The alarm went off impossibly early inside John Lumpkin’s hotel room. It was 5:30 a.m., and the Ohio State tight end, who had just helped the Buckeyes earn their first Rose Bowl win since 1974, had to get to the Los Angeles airport. On January 2, 1997, Lumpkin had to get to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and try to help the men’s basketball team pull off an upset win against the No. 8 Wolverines at Crisler Arena. The flight got him to Detroit, and Lumpkin made the 30-minute drive west, got a little bit more rest at the team hotel and arrived in time for warm-ups. He then chipped in four points and a rebound in 10 minutes as unranked Ohio State, having lost 18 of its last 19 Big Ten road games, pulled off a 73-71 stunner. How’s that for a span of roughly 48 hours? “That was one of…
Continue Reading: History shows J.T. Tuimoloau has rare shot at playing two sports at Ohio State
