COLUMBUS, Ohio • That rolling snowball coach Bruce Weber described Saturday at Nebraska turned into an avalanche Tuesday night at Ohio State.

Less than five minutes into the game at Value City Arena, Illinois trailed by double digits. Midway through the first half, the Illini were down by 20 points, which is where they stayed for most of the game en route to an 83-67 loss to the Buckeyes.

Nobody will mistake a replay of this Illinois-Ohio State game for the one that took place Jan. 10, when the Illini upset the Buckeyes behind 43 points from Brandon Paul. In that game at Assembly Hall, the Illini could do no wrong in a 79-74 victory, but Tuesday, nothing went right.

"Our game at home we were able to move the ball where we wanted," Weber said. "(Here), I think our guys froze early."

Weber said he didn't want a pity party, but that's the only kind of party the Illini may be hosting soon. They have lost six straight and nine of the past 10.

The Illini allowed the Buckeyes, who led by as many as 26 points, to shoot 65.3 percent. They made 11 of their first 12 shots and hit 70.8 percent of their first-half shots.

This fit in the Illini's recent sequence of defensive letdowns. Northwestern shot 60.4 percent against them, Indiana made 50 percent, Michigan connected on 50 percent, Purdue made 45 percent and Nebraska hit 55.6 percent.

Defense was 'something that carried us early and gave us a chance to win games," Weber said. "Now, it's not there."

Part of that on Tuesday was Ohio State's loaded arsenal. Although star Jared Sullinger fouled out with only nine points, DeShaun Thomas scored 19 points and William Buford contributed 17.

Meyers Leonard scored 21 points, but the Buckeyes shut down Paul, who scored only nine points on two-of-nine shooting.

"They locked into him right away," Weber said.

D.J. Richardson was the Illini's second-leading scorer with 12 points.

The string of losses has prompted fan and media speculation about Weber's job security.

Leonard rushed to his coach's defense after the game.

"I'm tired of people saying negative stuff about Coach Weber, about the rest of the coaching staff and about our team," he said. "They've cared. There's no doubt about it. It's been us."