Ohio State in title game

NEW YORK -- Ohio State will get another chance to wrap up its season with a title, though not quite the one the Buckeyes had in mind when fall practice started.

Hey, at least they don't have to mess with Florida this time.

Jamar Butler and Evan Turner scored 17 each, and the Buckeyes used a buckling halfcourt trap and an early 14-0 run to beat Mississippi 81-69 on Tuesday night in the NIT semifinals.

Ohio State (23-13) will play Massachusetts for the championship Thursday night, after the Minutemen knocked off Florida 78-66 and allowed a small but vocal contingent of Buckeye fans to breath a little easier before their game even began.

"I know there's a bunch of people in this room who are a lot more disappointed than I am," coach Thad Matta said, when someone suggested he might have relished another chance at the team that beat Ohio State for the national championship last season.

That wasn't the only time the Gators got the best of the Buckeyes, though. Florida romped past Ohio State to win the 2007 BCS championship, too.

"Seems like we've started a little rivalry with the Gators," said Butler, who limped around the locker room with an ice pack on his ankle after the game. "But it looked like UMass was the better team tonight."

UMass 78, Florida 66: Dante Milligan scored 17 points and made several blocks late, helping Massachusetts (25-10) defeat two-time defending NCAA champion Florida in the NIT semis.