSU's big man.\n"George Leach can be way better than Ken Johnson," Davis said. "He's got a scoring touch. The future is really bright for George but he's got to be patient. He's playing behind the best guy in the league at that position. There are going to be games where the opposing team has a big guy and George could get a lot of minutes."\nthe league at that position. There are going to be games where the opposing team has a big guy and George could get a lot of minutes"